Margot James: MPs who oppose Brexit deal are letting constituents down

The Stourbridge MP and Creative Industries Minister made a direct appeal to her fellow Tories to rally behind Theresa May's deal, which faces mass opposition ahead of the crucial Commons vote on Tuesday.

She said people in Leave voting areas such as the Black Country expected the Government to deliver Brexit and warned of the 'serious risks' of opposing the deal.

Ms James visited Dudley College's Evolve campus where she announced £1.3 million funding to allow creative businesses to develop in the West Midlands.

Asked if MPs who vote against the Prime Minister's deal were letting their constituents down, she said: "I think they are really, yes.

"They are dancing on the head of a pin arguing that this deal won't work. I'm fully aware of people's objections. The customs union issue is a downside, the Prime Minister acknowledges that.

"But in no negotiation do you get everything you want.

"I think a lot of my colleagues have never undertaken a negotiation. They seem to think that it can all be a one-way street, well it can't."

Ms James, who backed Remain in the EU referendum, added: "My message to colleagues who are not satisfied with this deal is that it is probably the best deal we are going to get.

"It is actually delivering hugely on what the referendum was all about. It will ultimately stop the payments going to Europe after the divorce deal, there will no longer be freedom of movement, the European Court of Justice has been reduced right back and will be out of everyday domestic law in this country, and we also have the potential to keep trading with the EU with minimal restrictions.

"If David Cameron had got that three years ago then people would never have voted to leave in the first place. It is imperative colleagues get behind it, because if they try to subvert this there are serious risks.

"We are not going to get anything more out of the EU. By sending the Prime Minister back to Brussels to renegotiate, we are in danger of losing some of the things we already have.

"The other risk is that there is a growing body of opinion in Parliament that if this doesn't get through, then we'll go and join Norway in that European free trade area, which is no panacea, and there is no guarantee they will have us anyway.

She said that voting down the deal would ramp up the pressure for another referendum, saying: "Parliament will not sanction 'no deal', there is a very, very small number of MPs who are keen to leave without a deal and they would be outvoted."