A number of resignations have taken place following the “collective agreement” of the Cabinet to accept the Draft of the Withdrawal Agreement on the 14 November 2018.
Ranil Jayawardena resigns from his post as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministry of Justice.
This is a pivotal time for the United Kingdom. It is important to deliver on the democratic decision of the people. It is important to get the right deal for our country. And it is important for every Member to act in good conscience. That is why, with regret, I must offer my resignation as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministry of Justice.
At the last election, you said:
“Our future prosperity, our place in the world, our standard of living, and the opportunities we want for our children – and our children’s children – all depend on getting the next five years right.”
I agree. But I cannot agree, in the cold light of day, that the deal in front of us today is right for our country. It does not deliver a good and fair Brexit.
A good and fair Brexit must be good for those with close links to the European Union, be that family or business, but it must be fair to those who voted to leave the European Union also – taking back control of our laws, our borders and our money.
This draft agreement does not do that. We will be locked into, amongst other deficiencies, European Union law. In particular, Article 89 sets out:
“Judgments and orders of the Court of Justice of the European Union … shall have binding force in their entirety on and in the United Kingdom.”
Article 174 continues that on a question of whether the United Kingdom has complied with its obligations under Article 89:
“The Court of Justice of the European Union shall have jurisdiction to give such a ruling which shall be binding …”
This is not taking back control of our laws. Further, at the last election we committed to leave the single market and the customs union. We committed to pursuing new trade agreements with other countries at the same time as maintaining free trade with European markets. This draft agreements put these and other commitments at risk too.
I entered public service not to be defined by the European question, but to deliver for my constituents and for our country. To provide the right infrastructure for our economy to grow. To secure the best education for our children so they have better lives tomorrow than they have today. To protect the public by enforcing our laws and our borders. I will continue to work hard from the backbenches to deliver on these priorities and for my constituents as their local Member of Parliament.
Yours sincerely,
Ranil Jayawardena
