An open letter to David Gauke MP:

As the justice minister, you and your cabinet colleagues have an opportunity to actively influence events concerning withdrawal from the European Union.

It is no exaggeration to say that this issue is the biggest challenge to face this country in a generation and how you and your cabinet colleagues act from now on will have a huge bearing on the UK’s future. History will either absolve you or you will be confined to the ‘dustbin of history’ as being part of the government that ‘sold the British public down the river.”

Theresa May emphatically declared at the start of the EU withdrawal negotiations that; “Brexit means Brexit” but in reality it has meant what Remainers in her own party want it to mean.

The EU knew from the outset of the EU withdrawal negotiations that she did not really want to leave the EU and this is why she has been ‘mugged off’ with a ‘half out, half in deal’ that has achieved nothing but uniting Remainers and Leavers against her despicable deal.

The astonishing refusal by the Government to allow parliamentary time to debate a no confidence motion in Theresa May does not bear any reasonable scrutiny, especially as Tory MPs who previously expressed no confidence in her leadership over the Brexit deal now support her leadership.

This is a clear case of opportunism and cowardice by Tory MPs who, fearing the prospect of a Jeremy Corbyn-led government, have put their own political careers and futures over that of the electorate that they are supposed to serve.

Theresa May is apparently now considering further options such as extending the date of actually leaving Europe or holding another referendum, not on accepting her deal or a no deal Brexit but another vote on leaving Europe.

She is also exerting not so subtle pressure on Parliament and the public to agree to her deal by spreading alarmist scare stories about their being food and medical supply shortages and threatening to putting 3,000 troops on the streets.

The implications for the public’s trust in confidence in democracy and democratic processes would be calamitous if the promise to leave the EU is reneged upon or a second referendum is held. This will not only have implications for the Tory party but all political parties as if sufficiently large numbers of the public disengage from political processes, it will make elections effectively meaningless in the future.

I am asking you as a cabinet minister to use your influence, along with your colleagues to deliver the Brexit the public voted in favour of, (which her predecessor said was binding) which was full withdrawal from the EU with no free movement of citizens of the EU to live and work in the UK and withdrawal from the single customs union. If this has not achieved we will not have left the EU.

If she will not agree to this, then she must take the only honourable option and ‘fall on her sword’ and resign for the good of the country and make way for a ‘signpost politician’ who will remain true to their principles and stand ‘true and tall’. Perhaps then we can get on with the business of dealing with other more pressing problems currently facing this country, such as the housing crisis and homelessness and the crisis in the NHS, to name just two of many issues.

Ian Kirkham

The Queens Drive, Chorleywood