Liz Price from Oxford calls out Boris Johnson on his unprincipled behaviour and asks where statesmanship went.
To: The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson
Cc: Keir Starmer, MP, Leader of the Opposition
Ed Davey MP
Layla Moran MP
7 September 2020
Dear Mr Johnson,
I am writing to express to you my anger at your current proposal to undermine the Withdrawal Treaty through domestic legislation.
I probably need not remind you that you launched your election campaign last year on the basis of your “oven ready deal”. You played on the nation’s desire to move on from the stalemate, which had followed the 2016 referendum. You claimed to have secured a great deal with Europe, and promised the nation that you would “Get Brexit Done” on January 31st. When you secured your majority in January, you urged parliament to vote for your deal, declaring that in pressing ahead with Brexit you would (your own words) “allow the warmth and natural affection that we all share with our European neighbours”.
In all your actions you have deceived the House, you have deceived the country and you have tarnished the office that you hold. Your mandate was awarded on the basis of a Withdrawal Agreement which you said was finalised, but now you seek to undermine this – your own – deal through domestic legislation. As you know, the effect of this will make us in breach of the international obligations: you threaten both the Withdrawal Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement. Where is your warmth and natural affection to our neighbours? Where, more fundamentally, is your statesmanship?
In every office you have held, in every privilege bestowed on you, you have shown that your word is worth nothing. As our Prime Minister, this should be a matter of profound shame. You undermine the values and the reputation of this country.
The reckless disregard you show to our friends and allies is mirrored by the same attitude to UK businesses, farmers, workers, to those who have made their home here legitimately from the EU27 and to the security and peace in Northern Ireland. This will all be a matter of record. Of course this is no consolation for the people whose lives you carelessly throw aside. But history will judge.
I hope one day you realise the damage that you do. If you continue down this path, your legacy is and will always remain one of dishonest and unforgivable recklessness.
I urge you to reconsider this act of profound folly.
Elisabeth Price
Oxford
