At the end of this month, Britain will be leaving the European Union. At long last, the three year long Brexit stalemate will come to an end.
For far too long we have been stuck going round in circles on the seemingly endless Brexit hamster wheel. Now we are at last starting to break free – to get Brexit done and move forward. Just before Christmas, my first vote in Parliament was to help pass the new EU Withdrawal Bill which went through with a massive majority. The Brexit permafrost is indeed starting to thaw.
This is not simply a matter of respecting the democratic decision of the British people to leave the EU – supported by over two thirds of residents here in Dover & Deal. It brings an end to the uncertainty – a real cause of cheer for every household in our community. On the doorstep people have told me time and again of their worry that the continued drift and delay was harming work and workplaces.
The ending of uncertainty should see renewed investment and confidence in our nation’s prospects. A chance to increase jobs, money and investment in our area – from the development of the Western Docks to new investment in Betteshanger.
Ending the Brexit stalemate also means we can concentrate on delivering better healthcare for our area, along with greater investment to secure more jobs and money.
Moreover, getting Brexit done and moving forward means we will now be able to focus on seizing new opportunities to trade in the world, to invest in our people and public services – and taking the decisions necessary to protect and support the most vulnerable in our society.
We may be leaving the EU, but we are not leaving Europe. It is in everyone’s interests on both sides of the English Channel that we continue to work closely on safety and security and strengthening our borders. Over the past few weeks we have seen once again how ruthless criminals exploit vulnerable people causing them to leave the safety of French shores to be cast adrift in the English Channel.
In my book there is no compassion in walking on by while organised criminal gangs put the lives of vulnerable people in grave danger. That’s why it’s so important that anyone rescued in the English Channel should be returned to the safety of France. Only when migrants and traffickers alike know that they will be not be able to break into Britain will the people smuggling operations be closed down and the Calais migrant magnet come to a stop.
It is a huge honour to have been elected as your Member of Parliament. I will do all I can to work tirelessly for everyone. To make our community an even greater success as we move forward to build a brighter future for Dover & Deal in the years to come.