THE Scottish Tory MP accused of being a “Brexit mutineer” has robustly defended his position in a letter to local party members.
Paul Masterton, who was elected in East Renfrewshire in June, said he profoundly disagreed with the UK government’s plan to enshrine the time and date of Brexit in statute.
Theresa May said last week that she wanted to include the exact time - 11pm on 29 March 2019 - on the face of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill currently being debated in the Commons.
However the plan has been attacked by many in her own party, with rebels now planning to work with Labour MPs and others in the opposition to defeat a government amendment.
Mr Masterton said the idea was “wrong in substance” and could ultimately harm the government by making it harder for them to negotiate a good deal with the EU.
He and 14 other Tory MPs prepared to defy the whips on the point were labelled Brexit mutineers on the front page of the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.
In his letter to party members in East Renfrewshire, which voted 3 to 1 for Remain last year, Mr Masterton said he intended to support the government in passing the Withdrawal Bill.
However he went on: “This is not a question of if we leave the EU, or even when, those things are settled. It is a question of how.
“It is my firm view that placing the date and time of exit on the face of the Withdrawal Bill would severely weaken and undermine the Government’s negotiating position.
“The Government wants to get the best possible deal for the country, and this amendment severely binds its hands in an unhelpful way.
“I believe the Government should withdraw this amendment order to give them more power in the negotiations with the EU.”
“It is an amendment which is, in my view, wrong in substance, and whilst I respect the views of those who may disagree, I do not believe the Government should place something into law which could do harm to itself.
Whilst I fully understand the important symbolic nature of placing the precise time and date of our exit from the EU in British Law, it could have very serious consequential effects which must be carefully thought through.
It is my role as a Parliamentarian to scrutinise legislation, and to set out areas where I feel it could be improved.
“Brexit is happening and I have absolutely no interest in blocking or delaying it. We only get one opportunity, one chance, to do this - I just want us to get it right.”
Another of the "mutineers”, Anna Soubry, said in the Commons that her office had reported several online threats to her to the police following the coverage.
She asked Speaker John Bercow to “make it very clear to everybody, in whatever capacity, that they have an absolute duty to report responsibly”.
Mr Bercow said he was “extremely concerned” and threats should not be made against any MP, or any person because of a political opinion.
He said the press was “deeply flawed, like the rest of us”, but also free, and rightly so.
Referring to Ms Soubry, he said: “Not only is any attempt to threaten or intimidate her, or any colleague, repugnant. It is also doomed to fail.”
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