From Prospect Magazine
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Zac Goldsmith voted to leave the EU but, writing in Saturday’s Telegraph he said that, had the choice been between May’s deal and remaining in the EU, he would have chosen to Remain. Boris Johnson, too, has said the deal is worse than remaining. And so has influential MEP Daniel Hannan. How would they vote if confronted with a choice between May’s deal and remaining?
All things being equal, but subject to the outcome of a late Supreme Court challenge, the Court of Justice of the European Union will on Tuesday next week hear argument on this very question, in a case I have brought alongside a cross-party group of six Scottish parliamentarians: Joanna Cherry MP, Andy Wightman MSP, Alyn Smith MEP, Ross Greer MSP, David Martin MEP, and Catherine Stihler MEP.
There are three possibilities. The Court of Justice might say we’re stuck with the decision parliament made in March 2017 to leave the EU: Article 50 is not reversible. Or it might say parliament can reverse its decision to leave up until the date of our departure if the European Council agrees (Donald Tusk has indicated the EU would be prepared to give this consent). Or it might say we can revoke without the need for consent—the ideal outcome for those who believe that the best place to take decisions about the United Kingdom’s future is in our parliament.
And MPs really need to know. “Life,” as HL Mencken aptly put it, “is a constant oscillation between the sharp horns of dilemmas.” All parliamentarians must weigh the difficult choices before them. If Article 50 cannot be reversed, and Remain is off the table, then MPs, even those who believe May’s deal to be the lovechild of false promises and ugly xenophobia, may find themselves compelled to support it.
Next Tuesday will be a day to remember.
"
Zac Goldsmith voted to leave the EU but, writing in Saturday’s Telegraph he said that, had the choice been between May’s deal and remaining in the EU, he would have chosen to Remain. Boris Johnson, too, has said the deal is worse than remaining. And so has influential MEP Daniel Hannan. How would they vote if confronted with a choice between May’s deal and remaining?
All things being equal, but subject to the outcome of a late Supreme Court challenge, the Court of Justice of the European Union will on Tuesday next week hear argument on this very question, in a case I have brought alongside a cross-party group of six Scottish parliamentarians: Joanna Cherry MP, Andy Wightman MSP, Alyn Smith MEP, Ross Greer MSP, David Martin MEP, and Catherine Stihler MEP.
There are three possibilities. The Court of Justice might say we’re stuck with the decision parliament made in March 2017 to leave the EU: Article 50 is not reversible. Or it might say parliament can reverse its decision to leave up until the date of our departure if the European Council agrees (Donald Tusk has indicated the EU would be prepared to give this consent). Or it might say we can revoke without the need for consent—the ideal outcome for those who believe that the best place to take decisions about the United Kingdom’s future is in our parliament.
And MPs really need to know. “Life,” as HL Mencken aptly put it, “is a constant oscillation between the sharp horns of dilemmas.” All parliamentarians must weigh the difficult choices before them. If Article 50 cannot be reversed, and Remain is off the table, then MPs, even those who believe May’s deal to be the lovechild of false promises and ugly xenophobia, may find themselves compelled to support it.
Next Tuesday will be a day to remember.
