A government that insults 16 million of its citizens is not fit to unite the country
Originally published by UK Liberal Democrats
Speaking in today's Brexit debate in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat European Union spokesperson Nick Clegg commented:
"The Conservatives are reinventing history and ignoring precedent.
"They say there was an overwhelming majority, but clearly it was relatively close.
"They claim to have a telepathic ability to know exactly why over 17 million voted Leave, and that all those reasons are the same.
"And they have the gall to cast aspersions on the 16.1m people who didn't agree.
"I find it quite extraordinary that a Prime Minister, with no mandate of her own, can claim that if you have a natural affinity with people in other countries you are a 'citizen of nowhere.'
"Any government that insults 16 million of its fellow citizens is not fit to unite the country.
He also set out the precedent for the House of Commons voting on the UK's relationship with the EU:
"Theresa May must remember that as Home Secretary in 2013, she insisted on a full Commons' debate and vote before embarking on a negotiation to opt out from EU police and judicial cooperation measures.
"If a debate and vote was necessary to remove this one single area of EU competence, surely they are absolutely essential for a decision to leave the EU in its entirety."