High Peak Liberal Democrats

Tim Farron on Sky News: “It’s a dark day”

Tim Farron was on Sky News just before MPs voted for the final time on the Article 50 Bill before it goes to the Lords. He could not conceal his anger at the Tory and Labour MPs who had simply given the Government carte blanche to pursue a hard Brexit that "wasn't on the ballot paper." He called those MPs who had defied the Tory and Labour whips noble and suggested that history would be kind to them.

He outlined what would happen next in an email to members and supporters:

Tonight's vote isn't the end of the process. Over the next few weeks, Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords will seek to make changes to the government's plans.

Our goal will be to protect Britain's membership of the single market, protect the rights of EU citizens in the UK and to give the people the final say on Theresa May's deal.

If we do not succeed and the people will not get a final say on the deal, then when MPs get to vote on these plans again Liberal Democrats will again vote against triggering article 50.

Even once the Government has triggered Article 50 we will keep on campaigning all the way through the negotiations.

Nick Clegg has said, through the Open Britain organisation:

The Government have made a political decision to pursue a hard and destructive Brexit and the Bill that has passed unamended gives them a blank cheque to do so.

There is no mandate for the hardest of hard Brexits the Government favours, which risks leaving us poorer, weaker and more isolated.

Ministers must now be properly held to account for the course they have charted and the end result must be a more meaningful role for Parliament than a false choice between a bad deal and no deal at all.

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