Thank you for contacting me about the UK's relationship with the European Union (EU) and for sharing your views with me.
I voted to remain in the EU, so I was disappointed by the outcome of the referendum. However, I have always believed that the result must be respected. A clear majority of the electorate in the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave, and while my own constituency contained areas that voted to remain, it also included areas that voted to leave. Nationally, the margin of victory was clear, with over a million votes separating the two sides. No threshold of victory was included in the legislation providing for the referendum when it was passed, and it would have been wrong to impose one retrospectively.
I continue to disagree with those who argue that there should have been a second referendum. Regardless of the flaws in the campaign or the way arguments were presented on both sides, the electorate had a clear choice, and democracy requires that the losing side cannot simply demand a re-run because it dislikes the outcome.
Some had suggested that the referendum was ‘advisory’ and should therefore have been disregarded by Parliament. I rejected that argument then, and I reject it now. Disregarding the clearly expressed will of the people would have undermined faith in politics and Parliament even further.
Now that the UK has left the EU, I believe it is essential that we capitalise on the opportunities this provides. Brexit has allowed the UK to take back control of its borders, waters and money, as well as to regulate and legislate in a way that works for businesses across the country.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
