Article 50 - what’s next
Over the last month, I've led Liberal Democrat peers in scrutiny of the article 50 bill in the Lords and during that time, we have sought to make changes to the government's plans.
Liberal Democrats had three goals:
- 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 the Brexit deal.
Unfortunately, two of our amendments that would have protected membership of the single market and given you a final say on the deal were defeated after the Labour Leadership failed to support us, and even went so far as to back the Government over plans to tear us away from the single market. A third amendment which would force the government to guarantee EU citizens right to stay passed, as was an amendment which we supported to give Parliament a meaningful say at the end of the process.
Liberal Democrats will try again in the Commons to ensure that the amendments passed by the Lords are retained in the final bill. The Government have already indicated they intend to try and have the amendments removed from the bill - and we should do everything we can to stop this.
In particular, Liberal Democrats will attempt to force the Government to guarantee EU Citizens Right to Stay. This would give safety and security to over three million people who've made their lives here, it'd be the right thing to do, and it'd make it much more difficult for the EU not to guarantee the rights of UK Citizens living in the EU.
You can help make the case to MPs and the Government not to remove this amendment by adding your name to our petition and by tweeting Theresa May using the hashtag #RightToStay and asking her to guarantee EU citizens right to stay:
Europeans' #RightToStay Petition - www.libdems.org.uk/right-to-stay
Thank you,
Dick Newby
Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords