Herts Conservatives Opposed a "People's Vote" while Labour Sat on their Hands.

As far back as November 2018, the Liberal Democrats on Hertfordshire County Council raised the economic danger of any form of Brexit for people and businesses in our county.

Referring to a paper from the Hertfodshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Steven Jarvis, the County Councillor for Royston West & Rural and North Herts District Councillor for Weston and Sandon proposed and Chris White, the County Councillor for St Albans Central and (since May 2019) Leader of St Albans & City Council and Councillor for Clarence Ward seconded the following motion:

"This Council notes the recent research document from the Local Enterprise Partnership regarding the potential effect of Brexit on Hertfordshire which states that 50,000-75,000 jobs in Hertfordshire could be at risk from Brexit. It also notes that has been a drop in the numbers of National Insurance Registrations being made by EU citizens in Herts (from 10,400 in March 2016 to 7,469 in March 2018).

Furthermore Council notes that every district of Hertfordshire will be hit by a either a hard or soft Brexit with reduced growth (Gross Value Added) of between -3.4 % and -2.4% with Watford and East Herts most affected by a hard Brexit.

Given these findings this Council resolves to request HM Government to agree to a "People's Vote" on the any final deal with an option to remain in the EU and so agrees to write to all of Hertfordshire MPs to that effect."

The motion was lost with 15 Liberal Democrats councillors voting in favour, 43 Conservatives voting against and 9 Labour abstaining.