No. 17 - Please watch Fintan O'Toole on Brexit

Dear James, 

So it’s back to work today and what work it will be! The nation stands divided and Mrs May’s deal is in tatters. Parliament will resume its attempts to find a solution to the crisis but I am afraid it has already proven ill equipped to deal with it. Parliament is no longer an institution of parties but has become a bear pit of factions. The pre-Christmas parliamentary farce of May vs Corbyn will remain imprinted on the minds of a despairing British public for a long time. And I don’t expect anything to improve when the talking starts again. Apparently you have been invited for drinks this week at No.10. I wonder how much truth will be spoken to power at such a shindig? Very little I suspect. 

You are well aware that as an MP, you have the responsibility to exercise your judgment on behalf of your constituents. Normally I would expect you, as a Tory MP, to shade your views towards your Party’s principles - it was after all your party members who selected you as a candidate for this office. However, you are also responsible for exercising your judgement on behalf of all your constituents when faced with the existential threat confronting the nation today. All the Brexit scenarios will make us poorer. Today’s paltry announcement of a £20bn NHS reform over 5 years will be much more difficult. That is why I believe that, in the end, after the endless contrivances that we are about to witness in parliament, I hope that your judgement will be for the national interest and not just your party interest. In other words, that you will vote to put the decision back to the people. 

I know you are very busy at the moment but I would like to recommend that you put aside an hour of your valuable time to watch a video of a speech given last November to World Forum in the USA by Fintan O’Toole, a writer for the Irish Times in Dublin. It is one of the most eloquent, sympathetic and insightful pieces delivered by anyone, anywhere about the Brexit crisis. It should be required listening for every voter in Britain. You can find it at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvDAW5SjdaE

Kind regards, 

BH - Your Concerned Constituent