Today, I voted to leave the EU. I had to bite the bullet and accept a deal I dislike. Because as some of the longest and strongest supporters of Brexit have said, while it is not a good deal, it is better than not leaving at all.
I want to explain the choice I have faced, so you can understand the situation as I see it - and the risk of our now losing everything.
As you know, I am deeply committed to delivering the UK’s exit from the European Union. In our constituency, two-thirds of people voted to leave the EU in 2016, and 97% voted either Conservative or Labour at the General Election in 2017 – at which both main parties promised to respect the result.
My instructions from people in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland to see Brexit through are therefore very clear. Not only do I believe leaving the European Union offers a host of opportunities for our country, I also think it is essential for faith in our political system that MPs fulfil their promises.
For the last several months, I have been working as hard as is humanly possible to ensure the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the European Union is fit for purpose. Like you, I have sincere and serious concerns about the “backstop” provisions that have been created to address the Irish border issue.
The backstop would come into effect if we haven't finalised our future relationship with the EU - the trade deal - by the end of 2020 (extendable once up to 2022). It would leave the UK in a customs union with the EU, which we would only be able to leave with their permission. This would leave us unable to sign trade deals with other countries and taking the EU's rules over this key area of economic policy. The backstop terms also mean Northern Ireland must maintain an even closer alignment with EU rules, hence the opposition of the DUP.
For these reasons, I have been extremely critical of the proposed deal, and I do not change anything I have previously said. That is why I have voted against it not once, but twice.
My preference has always been – and continues to be – a Canada-style free trade deal or, failing that, an exit on WTO terms. In the ‘indicative votes’ held in Parliament on Wednesday, I re-emphasised that by voting in favour of leaving on a “no deal” basis.
However, events in recent weeks have made it obvious that we are NOT going to secure a better Withdrawal Agreement. And the vote on “no deal” was defeated by 400 votes to 160.
The depressing truth is that we currently have a Parliament in which a majority of MPs have never accepted the result of the referendum. Many have done everything in their power to frustrate it. And the opposition of Labour and some Remain ministers to keeping “no deal” on the table means we almost certainly will not reach that outcome.
Things become worse still when you consider how the Speaker has now turned the world upside down. He now selects Parliamentary business based on how best to frustrate Brexit, and is overturning centuries of precedent in the process. In other words, the Remain side are now very clearly playing with the help of the referee.
The result of all this is that I have had an impossible ‘choice’ forced upon me: between voting for a Withdrawal Agreement I believe to be deeply unsatisfactory, and allowing Parliament to take control of the process and make things much worse.
In practice, things might get worse in two ways. Parliament could impose the Labour's preferred solution: a full-blown customs union. In other words, we would move from the *risk* of being stuck in the customs union by virtue of having ended up in the backstop, to it becoming our *requested outcome* from the EU.
No nation is sovereign if it doesn't control its own trade and customs policy - these are fundamental aspects of our taking back control. Indeed, by being in the customs union but not in the EU, the UK would lose all ability to influence these policy areas.
The alternative outcome would be a long-term extension, with a high risk of a second referendum. As Jacob Rees-Mogg has put it, the referendum mandate to Leave is like material with a half-life, decaying all the time. Parliament would continue to push for remaining in the EU - possibly via a rigged referendum with the WTO option excluded. Indeed, Remain MPs might go still further, and try to force the outright revocation of Article 50, as increasing numbers of them have made it clear they want to do.
If we stay in the EU, we will not persuade the people to try to leave again for a generation, by which time we may be even more deeply enmeshed in the structures of the EU. The failure of our attempt to get out this time will make it seem like an impossible task the next time.
It was because of these risks that I decided to hold my nose and vote for the Withdrawal Agreement today.
It means an end to billions in net payments to the EU. An end to uncontrolled immigration. An end to having to adopt new EU laws on tax, the environment, labour and business. The chance to leave the hated Common Fisheries and Common Agricultural Policies, and set up new and better systems in their place.
Once outside the EU, there will be a ratchet preventing our return – because returning would involve accepting the Euro, Schengen, free movement, and an annual contribution without Margaret Thatcher’s rebate.
There is also one key new dimension to this debate since the previous times Parliament voted: the announcement by the Prime Minister that she will not lead the negotiations for the future relationship.
In other words, we will have the chance to negotiate a positive future relationship with the EU and prevent the Backstop trap from ever coming into effect. This can still happen if we negotiate with purpose and resolve under a new Prime Minister – and I will back a Brexiteer in the Conservative leadership contest that lies ahead.
However, despite my voting for the Withdrawal Agreement, Parliament rejected it again. What now follows will be determined in what will be another crucial week ahead, and I will update you again as soon as there is news. At this moment, I simply wanted to explain my vote today.
This has been an incredibly hard decision, and you are welcome to share your thoughts. As always, I try to act in a spirit of total openness and engagement.
At a time of huge challenges, I will continue to fight so that we can actually leave the European Union as quickly as possible, and move on with our future.