Brexiteers round on former PM John Major’s Brexit ‘hypocrisy’ (VIDEO)
In an unusual move, Ex-PM John Major has spoken out against incumbent Theresa May, suggesting MPs could force a second Brexit referendum or outright reject any final deal. Brexiteers were quick to accuse the ex-PM of “hypocrisy.”
The former prime minister, noted for his humble Brixton origins, called for MPs to have a “decisive” vote on any final deal negotiated with the EU. According to Major, “Parliament can accept or reject the final outcome; or send the negotiators back to seek improvements; or order a referendum.”
Brexiteers led by Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg attacked Major’s speech, with the MP saying it is “riddled with errors.”
Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “We had a democratic vote, the decision was being taken [sic] and what he’s trying to do is overturn that. That’s the whole point of what he’s saying. His speech is riddled with errors; he’s saying things that are tendentious, bordering on the not-factually accurate.”
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The Old Etonian went on: “He’s saying ‘the deep division in our nation are more likely to be healed by Brexit freely approved by Parliament than Brexit forced through Parliament on the behest [sic] of a minority of convinced opponents of Europe. He’s calling 17.4 million people a ‘minority of convinced opponents.’ 17.4 million is a very important number.”
Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash accused Major of being “hypocritical” in talking about holding a referendum now, while not having done so when he ratified the Maastricht Treaty in the early 1990s. Cash told talkRadio that if Major “wasn’t prepared” to call a referendum then, “it’s hypocritical now to say there should be a referendum on this.”
Break: Sir John Major calls on Theresa May to give all MPs and ministers a free vote in the Commons on her final Brexit deal. From a former Tory PM, that's a huge challenge to her authority. pic.twitter.com/si8jtfyZ3G
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) February 28, 2018
Disastrous John Major openly calling for views of 17.4 million people to be ignored. He has no legitimacy. If politicians ignore referendum they will have none either
— Douglas Carswell (@DouglasCarswell) February 28, 2018
If John Major had allowed a free vote on Maastricht, the treaty wouldn't have passed, Britain would have secured some kind of associate status, and we'd all have saved ourselves a great deal of trouble.
— Daniel Hannan (@DanielJHannan) February 28, 2018
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