Grayling accused of ‘gutter politics’ over Brexit warning
Chris Grayling. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
The transport secretary has been accused of engaging in 'gutter politics' after he said that stopping Brexit would 'open the door' to 'extremist' forces in the UK.
Chris Grayling said putting a stop to Britain's withdrawal from the EU may end centuries of 'moderate' politics the UK has enjoyed since the English Civil War as he urged his Conservative colleagues to back Theresa May's Brexit deal.
The Brexiteer said the millions who voted for Brexit would feel 'cheated' if the UK did not exit the EU.
Grayling told the Daily Mail: 'People have to think long and hard about how they are going to vote. This is too important for political game-playing and I urge Conservative MPs who back Brexit and others to back the deal.
'If not, we risk a break with the British tradition of moderate, mainstream politics that goes back to the Restoration in 1660.
You may also want to watch:
'MPs need to remember that Britain, its people and its traditions are the mother of parliaments. We ignore that and the will of the people at our peril.'
He said there would be a 'different tone' in British politics if Britain failed to leave the EU and predicted a 'less tolerant society' and a 'more nationalistic nation'.
Most Read
- 1 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 2 The bigot we should have called out on day one
- 3 The polling that signals the plight of the Union
- 4 Matt Hancock praises free school meals before being reminded he voted against them
- 5 Boris Johnson claims Labour supporters using Universal Credit vote to incite hatred
- 6 Brexiteer MP ridiculed after calling for free movement of goods between GB and NI
- 7 Brexiteer says he'd never have voted for Brexit 'if we knew we'd lose our jobs'
- 8 Nigel Farage launches new party in Scotland to promote 'positive case for the Union'
- 9 James O'Brien schools Brexiteer who refuses to accept new EU-UK trade rules
- 10 Brexit changes lead to exodus of Brits from Spain, UK nationals claim
'It will open the door to extremist populist political forces in this country of the kind we see in other countries in Europe,' Grayling told the newspaper.
'If MPs who represent seats that voted 70% to leave say 'sorry guys, we're still going to have freedom of movement', they will turn against the political mainstream.'
TNE columnist and Labour peer Andrew Adonis said: 'When Chris Grayling can organise a lorry jam and a railway timetable, we'll take his advice on fixing a political system which he did more than almost anyone to break.'
Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: 'Chris Grayling has lost the plot. This kind of scaremongering is not only dangerous, but it is embarrassing.'
Journalist James O'Brien tweeted: 'The far right flourishes when it is *not* resisted and frustrated. If we've learned anything from recent and more distant history, it is surely this. On the other hand, Chris Grayling argues that we shouldn't do things fascists won't like because fascists won't like it.'
MORE: Support our journalism by taking out a print subscription of The New European for just £13
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
