Change UK attacks ‘simply wrong’ Lib Dem pledge to revoke Article 50
Anna Soubry, Liz Saville Roberts and Jo Swinson, during a meeting of a cross-party group of MPs. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA. - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
The Independent Group for Change's leader Anna Soubry has attacked the Lib Dems' new revocation policy and hinted she wants the party removed from the People's Vote campaign.
In an attack on the Lib Dems' new position, which would revoke Article 50 without any referendum if it wins a majority in an election, Soubry said their policy is "simply wrong" and "playing politics".
In the email, she said: "Simply to revoke Article 50 without a further referendum, as my Lib Dem colleagues believe and have adopted as their policy, is simply wrong.
"Dressing up the policy in clever semantics about hypothetical and fanciful situations are lost on an electorate tired of politicians playing politics and not being honest with them."
She said that the policy of revoking Article 50 "stokes fears" and is an indication that they had not learned from the tuition fees debacle.
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She continued: "The Lib Dem policy of 'revoke without a referendum' stokes fears that they have not learnt from the mistake of tuition fees; that they will again say one thing to win a vote but when in power will do something very different.
"The British people need honesty and clarity. And we are clear - we need a People's Vote - with a responsible "deal" versus Remain on the ballot paper. If voters chose to Leave then at least they will have given their informed consent to Brexit."
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Right-website news website Guido Fawkes have interpreted Soubry's email as a sign that she wants the Lib Dems removed from the People's Vote campaign, but reports of in-fighting in the group have been played down.
Soubry was supported by Green MP Caroline Lucas who tweeted: "Brexit referendum didn't deliver the outcome many of us hoped for, but you can't pretend the result didn't happen. Lib Dems are doing just that. You can't turn back the clock. Nor ignore the 17 million who voted Leave. This doesn't strengthen our democracy. It further imperils it."
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