Jane Ellison Article 50 Locked

[storm35]

Dear All,
I know this is not a political forum but I do think it is in everybody's interest to know that despite a 75% Remain vote in Battersea, Jane Ellison today announced that is going to go against her constituency's wishes and vote to trigger Article 50.

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/new ... stituency/

[papinian]

In fairness, I assumed that Justine Greening and Jane Ellison would vote to trigger Article 50. They are Conservative MPs.

What is more disturbing is how Labour MP for Tooting Rosena Allin-Khan is too busy doing glossy magazine features (e.g. http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/femal ... anger-3545) and bleating about the NHS needing more money rather than saying anything about a Brexit which is such an issue for her constituents.

[storm35]

Being a Conservative MP does not excuse her from voting to trigger article 50, just because they are in power and just because it is assumed. Jane campaigned to Remain herself - it is still all over her Facebook page. She does not believe Brexit is in our national interests or our neighbourhood. Our borough voted overwhelmingly to Remain and she has chosen to disregard this to please her boss. This is obviously a career move over standing up for the people, who put her in the job in the first place, to represent them. With the current hooha in the US, I am extremely disappointed that she is through this vote, validating our cosying up to Trump whilst disregarding our European neighbours.

[papinian]

misty32, if you wanted an intelligent independent-minded MP then you weren't going to get one in Jane Ellison. She's a perfectly nice woman but 23 years working in John Lewis and not having a family of her own leaves her one of life's followers.

At least Allin-Khan realises what it's like to be a parent. I for one am not comfortable with a childless Prime Minister and childless Secretary of State for Education deciding education policy. There are currently as many gay ministers in the Department for Education as there are ministers who have children of their own.

[vixen22]

"but 23 years working in John Lewis and not having a family of her own leaves her one of life's followers."

"There are currently as many gay ministers in the Department for Education as there are ministers who have children of their own."

What the heck are these statements supposed to mean?!

Also, Chuka Umunna (Labour), despite being in a 78.8 remain constituency, is also voting aganist the people he is paid to represent.

[storm35]

I agree, I dont think their personal circumstances should be used as judgement as to whether they are fit for the job, that is not who we are. On the issue of Article 50, I suggest people should be raising it with Chuka also. These people are paid to represent us. The world has changed a lot since June 23rd with Trump on the scene and I am personally scared to death that we are going to cut ties with the EU and jump into bed with a tyrant (who will kick us out when he's done) because thats all we have left to try and make up for the EU. Brexit and Trump are now undoubtedly intertwined. I profoundly disagree with Jane's stance and I think we should be telling her, not accepting it because she's a Tory!

[papinian]

There is a lot of political naivity on this thread. There was a referendum. The majority voted to leave the EU. I think it is an insane decision that will damage the UK., its economy and its inhabitants, but it's happened. There is a majority in the House of Commons that will vote for legislation to give the Prime Minister the right to submit an Article 50 notice. Whether Ellison, Greening, Allin-Kahn or Chuka vote for or against it will make no difference. The large majority of constituencies had majorities in favour of Brexit so if you're suggesting that our local MPs should vote against the legislation based on the referendum result you're conceding that the majority of MPs should vote for it.

The best you can do at this stage is to push our MPs to go for the softest Brexit possible rather than (as moron May seems to intend) the hardest possible. You should also ask yourself why you voted for people like Greening, Allin-Kahn, Ellison and Chuka in the first place. Sometimes MPs with a bit of backbone (cf Ken Clarke) are better than those who are simply "nice".

[Flowermummy]

Of course there was a referendum and MPs from remain constituencies cannot reverse that.
But I would expect MPs from Remain constituencies to be mindful about the interests of their constituents and push for a softer brexit. From that point of view, I'm very disappointed with how little Jane has done on this front.
I don't think her working for JL or not having children makes any difference to the simple point that she should be representing her constituency in Westminster...

[vixen22]

There is a lot of political naivity on this thread.

Well that's patronising. Just as the referendum was part of the democratic process, so is protesting our MPs to accurately reflect the will of their constituencies. Democracy is a process that we are all allowed to participate in. Telling us that we are political naive is actually more befitting to the accuser.

[storm35]

I actually think it, apart from it being a neat and tidy response, is very unhelpful to say its yesterday's news, get over it. It is far from yesterday's news as it is still happening and is not over yet, possibly not for the next 10 years. Getting over it means I dont care anymore about the future of this country for our children, when I actually do want them to have job prospects and move freely around Europe. I am not going to sit and tell myself I need to get over it whilst watching this government drag us out of the single market and have zero trade deals to replace the enormous value it has to us. I dont know about you but I already know people around here having difficulty selling their houses, jobs that they were literally waiting to sign on the dotted line, being put on hold because of Brexit. Try telling the Americans and the thousands of people on the streets yesterday to get over Trump. I simply think that Jane has not represented us and I personally wish she had. Jane likes to social media herself around and about the community about all the great things she is doing to help - and I agree she is very personable - but when it has really come down to to the one most important thing possibly ever, she has not stood up for us.

[papinian]

You get the MP you vote for. If you wanted an independent-minded MP then you weren't going to get it in Jane Ellison.

To most people it's obvious that someone who has chosen to spend her entire working life of almost 20 years at a single employer is not someone who is going to be particularly independent-minded but rather someone who tows the line.

The lesson from the referendum is to get involved, get stuck into councillors and MPs and be willing to kick them out rather than vote along party lines. That's what the residents of Merton Park in Wimbledon did and they are better off for it.

[storm35]

papinian, I dont agree with your caustic attitude towards Jane (and other people you have possibly now managed to offend reading this thread), but I do agree that her political life in Battersea has to come to an end.

[storm35]

I do agree with all that Petal. What we can do is push our MPs to fight for a final vote on the package deal. At the moment, Theresa the Appeaser is saying jump and Jane is asking how high. If this deal is to the detriment of the country then they should absolute refuse to accept it, even if it means pulling out of Brexit. I accept that Article 50 is going to be triggered but I dont accept that necessarily means we have to sit back and watch ourselves be pulled out regardless of the deal made. We need to keep pressurising them and making them aware that we will not stand for anything worse than what we have now (good luck to them on that). And to that effect, we need to make Jane aware that we are not happy at all that she has disregarded our vote on this, and we do not trust her anymore. I think its crucial. Tweet, email her... Can we trigger some sort of local election? When is the next one, does anyone know?

[Flowermummy]

Petal, article 50 WILL be triggered.
But the opposition to hard brexit will determine the details, i.e. the type of deal we go for. SO the more opposition the better IMO.

[storm35]

If you are of the same opinion of me, try and watch Nick Clegg and Ken Clarke's addresses to Parliament this afternoon while debating the bill. You can find them on Facebook via Channel 4. They absolutely nail it. It breaks my heart and makes my blood boil at the same time. I just want people to be aware that Jane is very probably going to stay party faithful whatever the outcome as long as she is our MP, and we have to be on it, not accept and make noise. She has a contact page and Twitter account