Will Forster

Campaigning to be the Lib Dem MP for Woking, Deputy Leader of Woking Borough Council and Councillor in South Woking Learn more

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Lib Dems challenge Woking’s MP to oppose PM’s plan to break international law

by willforster on 15 September, 2020

I have today written to Woking’s MP and challenged them to oppose Boris Johnson’s attempts to break international law.

The move comes after MPs yesterday backed the UK Internal Market Bill at the first hurdle, including Woking’s Jonathan Lord.  The new law would give the Government the power to override parts of the Brexit agreement with the EU, breaking international law.

We cannot expect other countries, like China and Russia, to respect international treaties if we don’t do the same when it comes to the Withdrawal Agreement.

The Government’s decision to break international law over Brexit has been criticised by five former Prime Ministers and senior former diplomatic and security officials.  Several prominent Conservatives, including the former Attorney General, have said they could not support the final Bill unless it is amended.

My Lib Dem colleagues in Parliament have tabled amendments to the Bill that would remove controversial clauses breaching the Northern Ireland Protocol, in addition to further amendments calling for the devolved administrations to be represented in the new “Office for the Internal Market” instituted by the Bill.

The excuses we have heard for breaking international law from the mouth of the Prime Minister show the depths to which the Tory Party has plummeted.  Conservative MPs have a duty to show Boris Johnson that his reckless approach will not be tolerated.

According to one local resident, Jonathan Lord recently removed his previous statements in support of the Withdrawal Agreement from his website.  He is clearly trying to erase that he was ever in support of the deal.

With our reputation around the world on the line, we must stand up for what is right.  The Lib Dems will continue to work with others to remove the aspects of the Bill which would break international law and trash the UK’s reputation.

   2 Comments

2 Responses

  1. Susan Clements says:

    It’s not just the international aspects. The bill gives the government power to override domestic law as well, which is potentially incredibly sinister.

  2. Nigel Brodt-Savage says:

    The bill is also an attack on devolution and allowing the ruling party to set regulation and standards with no consultation with the devolved Govts. does nothing but roll back devolution and push the member countries apart out of the union.

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