Daniel Zeichner, Labour MP for Cambridge told Parliament that he would vote against the EU Withdrawal Bill as “it is increasingly said in parts of the country that we should not withdraw from the European Union at all, because it is not in our national interest to do so.” 

Daniel was speaking in the chamber on the EU Withdrawal Bill, which would provide sweeping powers to government ministers. Quoting leading Cambridge expert Professor Mark Elliot of St Catherine’s College whom he met last week, Daniel said, “The Bill in its present form is profoundly problematic in legal and constitutional terms. It is an affront to parliamentary sovereignty. It eviscerates the separation of powers principle and it risks destabilising the UK’s increasingly fragile territorial constitution.”

Daniel Zeichner MP also emphasised the significance of global and national political changes that have occurred since the referendum last June, explaining that “The Prime Minister went to the country, demanding a mandate, and we know what happened-she did not get it.”

He went on: “The wider world has changed as well. A year ago, it could have been plausibly argued that we could negotiate reliable, mutually beneficial trade deals with the United States in a way that now seems wholly unlikely when that country is governed by such an unpredictable and difficult President.

In the rest of the world, we see China becoming more authoritarian, Russia hardly more helpful and North Korea a real threat. In a world that seems so increasingly volatile, whom should we look to in times of need? Our wisest option would be our European neighbours, who increasingly look like the most sensible major players. What a foolish path to be embarking on in such dangerous times.”

Daniel Zeichner says “I stand by what I said last night in the chamber. Someone needs to speak up for the half of the country that did not vote for Brexit, and handing even more power to a government intent on a hard Brexit which may result in no deal, is doing the opposite of that. I’m proud that I voted against the EU Withdrawal Bill, as it was in the interest of Cambridge and the country.”

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