Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the prorogation of Parliament.

The Prime Minister is right – both politically and constitutionally – in seeking the prorogation of Parliament. It is perfectly normal for a new Prime Minister to prorogue Parliament in order to have a new Queen's Speech setting out the Government's priorities. This session has already lasted longer than any other in centuries, and the prorogation will only add less than a handful of days to the already planned conference recess.

The outrage about No Deal is bogus: the opposition could have voted for a deal three times, as indeed I did. Labour just wants to destroy the Government and bring in socialism, the SNP wants to destroy the Union, and the Lib Dems want to stop Brexit.

Parliament should rally round our excellent Prime Minister to get rid of the backstop and to provide an orderly Brexit.

I have repeatedly suggested a positive solution – the Conditional Unilateral Interpretative Declaration – if Parliament won’t pass the existing deal and the EU won’t allow it to be changed. When I visited the Commission in July this idea was received positively when I mentioned it.

Let’s all compromise, stop playing party games, and deliver what the people voted for.

Yours,

EDWARD LEIGH MP