MPs must accept referendum, deliver Brexit: May

Comes after London HC ruled that she did not have the right to use her executive power to trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon treaty.

November 06, 2016 04:49 pm | Updated December 04, 2021 10:50 pm IST - LONDON:

“It was MPs who overwhelmingly decided to put the decision [on Brexit] in their hands. The result was clear. It was legitimate. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided,” says British Prime Minister Theresa May.

“It was MPs who overwhelmingly decided to put the decision [on Brexit] in their hands. The result was clear. It was legitimate. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided,” says British Prime Minister Theresa May.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday called on British MPs to accept people’s verdict favouring UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) and work on delivering Brexit, days after a High Court ruled that a parliamentary approval is mandatory to trigger the proceedings.

In a statement issued before she left for her India visit, Ms. May said: “While others seek to tie our negotiating hands, the government will get on with the job of delivering the decision of the British people.

“It was MPs who overwhelmingly decided to put the decision in their hands. The result was clear. It was legitimate. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided,” she said.

3 days after ruling

Her comments came three days after the London High Court ruled that the Prime Minister did not have the right to use her executive power to trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon treaty.

Ms. May has however said she is confident of winning an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court ruling.

The government appeal against the High Court verdict is expected to be considered by the Supreme Court early next month.

Ms. May has said she still plans to launch talks on the terms of Brexit by the end of March 2017.

‘For the best outcome’

“We need to turn our minds to how we get the best outcome for our country,” she said.

“That means sticking to our plan and timetable, getting on with the work of developing our negotiating strategy and not putting all our cards on the table — that is not in our national interest and it won’t help us get the best deal for Britain,” she added.

Corbyn for market access

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he will not seek to reverse the referendum result.

But, he told the Sunday Mirror that he would vote against Article 50 unless Ms. May agreed to press for continued access to the European single market and guarantee EU workplace rights after Brexit.

“We are not challenging the referendum. We are not calling for a second referendum. We’re calling for market access for British industry to Europe,” he said.

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