Weston Mercury: John Penrose: ‘everyone wants the Brexit saga to be over and done with’

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose backed the Government in Tuesday night’s Brexit vote.

The town’s MP has told the Mercury he supported the Government in yesterday’s Brexit vote as ‘everyone wants the Brexit Saga to be over and done with’.

The Government’s controversial Brexit withdrawl agreement was defeated in the House of Commons by 432-202.

Mr Penrose said: “The Prime Minister’s deal wasn’t my perfect answer (I preferred something called Canada-plus) but all negotiations are a compromise, and it gave most people most of what local residents have been writing to me saying they wanted. 

“So I voted to support it because, overwhelmingly, everyone wants the Brexit saga to be over and done with, and we can all move on with our lives.”

Mr Penrose will also back the Government in today’s no confidence vote, which was proposed by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

He said: “I plan to support the Prime Minister in today’s confidence vote, too. 

“The last thing we need, at this critical moment in the Brexit negotiations, is to create even more uncertainty by changing the people at the table.”

Wells MP James Heappey, who also backed Theresa May’s deal said he was disappointed with the outcome of the vote, but not surprised.

He said: “While the House voted against this deal, we still don’t know what deal it is in favour of – is it leaving with no deal, a second referendum, a hard Brexit, or a Norway agreement?”

“Clearly, compromises need to be made. The Prime Minister is ready to talk to the opposition parties to see if a cross-party compromise can be reached, but time is against her.”

Mr Heappey predicts the Government will survive the no confidence vote and will be backing the Prime Minister.

He said: ““We will win the confidence vote.

“The DUP have said they will vote with us, so there’s no danger of the vote being lost.”

The no-confidence vote is scheduled for 7pm tonight (Wednesday).

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