Open letter – Reciprocal request/invitation re. Brexit events

To Derek Thomas MP

Dear Derek,

Parliament will soon be asked to make a crucially important decision on the final Brexit deal. Providing confidence that this will be undertaken with competence and care will be important in the coming weeks in the lead up to that vote.

I would therefore appreciate it if you would attend public meetings I am arranging on the subject on both 15th and 29th November (see attached). There will be others (being organised now). I would also appreciate it if you would reciprocate by inviting me to join you at the meeting you’ve arranged for UKIP members on 16th November (see attached).

This would give local people the opportunity to seek clarification from you on your position in this regard. They are aware you supported the extreme right of your Party (the ERG) by signing the so-called “ransom note” to the PM in February (see: https://www.scribd.com/document/371977491/Letter-from-European-Research-Group-to-PM-May#fullscreen&from_embed) and that you have also pledged devotion to the PM’s “Chequers'” plan – a plan widely castigated by those with whom you signed the earlier letter. In view of this evident inconsistency local people deserve clarity about what you support and what you’ll do on their behalf in future votes.

In addition they have noticed you promised to support UK membership of the European Medicines Agency but then voted against when you had chance to demonstrate your support (in July this year). Local people want to know how they can trust any pledge you make when you say one thing and do another?

They have also noted that you perpetually refer to “the UK and Northern Ireland”! (eg see attached). Local people need to know whether this is a deliberate inference that you are content to see Northern Ireland as separate from the UK as a resolution to the Irish border problem or if it’s just a lack of basic knowledge?

If you attend public meetings with others than your friends in UKIP this may help to assure local people who have a right to seek confidence that their representative has the competence and honesty to be trusted to make this decision on their behalf.

Although I’m of course conscious that you have always refused to accept invitations to attend public meetings with me on this important issue (and on others) both during the referendum campaign and since this would give you the opportunity to make amends.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew

Andrew George
andrew@andrewgeorge.org.uk

NB This is an Open letter cc’d to local media