SOLIHULL MP Julian Knight has hit out at his fellow politicians for failing to deliver Brexit – three years after the country voted to leave.
Mr Knight has become increasingly outspoken on Brexit over time, despite in the past being criticised for being ‘silent’ on the issue.
In his constituency, 56 per cent of residents voted to leave the European Union (EU) in the 2016 referendum. Mr Knight himself supported ‘remain’.
But in an explosive Tweet on June 23 – the day the referendum was held three years ago – he commented on the unwanted milestone.
He said: “It is an absolute disgrace.
“(This is due to)a combination of ideologues who want purity, terrible half-hearted negotiating, British politicians actively looking to undermine our country’s position and people who have lied when they said they respected the result… three years.”
He has become a staunch advocate of keeping ‘no-deal’ on the table to strengthen Britain’s bargaining power in negotiations.
He recently called for whoever is elected Tory leader and Prime Minister to prepare for no-deal.
Although he has in the past voted for outgoing PM Theresa May’s controversial deals in Parliament – opposed by a bloc of ardent Tory Brexiteers – he has since spoken of leaving under any circumstances.
This, he says, would be honouring his constituents who voted to leave.
He also insists he has spoken up about the concerns of West Midlands manufacturing in the negotiations – including Jaguar Land Rover which employs thousands of people in Solihull.
But its chief executive Ralf Speth has repeatedly warned of the disastrous consequences of a no-deal Brexit for it and other manufacturers.
As we reported, he was criticised by some who had claimed he was failng to articulate that the struggles of JLR were associated with Brexit – after hundreds of workers lost their jobs.
JLR has also put its woes down to diesel taxation and falling demand in China.
In July last year, Mr Knight said he would support a Brexit deal ‘which means as frictionless trade as possible with the EU’ to protect jobs in the borough.
But after Mrs May’s deal was rejected in January he said ‘here on in the options become more unpalatable’.
