Facing Three Ways at Once!

EWAN LAMB reports on a fascinating political story in Not Just Sheep & Rugby country


The Scottish Borders and North Northumberland where much of our material for articles is generated is currently "blessed" with three Conservative MPs who serve neighbouring constituencies.

But while Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Berwick-on-Tweed), John Lamont (Berwickshire Roxburgh & Selkirk) and David Mundell (Dumfriesshire Clydesdale & Tweeddale) are all members of the same political party, each of them has currently adopted a different view of the controversial Brexit withdrawal agreement. It must be somewhat confusing for some of their respective constituents.

There's certainly no doubting Mrs Trevelyan's opinion of Theresa May's arrangements for pulling out of the European Union. Within hours of the 585-page Brexit document being published Berwick's MP resigned as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in Westminster's Education Department.

In her resignation letter to the PM last Thursday Mrs Trevelyan wrote (among other things):

'It has been an honour to serve in your Government both in education and previously as PPS in the Ministry of Defence. I will continue to speak up on all those matters close to my heart around the armed forces covenant and special educational needs, to try to move policy decision forwards in the future.

'I have struggled for months to continue to give you my support on Brexit, as you nettled through the most difficult of public negotiations to find a new relationship with the EU after we have left next year. Despite my own convictions on Brexit, I have always been a pragmatist and understood there would likely be areas of mutually agreed future partnership which I would not be wholly supportive, but could live with and justify to my constituents.

'Sadly, the deal which you and your Cabinet have approved is not one which I can support. It is now clear to me that the negotiations have been built on the UK trying to appease the EU and we have allowed ourselves to be led into a deal which is unacceptable to the 17.4million voters who asked for us to step away from the EU project and become an independent coastal state in name only.

'As an MP bordering Scotland, the regulatory framework agreement for Northern Ireland is very important to me, and I cannot support the position the EU agreement takes. I believe that it poses a real threat to the stability and integrity of the Union. The indefinite backstop arrangement agreed is also unacceptable, since it leaves the UK permanently trapped in a customs union, which will restrict forever our trade prospects.'

Meanwhile, next door in Berwickshire Roxburgh & Selkirk Mr Lamont is, according to a report in today's Scottish Daily Mail, one of several Scottish Tories seeking assurances on the Northern Ireland "arrangements" before committing one way or the other.

And Mr Lamont is quoted by The Southern Reporter as saying: “While some politicians had a knee-jerk reaction to this deal [presumably including Mrs Trevelyan], I have been carefully considering the agreement in detail before coming to a view as to whether it delivers for my constituents. Nicola Sturgeon told her MPs to vote against it before the deal was even published in what was a clearly cynical move.

“I will not be rushed or forced into reaching a position. I will not be bounced into making a decision for short-term party political reasons. As I have said all along, my priority is to ensure that we get a Brexit deal that works for the Scottish Borders, for Scotland and for the whole of the United Kingdom. “Given the lasting impact that this agreement will have on our country, it is important that we get it right.”

Mr Lamont said the Prime Minister bringing any deal to the table was a “huge achievement”, but admitted he had “a number of initial concerns” with some aspects of the agreement.

At the same time Mr Mundell, who once threatened to resign should Northern Ireland get a 'special' deal as a result of the negotiations has given Mrs May his unequivocal support.

He also rounded on Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, describing him in newspaper reports as a carpetbagger following Mr Raab's decision to throw in the towel and retreat to the back benches.

But Mr Raab told The Sunday Times: "I like David Mundell and I respect the views of all my former cabinet colleagues. It’s curious because he agreed with me in cabinet on the substance of what I was saying and I’m the one who resigned on principle.”