Newbury’s MP, Richard Benyon, has responded to a letter sent by the Chair of West Berkshire liberal Democrats. The letter asked him to support a House of Lords amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill calling for a second referendum on leaving the EU.
In his reply Richard stated his support for the line taken by the Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, who said to his party conference in 2016, that it is “disrespectful” to voters and “politically counter-productive” to call for a second vote. Richard also stated his support for the words of the former Liberal Democrat leader, Paddy Ashdown who, during the referendum campaign, said, “Anyone who says we need a second referendum does not believe in democracy. We cannot run a democratic system unless we respect the democratic will of the people.”
Like most Liberal Democrats, Richard campaigned to remain in the EU but unlike them he feels that we have to recognise the result of a national referendum. Declaring his confusion at the Liberal Democrats “180 degree U turn” in calling for a second referendum Richard challenged the Liberal Democrats saying, “If the referendum result had gone the other way and “leave” voters were now calling for a repeat referendum would you follow the same argument? I very much doubt it.”