Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski praises PM but can't promise support
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski says that while the Prime Minister has tried to secure the best possible deal that she could, negotiations with the European Union have been fraught at the best of times.
"I want to support the Prime Minister," said Mr Kawczynski. "She has shown Herculean grit and courage. She has taken a lot of brick bats that people have thrown at her and people admire how resilient she has been.
"But we have to continue to keep rising the issue of the Northern Ireland backstop. It is a very important issue regarding sovereignty.
"I am prepared to swallow everything the EU have demanded but the Northern Ireland backstop.
"Northern Ireland will be treated in a different way to the rest of the UK and that is just the thin end of the wedge.
"Northern Ireland could have some real difficulties in that regard. All GB citizens should be treated in the same way. We have to protect the rights of people of Northern Ireland and I have real reservations about the issue and how it could be treated under the backstop.
Jurisdiction
"Those living in Northern Ireland have to be treated in exactly the same way as those living in Shropshire.
"I do not want anything that puts them in a position that is not in symmetry with the people of Shropshire.
"They have the same interests and the same rights. Within Great Britain there should be the same level of jurisdiction for everybody.
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"I have been in discussions with senior MPs to decide how to vote. If this is voted against it will send it back to Brussels.
"The Great British people have to have a voice and that is via their parliament."
Mr Kawczynski is also concerned that if the UK hands over £39 billion of tax payers money to the EU without any binding agreement, it will be used for projects outside of Britain's borders.
"Clearly if we are going to accept a deal and then are handing over billions of pounds of tax payers money we have to have confidence in the deal."
