'Horrifying', 'sabotage' and 'very disappointing' - Shropshire MPs react to Brexit amendment vote
Shropshire's MPs have described the amendment vote which has forced the Prime Minister to ask for a Brexit delay as "horrifying", "sabotage" and "very disappointing".
Boris Johnson's hopes of getting Commons backing for his deal has hit the buffers for now after MPs voted for the amendment proposed by Sir Oliver Letwin.
The house voted 322 to 306 in favour of the amendment, which means withholding approval of the deal until legislation to implement it is in place.
All of Shropshire's MPs voted against.
Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury & Atcham, was not impressed by the latest development.
He said: "I'm horrified with how this parliament is refusing to respect the will of the people but throwing almost any obstacle in the way.
"All of the opinion polls show the people are in favour of finalising a withdrawal agreement.
"I think these sort of Machiavellian shenanigans are sending a particularly poor message to the EU."
Mr Kawczynski was in Shrewsbury last night to speak to constituents at local party meeting before getting the early train to Westminster this morning.
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He said: "We have about 400 party members and there was a packed room. The overwhelming feeling from them was 'let's get this deal done'.
"People are fed up of this and want to focus on the things that matter most in their lives."
He added that he would rather be fighting for better funding for Shrewsbury schoolchildren and to protect the NHS than debating Brexit.
"These are the things they've sent us for, not this merry-go-round.
"Everything else has been put on the back burner because of this obsession with stopping the government.
"If they're not careful, we'll end up with no deal.
"I hope my constituents in Shrewsbury will remember the conduct of Labour and the Liberal Democrats throughout this."
'Undemocratic'
Mark Pritchard, MP for Wrekin, felt the Letwin amendment was "sabotage", and opposes a further Brexit referendum.
He said: "It's in my own view this was an undemocratic measure seeking to frustrate and stop Brexit.
"As a democrat I believe in delivering on the will of the British people in delivering Brexit.
"The Prime Minister has brokered a deal which most commentators thought was impossible and yet even though he has delivered the impossible, certain MPs are still seeking to sabotage the parliamentary process in order to stop Brexit.
"We may now be heading towards a second referendum, which I oppose. It could give rise to a third or fourth referendum if they do not like the result.
"Parliament should accept the responsibility and get on with delivering Brexit so the country can move on."
Boris Johnson was bullish after the result was announced, and said that he will not write to the EU for a Brexit delay by 11.01pm today, even though it is understood by most that he is required to by law.
Philip Dunne, Ludlow MP, is in the dark over the government's plans regarding the letter, but trusts it to do things by the book.
He said: "I don't know what the government intends to do, but I'm sure it will comply with the law."
On the Letwin amendment vote, he added: "I was very disappointed. The Prime Minister took on a very soothing and consolatory tone in the two hours he was speaking in the chamber this morning.
"We were trying to have a meaningful vote, but as a result of the Letwin amendment, we've had a meaningless one.
"I expect the government will put forward legislature for the deal this week so we can have a meaningful vote."
Telford MP Lucy Allan insisted she still has faith that Boris Johnson will succeed in getting the deal through.
She said: "The Prime Minister has secured a new Brexit deal against the odds and remains committed to leaving with this deal on October 31. I believe he will achieve this objective and will be respected by the public for persisting against the odds.
"It is disappointing that there remain those in parliament who cannot accept the referendum and whose only objective is stop Brexit. The public see this for what it is. It brings parliament into disrepute and is clearly unsettling for business and the economy.
"However, we will get through this difficult period and be able to move forward, focusing on the needs and concerns of our constituents in the near future."
Brexiteer North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson praised the Prime Minister for his stand on the extension and had harsh words for the MPs who voted to call for one.
"Passing the Letwin Amendment and declining even to come to a verdict on the new Brexit deal just about sums up this rotten Parliament," he said.
"It was good to see Boris Johnson rule out negotiating an extension and I am looking forward to seeing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill next week."
Montgomery MP Glyn Davies said Saturday was a 400-mile round trip and a 16-hour Saturday that delivered no value whatsoever.
He said: "Went down to Westminster for a meaningful vote of the new ‘Withdrawal Deal agreed between the EU 27 and the UK. Left home at 5.30. But my esteemed colleague, Oliver Letwin, stepped in, supported by a majority of MPs to delay the decision - yet again.
"He, and the MPs who want Brexit to be abandoned are just putting obstacles in the way, hoping they lead to a re-run of the 2016 referendum and to revoking Brexit."
Mr Davies said he was not certain where parliament could go now.
"We do know that even though there’s been no ‘meaningful vote’ MPs will begin debating the actual Withdrawal Bill on Monday. Boris is not in the mood to be stopped and a lot of voters like that."
The MP, who is standing down at the next election, said Saturday's debate had included good speeches from Theresa May and Michael Gove.
