Coming round to it?

I have just been listening to Jeremy Hunt being interviewed on the Today programme and he is proposing a new negotiating team made up of representatives from the Government, the DUP, the  European Research Group, Scotland and Wales (to represent the Union side) so as to come up with a deal that can find its way through Parliament. Those represented would ‘command the numbers’ in the House to be able to deliver it in these terms and this would reassure and persuade Brussels that any new deal could be delivered.  This would then sufficiently change the attitude in Brussels towards any new deal and open up options which are at present closed.

It is an interesting proposal, although it does not (for the reasons he gave) include representatives of the Labour party, Brexit party (no MP’s) or it seems any other party, but what is most striking about it is what it includes rather than what it excludes.  It represents a coalition of sorts who are going to sit down and work through their differences, through the various issues which at present set them at odds and come up with something they can present to Brussels.

This is not a million miles from what I have been advocating and it is a welcome step in that direction.  Whether it is enough on its own is another matter.  It may be enough to get a deal through Parliament but not enough to create a consensus within the House. It may or may not change the mood across the nation whilst at long last delivering on the vote to get us out of Europe.  So it is to be commended and may be effective but it is also limited.

Much more directly aligned with what I have been proposing however, and much more exciting on its own terms, is the proposal now being put forward by Rory Stewart, MP. I have long admired his thoughtfulness and, in a quiet way, his vision.  He was on ‘The World Tonight’ last night arguing in favour of Citizens’ Assemblies similar to those initiated recently by President Macron in France to get the public’s view on things beyond the simple binary outcomes with which we are presently saddled. 

As Rory Stewart says, in a divided country we need to start by discovering what we have in common and how the nature of our future relationship with Europe can also be forged through non partisan discussions.  The outcome of these discussions would be funnelled through social media back to Parliament who would decide how best to work further with what has been conveyed.

Mr. Stewart then foresees representatives of all the Parties, including Nigel Farage, meeting in the proverbial locked room to listen, compromise and, setting aside their party differences,  work together until they can find a way forward. He anticipates them using a professional mediator if necessary in order to do so.  Hallelujah, I say as this really is music to my ears!

Mr. Stewart does not think there can be any other starting point than the present withdrawal agreement but this should be approached in terms of what can now fashion our future relationship with Europe as we look beyond the Withdrawal Agreement to the Political Declaration.

It is so refreshing to hear a voice of reason and imagination in our midst who is not only in Parliament but also a contender for leader of the Conservative Party.  I hope either he, or his ideas, are able to advance so that we can all advance towards a proper resolution to this matter.