Jeremy Corbyn

• THE Labour Party last week claimed that voting against triggering Article 50 would do untold damage to democracy. Its capitulation to the Tories’ vision of a Hard Brexit will do exactly that, as well as untold damage to Islington and this country.

Neither Jeremy Corbyn in Islington North nor Emily Thornberry in Islington South and Finsbury have supported the views of their constituents. Seventy-five per cent of Islington voted to Remain in the EU. It looks like MPs have put their party (and upcoming by-elections) before their constituents.

The direction the May government is taking the Brexit negotiations down will be catastrophic for this community. By moving us away from our closest neighbours and towards a “special relationship” with Trump’s America, Islington will change forever.

Last year’s referendum was about leaving or remaining in the EU. What future we would like for our country was not on the ballot paper, and now we look set to cosy up to Trump and completely turn our back on our liberal European neighbours.

Emily Thornberry

Knowing that this is the current direction, how could Labour even consider supporting the triggering of Article 50? Even the Lib Dems are split on this issue, with two of nine supposedly pro-EU Lib Dem MPs choosing to abstain.

The referendum excluded more than 15,000 Islington residents born in different EU member states and therefore not allowed to vote; this was the highest percentage of excluded EU residents in the UK. The futures of these valued members of Islington’s community are now at risk.

So who is representing them as well as the 48 per cent of the country, and 75 per cent of Islington, who voted to stay? What has happened to our democracy if we have this “winner takes all” approach to politics?

A wedge has been driven down the centre of this country and our borough. The EU is not perfect and needs reform, but now we look set to lose all the work-based, economic, environmental, social and legal protections and cosy up to Donald Trump with his misogynist and racist ideas.

In the absence of effective opposition in Parliament it is up to all of us to mobilise, lobby politicians and campaign to ensure the government recognises that all should have a say in the future of this country and that it is diverted from this dangerous path.

RODERIK GONGGRIJP
Islington Green Party