Since the referendum in 2016 Alec has talked one-to-one with thousands of residents across Elmet & Rothwell, during his weekly street surgeries, supermarket surgeries, advice surgeries, and by phone and email.
The majority view of residents has been that MPs should get behind the Prime Minister to get a trade deal and leave the EU.
The Government has now published a draft Withdrawal Agreement and a Political Declaration.
The process of agreeing a trade agreement with the EU has yet to take place. The Withdrawal Agreement establishes the mechanisms by which a future free trade agreement can be delivered. It therefore marks a decisive step forward in the Brexit process.
The Political Declaration agrees to:
● End free movement of people and implement a new skills-based immigration system.
● Provide for a free trade area and deep cooperation on goods, with zero tariffs and quotas.
● Give the UK the ability to strike trade deals around the world.
● Ambitious arrangements for services and investment, alongside new arrangements on financial services.
● Have new and specific arrangements on digital, covering a wide-range of areas, reflecting the growth and prominence of global digital trade.
● Ensure the UK will be an independent coastal state, with commitments to ensure sustainable fishing levels and a new fisheries agreement with the EU.
● Ensure the UK will be outside the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.
● Provide for open and fair competition, in line with the overall economic relationship with commitments by both the UK and the EU on state aid, employment and environmental standards, and relevant tax matters.
● Commit to comprehensive and close reciprocal law enforcement and judicial cooperation to keep people safe.
● A close and flexible partnership of foreign policy and defence.