Remainer MPs erupt at Brexit ‘catastrophe’ in debate on rejoining EU | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Remainer MPs erupted at Brexit in a debate on rejoining the European Union. Labour MP Stella Creasy branded the UK’s exit from the bloc as a “disaster” whereas additionally taking a swipe at arch-Brexiteer and Clacton MP Nigel Farage.

It got here as MPs mentioned an e-petition to return to Brussels in a Westminster Hall debate. Ms Creasy, who chairs the Labour Movement for Europe, stated: “If the member for Clacton was in the country I’m sure he would be telling all of us that we need some straight talking so let’s have some straight talking about all of this.

“Brexit is a catastrophe. It’s a catastrophe by anyone’s metric, not least those that purported that this was someway the hallowed land.

“The pandemic has spared some of the blushes of those people who still try to claim that we’ve got some elusive sovereignty as a result of leaving the EU but we can see the damage, our constituents can see the damage.”

But she admitted that it will take “years” to rejoin the bloc.

Elsewhere throughout the debate, Liberal Democrat MPs Manuela Perteghella and Wera Hobhouse each declared themselves a “product of the EU”.

Ms Hobhouse, initially from Germany, stated: “I was fighting to the last to stop Brexit.

“I used to be shocked and grieving after we left in January 2020 and I took it nearly as a private failure that we could not cease Brexit.”

Ms Perteghella, who was born in Italy before moving to the UK as a student, said: “I labored as a lecturer for a few years and noticed firsthand the significance of collaborative analysis tasks with our colleagues in EU universities, the constructive impression of Horizon (Europe) and of Erasmus plus.”

Cabinet office minister Abena Oppong-Asare MP said: “I do know that members have raised issues about alternatives for younger individuals, and have raised their proposals for the youth mobility scheme.”

She added: “However we shouldn’t have plans for a youth mobility settlement. We, in fact, hearken to smart proposals however we’ve been clear there will likely be no return to freedom of motion, the customs union or the one market.”

Ms Oppong-Asare said the Government was elected on a manifesto of closer ties with the bloc, and referred to the UK and EU summit that will take place in May.

She added: “As a Government we will likely be open minded and pragmatic about proposals that might enhance British individuals’s safety, security and prosperity, whereas holding clear our purple strains that we’ll not compromise on.”