European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill - Report

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 11:15 am on 7 March 2017.

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Photo of Lord Newby Lord Newby Liberal Democrat Leader in the House of Lords 11:15, 7 March 2017

My Lords, people voted on 57 varieties of the future of this country. The vast bulk of people, as all the polls show, did not vote to leave the single market; now they are being told they have got to. The idea that the referendum vote reflected the settled will of 52% of the people on what they wanted our future relationship with Europe to be is, in my view, extremely simplistic. It is not borne out by conversations with individuals or the polling evidence. I do not believe that that vote should be the last word.