Farming union calls for Article 50 to be revoked as Brexit date delayed

Replacing March 29 with another ‘cliff edge date’ a few months down the line would be 'short sighted', the Farmers' Union of Wales has said
Replacing March 29 with another ‘cliff edge date’ a few months down the line would be 'short sighted', the Farmers' Union of Wales has said

The Farmers' Union of Wales has called on MPs to revoke Article 50 and set a 'realistic and safe' timetable for the UK to withdraw from the European Union.

Following another day of political theatrics in parliament on Thursday (14 March), MPs voted to delay Brexit by at least three months.

Parliament overwhelmingly backed the extension of Article 50, which means Brexit won't take place before 30 June. The original date of withdrawal was set for 29 March.

The vote gives Prime Minister Theresa May an opportunity to resuscitate her twice-defeated Brexit plan.

Amid growing political uncertainty, the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) has now called for Article 50 to be cancelled outright in order to reflect parliament’s rejection of a no-deal Brexit.

The union calls for the 2018 European Union (Withdrawal) Act to be amended to reflect this view and cater for 'all possible eventualities'.

'Cliff edge date'

FUW Head of Policy, Nick Fenwick said that replacing March 29 with another ‘cliff edge date’ in a few months time would be 'short sighted' and wouldn't 'reflect the dangers'.

“So long as the Withdrawal Act stands we are set to leave the European Union, so claims that this would go against the vote to leave the EU are false,” he said.

“Those who have persuaded the general public that the Brexit process that can be gone through in a couple of years without major risks to jobs, businesses and the economy have been unrealistic and misled Brexiteers about the reality of a safe timetable.

“We now need the Act to be amended to restore us to a realistic and safe timetable,” he added.

'No knowledge'

The farming union also said that the vote to leave the European Union didn't equate to a vote to leaving the customs union and single market.

“Leaving the customs union and the single market were not on the ballot paper - in fact, the overwhelming majority of those who voted, whether in favour or against Brexit, had no knowledge of the customs union,” Dr Fenwick said.

“Those who voted to leave the EU did so on a variety of grounds; yes, for many that included free movement, but for many others it was to do with other issues, including being a protest vote.”

The FUW is now pleading with MPs to amend the Withdrawal Act to allow agreements to be reached and for Brexit to take place over a 'safe and realistic' timetable.

Four farming unions, NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), have also called on the government not to delay the prospect of no-deal.