Ross confirms to Parliament he will vote against EU deal as it doesn’t deliver for Moray
Moray MP Douglas Ross has said he will put Moray’s interest first and vote against the EU Withdrawal Agreement. Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, ahead of next week’s historic vote, the local MP said he had not been able to reconcile the concerns he had with the agreement and in particular, two key areas which have caused him most concern, the future of the fishing industry and the protection of the Union.
Commenting Douglas said: “My decision comes down to my overarching belief that I am elected to the House of Commons as Moray’s voice in Westminster, not Westminster’s voice in Moray. I have to put my constituents and constituency ahead of my party and my Government which is why I have untimely concluded that I can’t support the deal.
“I made it clear during the election, and since then, that I could not support a deal that doesn’t deliver for our fishing industry and I don’t believe this deal guarantees the bright future we all want for coastal communities and the fishing sector.
“I also have concerns about what this deal means for the Union of the United Kingdom in particular the backstop that is so unacceptable to Northern Ireland politicians and many in the House of Commons. Likewise I worry about the proposal to extend the implementation period leaving us tied to the EU, abiding by their rules with no influence over their policies.
“Representing a constituency like Moray, which had the closest result between Leave and Remain anywhere in the UK, makes it impossible for me to vote in a way that pleases all my constituents. I have studied the Withdrawal Agreement, sought reassurances from the cabinet and still cannot reconcile my concerns. It’s not easy to vote against your Government and some will think I’ve got this wrong, others that I have made the right choice. I only hope I can show that I have taken this decision in the best interests of Moray, something I have always promised to do.”
