MPs must support Theresa May’s Brexit deal if they are to place themselves on the “right side of history” and avoid plunging the UK into a state of chaos, a prominent vet has argued.
Dr Jason Aldiss BEM
Jason Aldiss, Managing Director of Leeds-based veterinary services company Eville & Jones, made the call in advance of tomorrow evening’s House of Commons vote on the terms of the UK’s separation from the EU and accompanying political declaration which sets out what a future trade arrangement may look like.
Dr Aldiss has previously voiced concerns that a poorly-managed Brexit process could “decimate the United Kingdom’s veterinary, food and agricultural sectors” and warned that a no-deal outcome would be “the worst of all worlds.”
In a statement, Dr Aldiss said: “I have believed from the outset that Brexit is an act of folly that is bad for the UK and bad for the EU. But we have reached the moment of truth and it has become clear that Theresa May’s Brexit deal, despite its many imperfections, is the best and only option available to avoid plunging the country into a state of chaos.
“I have also come to the conclusion that the Prime Minister herself is one of the few politicians who has acted with a sense of honour and duty throughout the Brexit process.
“We are on the precipice of a desperately uncertain future and, despite that stark reality, too many MPs have been making calculations based on what they believe to be best for their personal political prospects or those of their party.
“The country’s path for generations will be deeply influenced by the decisions they make in the coming hours and days. Their choices should be based solely on what’s best for their constituents and the United Kingdom as a whole.”
Dr Aldiss, who is Secretary General of the Union of European Veterinary Hygienists, said that Brexit holds particular uncertainty for the veterinary profession, together with the food and agricultural sectors it serves.
He continued: “Eville & Jones needs guarantees of post-Brexit access to highly-trained foreign vets to work in abattoirs and on farms, as well as lower skilled workers to fill other essential roles.
“I had hoped that the Immigration White Paper would have provided some assurances on these matters but its publication has been delayed yet again.
“The wheels of Government have stopped turning and, without a Brexit deal in place, the situation will only get worse. We need a sense of momentum to return and that can only happen by the House of Commons supporting the Prime Minister’s proposals.”
Dr Aldiss added: “It is time for MPs to rise to the challenge and place themselves on the right side of history.”