Every MP is the representative of all their constituents and in a position of leadership. Yes, they have party affiliations; however, when it comes to decisions that affect the country it doesn’t matter which party an MP is aligned with: it’s always country 1st and party a distant second. That is leadership.

MPs will have had and will take different positions on Brexit, and that’s fine. However, all of those rationales should be informed by facts and evidence and not the bloviated rhetoric of vague beliefs and feelings. That is leadership.

MPs need to stop being scared of their constituents and give them hard provable truths even if it’s the opposite of what they want to hear. They need to look them in their eyes and tell them, with honesty, I am voting this way, as your representative, because it is the best thing for our country and for us and this is why. That is leadership.

Regardless of how Brexit turns out every MP should have realised by now that they will own their decisions on it and be judged by us, the people, forever. Things were promised during the EU referendum that are either not deliverable or come with very high human and/or economic costs – be honest on this and educate your electorate. That is leadership.

MPs should be giving deep consideration, not to how they will explain their decisions tomorrow, or next week, or even next year. They should be working out how they are going to explain to the generations that come for the decades that follow why they did so. That is leadership.

If you’re an MP, I suggest you make damn sure you’ve got good evidence for the Brexit decisions you make as your constituents, friends, family and acquaintances will likely not be impressed nor forgiving if you take or took a punt on fantasies and feelings. Step-up: it’s time to be a leader.

Good luck.

As for anyone who’s reading this who is not an MP but is living in the UK: remember they work for you.

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Created: 5th December 2018, Published: 5th December 2018
Updated: 5th November 2018 – Minor grammar changes, heading style updates & copyright inclusion; 22nd September 2019 – addition of Previous & Next links and subscription block. ***

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