Leave Means Leave

Leave Means Leave
Formation July 2016 (2016-07)
Founders Richard Tice, John Longworth
Purpose United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union
Headquarters 55 Tufton Street, London
Region served
United Kingdom
Key people
Website leavemeansleave.eu

Leave Means Leave is a pro-Brexit,[4] Eurosceptic political pressure group organisation that campaigns and lobbies[5] for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union following the 'Leave' result of the EU referendum on 23 June 2016. The campaign was co-founded by British property entrepreneur Richard Tice and business consultant John Longworth.

The organisation has described itself as a "campaign for a clean Brexit"[6] and is considered hardline by some media.[7][8]

History

Co-founded by Richard Tice and John Longworth, according to the BBC, the organisation grew out of the Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum.[9] In October 2016, The Independent compared it to the National Rifle Association, and claimed it "wield[s] enormous influence".[10]

Letter to Prime Minister in Brexit negotiations

On 30 September 2017, during the Brexit negotiations, the Leave Means Leave campaign wrote a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May.[11] Four ex-cabinet members, including former Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Lawson, as well as former Brexit minister David Jones,[8] signed the letter alongside the rest of the board.[12] The letter highlighted seven separate concerns:

  • Freedom of movement. The continuation of the free movement of people from the European Union "for at least five years after the vote" was deemed unacceptable; the letter referenced the "significant level of public concern" over the issue, lobbying for "control over migration".
  • Free trade. The inability to sign free trade deals with countries outside the European Union should end on 29 March 2019, and explicitly not continue "during the transitional period". The letter insisted it was crucial that the United Kingdom was also able to "implement global trade deals" during any transitional period.
  • New EU laws. The letter asked the question if new EU laws (passed or implemented after the UK leaves the EU) would need to be "obey[ed]" during a transition period.
  • European Court of Justice. This was reported by the media as one of the most significant "red lines" of the letter. The letter demanded a "sovereign" UK "after March 2019", using the word "must", in relation to the ECJ, three times in two sentences.
  • Deregulation. EU laws deemed "unnecessary" in business activity should be repealed and removed in order to "generate economic growth" and support "farming and fishing".
  • Extension of transition period. The letter expressed a fear of an "indefinite delay to a proper Brexit". It insisted the EU should "believe we would move to WTO rules", and the transition "must terminate" no later than 30 March 2021.
  • No-deal scenario. The intervention criticised and contradicted "CBI advice", insisting reverting to World Trade Organization rules was "not to be feared". With this particular point gaining most of the British media's coverage,[13][14] the letter claimed that if the European Union was "not seriously negotiating" for free trade by Christmas 2017, then the UK Government should inform of their intention to move to WTO rules.

The letter had multiple significant supporters outside of the organisation, including former Conservative leader Lord Howard, who stated he shared its "aspirations".[6]

Organisation overview

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Goldman Ceo Blankfein calls for second vote on Brexit". Reuters. 16 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Helene von Bismarck: War metaphors have no place in the Brexit debate". The Times. 13 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "Gove and Johnson congratulate May on Brexit deal". The Guardian. 8 December 2017.
  4. ↑ "Iain Duncan Smith backs report calling for 'drastic reduction' in immigration". Metro. 26 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Ireland seeks momentum on border ahead of key Brexit meeting". Associated Press. 3 December 2017.
  6. 1 2 "No Brexit unless we back Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt says". BBC News. 3 December 2017.
  7. ↑ "Boris Johnson Intervenes on Brexit Again Ahead of Tory Party Conference". HuffPost. 30 September 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Tory Conference: Brexiteers demand Theresa May quit EU talks if Brussels says no to trade negotiations". The Independent. 30 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "Donald Tusk: EU's 'heart still open to UK' over Brexit". BBC News. 16 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Moore, James (19 October 2017). "Hardline Brexiteers are the UK'S NRA – and we can't let them take control of the country". The Independent. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  11. ↑ "Leave Means Leave letter to Prime Minister". Leave Means Leave. 30 September 2017.
  12. ↑ "Theresa May urged to prepare for no-deal Brexit by former Conservative ministers as EU talks stall". The Independent. 19 October 2017.
  13. ↑ "Pro-Brexit MPs urge Theresa May to quit talks". BBC News. 19 October 2017.
  14. ↑ "Increased pressure on Theresa May over Brexit negotiations". The Yorkshire Post. 30 September 2017.
  15. ↑ "Co-Chairmen – Political Advisory Board – Supporters". Leave Means Leave.
  16. ↑ "Brexit: Nigel Farage to go 'on the road' with Leave group". BBC. 18 August 2018.
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