The Freedom Association was a co-signatory of a letter published in yesterday's Daily Telegraph. In the letter, which was coordinated by Brexit-Watch.org, we call "for the UK Government to suspend talks until the EU recognises the UK’s sovereignty." Here it is in full:
Dear Sir
Notwithstanding the entirely reasonable demand of the UK to be sovereign, negotiations for a trade deal with the EU have floundered on this point of principle. In his latest pronunciation, Michel Barnier has refused to continue discussing any aspects of a trade deal until the UK accepts continuity with EU state aid and its fisheries policy. In other words the EU requires the UK to sacrifice its sovereignty in order to get a deal. Faced with such an egregious demand the UK has no sensible course of action other than to announce discussion around fishing has now ended and that all other negotiations are suspended indefinitely.
It is axiomatic that, to get a good deal, the UK must be prepared to leave without one. Moreover, the Prime Minister was elected on a promise of taking back control of our laws, our borders, our cash and our fishing. It is time for him to fulfil his promise by declaring in favour of no-deal. And, given the wholly unreasonable position taken by the EU, he should take the opportunity to terminate the Withdrawal Agreement which holds no benefit, only ills, for the UK.
Yours faithfully
Signatories in alphabetical order
1. Jayne Adye (Director, Get Britain Out)
2. Jacques Arnold (former Conservative MP for Gravesham)*
3. Aaron Brown (Founder, Fishing for Leave)
4. Andrew Allison (Head of Campaigns, The Freedom Association)
5. David Axe (Director, Invoke Democracy Now)*
6. David Banks (Founder, EU Defence Watch)
7. David Bull (former MEP for North West England)
8. Jonathan Bullock (former MEP for East Midlands)
9. David Campbell-Bannerman (former MEP for East of England)
10. Dr Philip Cunliffe*
11. Martin Daubney (former MEP for West Midlands)
12. Belinda De Lucy (former MEP for South East England)
13. Brian Denny*
14. David Evans (Brexit Facts4EU.org)
15. Sir Rocco Forte (Chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels)*
16. Nathan Gill (former AM for North Wales & MEP for Wales)
17. Ben Habib (former MEP for London)
18. Daniel Hodson (Chairman, The City for Britain)
19. Christina Jordan (former MEP for South West England)*
20. Lesley Katon
21. Paul Knaggs (Founder, Labour Heartlands)
22. Ruth Lea (Fellow, Centre for Brexit Policy)*
23. Rupert Lowe (former MEP for the West Midlands)
24. Catherine McBride
25. Alison McDonald (Co-founder Scots for Leave)
26. Professor Patrick Minford (Professor of Applied Economics, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University)*
27. Brian Monteith (former MSP for Mid-Scotland & Fife & MEP for North East England)
28. June Mummery (former MEP for the East of England)
29. Brendan O’Neill (Editor, Spiked)
30. Robert Oulds (Director, Bruges Group)
31. Alexandra Phillips (former MEP for South East England)
32. Jake Pugh (former MEP for Yorkshire and Humber)
33. Robert Rowland (former MEP for South East England)
34. Jonathan Saxty (Assistant Editor, Brexit-Watch.org)
35. Edward Spalton (Chairman, Campaign for Independent Britain)
36. Jim Sillars (former MP for South Ayrshire and for Glasgow Govan)
37. Ewen Stewart (Director, Global Britain)
38. John Tennant (Cllr for Jesmond, Hartlepool & former MEP North East England)
39. Gawain Towler (Museum of Brexit)
40. James Wells (former MEP for Wales)
41. Ann Widdecombe (former MP for Maidstone and the Weald & MEP for South West England)
*Name did not appear in the Daily Telegraph
