Mr Sadiq Khan                                                                   10 November 2017

Mayor of London

City Hall

The Queen’s Walk

London SE1 2AA

e-mail: [email protected]

Dear Mayor Khan,

WE WANT A REFERENDUM ON THE TERMS OF A BREXIT DEAL

Your active and articulate support for Remain during last year's EU referendum was appreciated. 

I am writing to urge you to build on your appeals for the next Labour Party manifesto to include a referendum on the terms of Brexit. In light of mounting evidence that Brexit is bad for London and growing public opposition to Brexit, it would be appropriate now if you could call on all London MPs and peers to amend the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. Specifically, we believe they should be encouraged to support an amendment supporting a referendum on the terms of a Brexit deal with the option to Remain. If the Government decides not to conclude a deal, similarly the people should have a say, including the option to Remain.

Your Rôle is to Represent London’s Remain Vote

Brexit is the biggest challenge facing London. If we go through with it, it will do incalculable harm to our economy, social fabric, public services and the international standing of London and the rest of the UK.

Your stated rôle includes being the elected voice of London and to champion London and Londoners at home and abroad. London voted 60:40 to Remain in the EU. You therefore have a regional mandate to speak for Remain, just as Nicola Sturgeon has in Scotland. However, it appears you have effectively committed Londoners to Labour's 'jobs-first' Brexit, a self-defeating stance which is already contributing to the destruction of jobs in London and elsewhere in the UK.

The Need for a Referendum on the Terms

Yes of course the 2016 referendum is politically binding as regards next steps. However, the Government after 16 months has yet to come up with concrete Brexit options, let alone a plan.

We – the people - should review the outcome, whether the Government decides there is a deal or no deal. The 2016 vote on an idea does not oblige the country to adopt whatever plan is later cooked up on the hoof.

You have indicated you are open to a referendum on the terms. You expressed that view in the context of designing a winning Labour party manifesto at the next General Election. However, this could be several years away, and probably after we have left the European Union.

As Mayor for all Londoners, the time to act is now, not just in time for the next General Election. As you know, Parliament is debating the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. This is the best chance to put the referendum on the terms of Brexit into the national political calendar. 

You can Persuade MPs and Peers

We therefore call on you now to persuade all London MPs and peers to support the amendments to the Bill which would provide a referendum on the terms, or no deal, with the option to Remain. You may also wish to make common cause with Nicola Sturgeon so that she takes the same approach with Scottish MPs.

Yours sincerely 

Nicholas Hopkinson

Chair, London4Europe

London4Europe is the London section of the non-party European Movement UK 

Website:     http://london4europe.co.uk