Walthamstow's Brexit 'Red Lines' - this Sunday. RSVP by noon Saturday

Yesterday, following the publication of the government bill to trigger 'article 50' Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy sent an invitation to party members and local residents (scroll down to rsvp):

"In the last 24 hours the Government has ripped up the parliamentary schedule for the coming two weeks and announced they are fast tracking legislation to give the Prime Minister the power to trigger Article 50.

I believe this timetable for a decision so crucial to the future of our nation is completely unacceptable. 

The Government is only allocating 5 days to examine this legislation – for the legislation that enabled Britain to enter the European Union there were 39 days of debate, the Maastricht Treaty had 41 days and the Treaty of Lisbon had 25 days of scrutiny.

Tonight I have co-signed amendments to this bill to set out some "red lines" on what the Government must protect for our nations future. This includes a ‘reasoned amendment’ declining to give this legislation further parliamentary time to progress because of the absence of any safeguards for British interests in the single market. 

The other amendments cover a range of issues- from the conditions under which we could trade with other European countries, protecting the rights of EU citizens and UK citizens in the workplace to ensuring Parliament can have a say on any final deal with Europe. 

At this time, I cannot confirm which of these amendments, if any, will be selected for debate as this will be the decision of the Speaker of the House of Commons. 

I have helped draft these amendments following the feedback I have had from Walthamstow residents to date. 

Despite this extremely short timetable which was not of my choosing, I am determined to try to give residents of Walthamstow the chance to continue to air their views. That’s why this Sunday 28th January at 5.30pm- 7pm I will be holding a workshop on the "redlines" Walthamstow wants to see when it comes to Brexit. 

This is open to all Walthamstow residents- whether they voted to leave the EU or remain in it last year- and will be your opportunity to help shape the concerns that I raise with the Government in the coming days. 

It's free to attend and the venue is in Central Walthamstow but due to venue size spaces are limited. 

To help us manage this event and ensure we have materials for all who attend please RSVP, giving your full name and full address, and you will receive details of the venue for this event. Please do this by 12pm on Saturday 27th January 2017. 

Please do feel free to share this invite with others interested in this subject – please note however this event is only for Walthamstow residents so all who attend will need to confirm they are constituents.

I would also encourage Labour Party members to continue to send me their thoughts on the Party's conduct on Brexit so that I may ensure our local Party Executive is aware of your views. 

Given the extremely high volume of correspondence I am receiving, I will continue to ensure all those who write to me about this bill – whether for or against it- and Labour Party members receive these updates as the most effective way to keep all informed. "

Stella Creasy MP
Labour and Cooperative MP for Walthamstow