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| Residents of true-blue Richmond frustrated by Brexit delays | Residents of true-blue Richmond frustrated by Brexit delays |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| They were supposed to have been celebrating Brexit on Friday night with their local MP over a supper of breaded plaice and garden peas. | |
| Yet instead of enjoying an event billed by the local Conservative association as “Fish & Chips with Rishi Sunak on the night we’re due to leave the EU”, party faithful in one of Britain’s bluest constituencies have been looking on aghast at events in Westminster. Some are now chomping at the bit for radical action. | Yet instead of enjoying an event billed by the local Conservative association as “Fish & Chips with Rishi Sunak on the night we’re due to leave the EU”, party faithful in one of Britain’s bluest constituencies have been looking on aghast at events in Westminster. Some are now chomping at the bit for radical action. |
| In the sprawling North Yorkshire district of Richmondshire, a Conservative majority has long been as rock-solid as the dry stone walls dotting a landscape of picturesque villages, farms and undulating countryside. Even the non-Tory Nigel Farage gets a look-in among the electorate of the Richmond (Yorks) constituency that could very soon be choosing Britain’s next prime minister. | In the sprawling North Yorkshire district of Richmondshire, a Conservative majority has long been as rock-solid as the dry stone walls dotting a landscape of picturesque villages, farms and undulating countryside. Even the non-Tory Nigel Farage gets a look-in among the electorate of the Richmond (Yorks) constituency that could very soon be choosing Britain’s next prime minister. |
| “He isn’t a member of the party but he stands up and talks from the heart. He’s pro-British and stands for what he believes in,” said Lawrence Grose, a local councillor who mourns the fact that Theresa May was handed the reigns of leadership and lambasts her and other frontrunners to succeed her for “lacking personality”. | “He isn’t a member of the party but he stands up and talks from the heart. He’s pro-British and stands for what he believes in,” said Lawrence Grose, a local councillor who mourns the fact that Theresa May was handed the reigns of leadership and lambasts her and other frontrunners to succeed her for “lacking personality”. |
| Steve Baker – a Brexit ultra propelled recently from backbench obscurity through multiple broadcast appearances in his capacity as deputy leader of the European Research Group (ERG) – was the wildcard choice of another local Tory. | Steve Baker – a Brexit ultra propelled recently from backbench obscurity through multiple broadcast appearances in his capacity as deputy leader of the European Research Group (ERG) – was the wildcard choice of another local Tory. |
| Geoffrey Linehan, a councillor who advocated a Brexit on World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, accused May and the party of having presided over “a complete cock-up”. | Geoffrey Linehan, a councillor who advocated a Brexit on World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, accused May and the party of having presided over “a complete cock-up”. |
| “When I go around and knock on doors I say we are local Conservatives and we have nothing to do with these silly buggers that are bouncing around in Westminster and who seem to have lost touch with why people voted leave,” said Linehan. | “When I go around and knock on doors I say we are local Conservatives and we have nothing to do with these silly buggers that are bouncing around in Westminster and who seem to have lost touch with why people voted leave,” said Linehan. |
| With local elections now approaching on 2 May, he and other colleagues say they are treading carefully on doorsteps, where Brexit is as likely to come up as bin collections when meeting voters. They include farmers who fear Brexit and livery yard owners looking forward to relinquishing the perceived long arm of Brussels. | With local elections now approaching on 2 May, he and other colleagues say they are treading carefully on doorsteps, where Brexit is as likely to come up as bin collections when meeting voters. They include farmers who fear Brexit and livery yard owners looking forward to relinquishing the perceived long arm of Brussels. |
| But a local leave vote of 56% has rendered Brexit the only game in town, even among prominent local Tories who voted remain. | But a local leave vote of 56% has rendered Brexit the only game in town, even among prominent local Tories who voted remain. |
| “I voted to remain but I am also a democrat and I feel that Theresa May’s deal is the only way forward,” said the Conservative chairman of Richmondshire district council, Bill Glover, who was resigned to the fact that Brexit would happen “one way or the other”, despite concerns over skills shortages. | “I voted to remain but I am also a democrat and I feel that Theresa May’s deal is the only way forward,” said the Conservative chairman of Richmondshire district council, Bill Glover, who was resigned to the fact that Brexit would happen “one way or the other”, despite concerns over skills shortages. |
| As for who might follow May, Jeremy Hunt was among those who had impressed Glover: “I think we have got to have someone from the centre ground. We don’t want anyone from the far right or even the remain campaign. It has to be a moderate leaver who can get backing and put the case best during the next round of negotiations.” | As for who might follow May, Jeremy Hunt was among those who had impressed Glover: “I think we have got to have someone from the centre ground. We don’t want anyone from the far right or even the remain campaign. It has to be a moderate leaver who can get backing and put the case best during the next round of negotiations.” |
| On the streets of Richmond, the pretty market town at the centre of a district voted in this year’s Halifax quality of life survey as the best place to live in England, the impatience of some Brexit supporters was channeled by retirees David Bell, 73, and Alan Pullin, 67. Both were adamant that the UK should already have left without a deal. | On the streets of Richmond, the pretty market town at the centre of a district voted in this year’s Halifax quality of life survey as the best place to live in England, the impatience of some Brexit supporters was channeled by retirees David Bell, 73, and Alan Pullin, 67. Both were adamant that the UK should already have left without a deal. |
| “Theresa May, she’s weak, I know what Margaret Thatcher would have done two years ago. We would have been out,” said Bell, who accused those in what he referred to as “Londonistan” of foiling the will of voters. | “Theresa May, she’s weak, I know what Margaret Thatcher would have done two years ago. We would have been out,” said Bell, who accused those in what he referred to as “Londonistan” of foiling the will of voters. |
| If the no-deal Brexit favoured by Bell and others is popular locally, then Richmond’s MP reflects it. Sunak, a junior minister and former former Goldman Sachs banker who inherited the seat from William Hague, was one of 160 MPs who voted on Wednesday for the option of leaving the EU with no deal. Although in a parliamentary minority for supporting a hard Brexit, the 38-year-old from parliament’s 2015 intake has been among names tipped in the past as Tories who might emerge as leadership candidates should the party choose to skip a generation. | If the no-deal Brexit favoured by Bell and others is popular locally, then Richmond’s MP reflects it. Sunak, a junior minister and former former Goldman Sachs banker who inherited the seat from William Hague, was one of 160 MPs who voted on Wednesday for the option of leaving the EU with no deal. Although in a parliamentary minority for supporting a hard Brexit, the 38-year-old from parliament’s 2015 intake has been among names tipped in the past as Tories who might emerge as leadership candidates should the party choose to skip a generation. |
| Some 20 miles west of Richmond, meanwhile, at her tea shop in the village of Bainbridge, the Tory leader of Richmondshire council didn’t name Sunak but recalled: “David Cameron was unknown until he stood for leadership of the party.” | Some 20 miles west of Richmond, meanwhile, at her tea shop in the village of Bainbridge, the Tory leader of Richmondshire council didn’t name Sunak but recalled: “David Cameron was unknown until he stood for leadership of the party.” |
| “Whatever happens, I really do believe the will of the 17 million people who voted leave should be honoured,” added Yvonne Peacock. | “Whatever happens, I really do believe the will of the 17 million people who voted leave should be honoured,” added Yvonne Peacock. |
| “The big problem that Conservative MPs who want to deliver that have, though, is that parliament seems to be made up of remainers. The problem is not out in the country, where people voted to leave.” | “The big problem that Conservative MPs who want to deliver that have, though, is that parliament seems to be made up of remainers. The problem is not out in the country, where people voted to leave.” |
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