News
Greg Evans
Dec 09, 2018
In a speech that is due to be given on Sunday, Tory veteran Lord Michael Heseltine will warn his peers that the young people of Britain will "never forgive us" if they aren't given a chance to reverse Brexit.
The 85-year-old will be speaking at a rally organised by the People's Vote and Best For Britain campaigns at London's ExCel centre, alongside politicians representing the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru.
As a former deputy prime minister, Heseltine's speech is likely to attract the most attention, especially as it comes just two days before the Commons vote on Theresa May's controversial Brexit deal.
In extracts released before his speech, Heseltine will claim that the government has "lost control" and highlight the hindering effects that leaving the European Union will have on young British people.
He will add that those campaigning for a second referendum are "British patriots" and directly criticise the hard-line Brexiteers who are happily plunging the country into uncertainty.
May our opponents never be forgiven for their allegations that it is us who are letting Britain down.
Let us make our position clear. We are the British patriots.
We want a Britain at the heart of Europe because we want the voice of Britain, the tolerance of Britain, the culture of Britain, at the heart of Europe.
We are proud of our Commonwealth and empire. Our voice is their voice in Europe.
It is the Brexiteers who seek to belittle us, to undermine our influence, to slam windows, to close doors with the suggestion that our membership of the European community blunts our influence.
Heseltine will also reference the words of William Hague at the 1977 Tory conference, who echoed a similar warning about the youth of the country being neglected on such important issues.
Let me repeat his warning. Let me paraphrase his words. ‘I certainly won’t be here.’ But neither will my generation.
Those of a certain age who voted 70:30 to leave is rapidly being replaced by a younger generation who voted 70:30 to stay.
The parents, the grandparent will have gone. The younger generation, they will be here. They will be here.
They will never forgive us if we now exclude them from the corridors of European power. Offered a seat in an anteroom as others decide behind closed doors.
Invited to submit their views in writing so others may decide behind closed doors.
Trying to negotiate trade deals on behalf of the United Kingdom in competition with a European Union six times our size offering bigger, better deals behind closed doors. No-one can predict the events of next week.
Every news bulletin, every headline, every leak tells us of a Government that has lost control.
These are the first promising signs that a growing number of members of the House of Commons are prepared to assert the authority and sovereignty of that place.
Our country’s future depends on their judgment and will. They must act in the national interest. Their conclusions must be put back to the people for their endorsement.
His words follow a similar pattern to what he said in the House of Lords on Wednesday when he said he will "have no part" in the Tories making the country poorer.
That particular speech garnered a lot of praise for Heseltine and it remains to be seen if today's speech will warrant a similar reaction.
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