MP and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay has come under fire on his own Facebook page after publishing part of his interview for the Andrew Marr BBC programme.
The MP for NE Cambs appeared on Sunday’s show to promote the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal unaware, seemingly, that she had already told EU leaders the deal, as it stands was to be pulled before Parliament could vote on it.
First in the firing line was Rob Higgins who accused the MP of being “just May’s puppet” and he told Mr Barclay, before the deal was pulled, that “when she loses the vote on Tuesday what will you be saying then? The people told you what they wanted OUT not kept in by the back door.
“The EU is doing everything in its power to keep us in.
“Time to shut the door in its face just like you would a pushy sales person.”
Former district councillor Dave Patrick advised him to stop allowing the EU to interfere “and to let the British people who voted have their wish and get Brexit sorted”.
Barbara Longstaff advised the MP that “it is a rotten deal; you are just afraid of losing your nice job so you have to agree.
“Most of us just want out without deals.”
Stuart Burton suggested that “leave means leave - this government has had two years to negotiate trade deals with individual nations. The whole thing is a disgrace.
“A second referendum if it happened would contravene everything David Cameron said and could spark massive anti government protests.”
But Karin Bergstermann thought the MP “wrong. The vast majority of the people don’t want Brexit. You are being patronising and ignorant”.
Tristan Casson-Rennie reminded the minister that “the vote was for in or out; not a deal.
“It doesn’t matter what opinion people have about the result - Parliament now has a duty to honour the result of the referendum else Parliament and its inhabitants become a nonsense.”
Jason Hook wrote: “This has become a box ticking exercise where the government has to deliver Brexit regardless of the consequences.
“This process has been mismanaged from the outset and will not address the problems we face as a country. The best option at this point is simply to remain and for a government of national unity to navigate us through the difficulties we will face as a result.
“Your government has tried to re-write the definition of democracy and it cannot be allowed to stand regardless of how loudly people shout. We live in a parliamentary democracy and Parliament must do what’s best for the country.”
But Andrew Roddham felt there would “likely be riots if you drag the UK out without checking this is what people really want”.
Jonathan Dale argued that “if a strong Brexit (for Brexiteers) isn’t achieved the next election will see the bigots at UKIP gain power”.
Sue Hill said: “I feel cheated by the whole process. There was so much misinformation and false propaganda in the run up to the referendum that people’s choices were not based on any kind of true facts. Nobody knew the full impact of the choices being made.”
Karon Purrington asked Mr Barclay if “you want the EU to still make our decisions? Let’s hope you are voted out at the next election.
“MPs who do not believe in democracy should get their comeuppance. The vote was out and the Tories said there would be no other vote.”
Nicola Prosser We need a people’s vote and to be told the truth. The arrogance of the Tories is awful at the moment. We didn’t all vote to leave.”
Clive Baker told the MP: “And we should not let the arrogant become the enemies of the majority”.
Paulie Anderson said: “No one is happy with this deal; the vote is postponed and is unlikely to ever get through without significant concessions.
“The backstop issue is still not fixed; the easy solution that no one can speak of (because it doesn’t exist) had to be forced out into the open by putting your party in contempt of parliament.”
James Burrow said: “The Bloody Difficult Woman has shown that she is just bloody weak.”
Emunah Ben Lines felt “the prime minister should resign and let someone else who is capable to do a job that he/she is paid to do”.
Gary Morris said: “We voted out; if remoaners want to live in the EU sod off o Eastern Europe -there’s loads of room”.
On Friday Mr Barclay was in Peterborough as part of the Prime Minister’s campaign to sell her deal to the country.
The minister joined up to 30 colleagues on visits to companies and communities across the country to generate public support for Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
Mr Barclay began with a tour of the 151-year-old Peterborough engineering company Peter Brotherhood, which is part of Avingtrans PLC.
In his most recent tweet Mr Barclay said: “Under the Brexit deal, we have agreed to strike an ambitious new flexible and scalable relationship that allows us to combine resources worldwide for maximum impact.”
Other Cabinet ministers out on the Brexit ‘hustings’ included Liz Truss, the MP for SW Norfolk and Chief Secretary to the Treasury who is visiting the Fruit Pig Company at Anglia Way, Wisbech.
Her spokesman said Ms Truzz will be “making black puddings, and making the case for the Brexit deal, why it delivers on the referendum and why ahead of the vote on Tuesday it is a deal that East Anglia and nation can unite behind.
“All government ministers will be out across the UK highlighting the importance of the deal. “
Mrs May said: “We have delivered a deal that honours the vote of the British people. “I’ve been speaking to factory workers in Scotland, farmers in Wales and people right across the country, answering their questions about the deal and our future. “Overwhelmingly, the message I’ve heard is that people want us to get on with it. “And that’s why it’s important that ministers are out speaking with communities across the UK today about how the deal works for them.”
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