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Clegg addresses "denial and disbelief" at Brexit Ipsos Mori debate

Published:  14 September, 2016

Brexit was at the heart of informative discussions at two leading institutions in London yesterday, at the WSTA's annual conference and Ipsos Mori's panel discussion featuring former Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

Brexit was at the heart of informative discussions at two leading institutions in London yesterday, at the WSTA's annual conference and Ipsos Mori's panel discussion featuring former Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

In his address to a London-based business crowd, the former Lib Dem leader said the UK must move beyond the slogans of the referendum, which have become characterised by "disbelief and denial".

Despite this plea for optimism, his overall outlook was bleak, highlighting "contradictions" within the current government's Brexit approach as cause for concern.

"They say we want free and untrammelled access to the single market, but will never again be subservient to other people's laws. The two are mutually incompatible. What people don't realise is the single market is a body of laws - you can't have access to it without following those laws," he said.

He was challenged by The Times columnist Tim Montgomerie who disagreed with Clegg's analogy that Brexit has left cracks in the foundations of the UK's society.

Montgomerie, who resigned his membership of the Conservative Party earlier this year over the current leadership's stance on Europe, criticised Theresa May and the government for not giving security to EU nationals already living and working in the UK.

"They are waiting to use this as a bargaining chip," he said, and called for the government to make a bold statement to show its commitment to Europe.

He added: "This idea of the EU as an engine for peace and democracy ended a long time ago, back when the EU stood for a single economic community.

"What is democratic about favouring unskilled workers from the EU over skilled workers from places like India or Australia? We need a smart immigration policy where the best people can work in our industries."

The panel also consisted of Polly Toynbee, columnist at The Guardian, Paul Drechsler, president of the Confederation of British Industry, and Ipsos Mori head Ben Page.

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