A TORY MP has accused the UK Government of “disrespecting” the identities of the devolved nations.
Dominic Grieve was speaking during a debate ahead of a key vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
He started by saying that he found it “painful” to find himself in a position in which he could not agree with his own frontbench and the Prime Minister with regards to her Brexit deal.
READ MORE: Brexit Vote Live: MPs to vote on Theresa May's deal
He added that there was no unanimity in his own party on Brexit, labelled the backstop a “red herring” and said that MPs are currently involved in another “sterile debate against a background where our economy will be damaged, our national security will be impaired and we will find ourselves constantly at a disadvantage”.
The MP for Beaconsfield then confessed he is unable to vote for Theresa May’s deal.
MPs will vote tonight on the Prime Minister’s deal, though she is facing another defeat after the DUP and the European Research Group both revealed that they would be voting against it.
READ MORE: Tory and DUP eurosceptics set to vote down May's Brexit deal
“And we are failing also to assess the realities of devolution,” added Grieve.
“And the fact that, with four nations making up the United Kingdom, there are now four identities which we have essentially disrespected.”
Grieve was then interrupted by an inaudible shout from a colleague, which he responded to with: “Yes we have, we have essentially disrespected it in terms of working out the consequences of what the referendum was likely to do.
“And as a Unionist, I worry about the future of my country because I see the Union as prosperity and collective existence.”
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