A hard Brexit would not be in the interest of London – or the country, argues Karen Buck MP

People may often determine how they vote after a rational assessment of whether the party or proposal in front of them will leave them better off, but the events of 2016 acted as a sharp reminder that values also matter deeply as well. Sadiq Khan’s election as mayor of London expressed Londoners’ feelings about themselves. He stood for more than just himself and his considerable talents. He signified our belief in an open, tolerant and diverse city.

The referendum result, however, told us that the way we Remainers spoke of our economic self-interest being best served in the European Union did not resonate.  Many people’s local and personal perceptions simply did not chime with the message that EU membership is in the best interests of UK PLC. Concerns about work, wages, homes, health and communities are deeply held, especially, though not exclusively, in some of our countries most deprived areas. Stories and statistics, about how we benefit nationally from the EU and migration did not cut through. Meanwhile, the powerful story of the international cooperation and the broadly shared values which have kept Europe at peace were either not conveyed or not heard. While the background noise of the refugee crisis, and its grotesque exploitation on that infamous United Kingdom Independence party poster, figured prominently.

While a number of different factors drove the Leave vote – and it is essential we recognise and understand them – people did not vote to make themselves worse off. Indeed, the appeal of the promised additional ‘£350m a week for the National Health Service’ tells the opposite story. Some may positively embrace the idea of a hard Brexit that plunges Britain out of the single market and currency union, with all the risk that entails, confident that trade deals can be negotiated quickly and to our benefit despite all the warnings to the contrary. A smaller number may relish the prospect that both Theresa May and chancellor Philip Hammond threatened, of a country  racing to the bottom on tax rates, and seeking a competitive advantage by slashing regulation, undercutting our competitors and permanently shrinking our state and public services.  Most people, however, want better opportunities for themselves and their children – not fewer

In speaking to the World Economic Forum at Davos, Sadiq Khan has stressed how critical access to the single market is for Londoners – and by extension, the country. Without it, we put business and jobs at risk and threaten the growth which funds schools, health care and all the public services we value and depend on. We are already seeing the warning signs of this as banks such as HSBC indicate that they will be moving jobs – and therefore also tax revenues out of London.

Meanwhile, despite the greater clarity about the government’s intentions set out by May last week, there is still much we do not know. It is still unclear how they will handle the difficult choices that will inevitably arise in the negotiations, such as how to balance the demands to reduce immigration with the need to support jobs and the economy. The status and security of EU residents in Britain and British people in the EU remains uncertain.  The journey itself contains perils. The reality of tough, complex negotiations and the inevitability of compromise will challenge many illusions.

Get this wrong and the consequences will not just be reflected in exchange rates, the value of sterling, inflation and growth figures, but in jobs, living standards and investment in public services. In turn, pressures in these areas have a habit of deepening social divisions and undermining social solidarity – leading at worst to xenophobia and hate crime. Everyone – and especially everyone in public life, has a responsibility to make tackling those challenges a priority.  When Londoners chose Sadiq Khan, they were also declaring (in the words he subsequently adopted as a theme of his mayoralty) that ‘London is open’. We are, and are proud to be so.  And in this Londoners are far from alone. The government must heed this message too, and take clear note of the values behind it.

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Karen Buck is member of parliament for Westminster North and sits on the work and pensions committee. She tweets @KarenPBuckMP

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