Julie Ward MEP: 2019 General Election result

Описание: Last Thursday was a truly devastating result for the Labour party.

There is no hiding behind the fact that the majority of the country did not believe we were the best party to lead the country. It is a vital lesson we must take on board.

I would like to pay a heartfelt tribute to all the candidates who stood for election representing the Labour party, as well their staff who dedicated all of their energy and passion into getting as many Labour MPs elected as possible.

I must also thank the thousands of activists who volunteered their free time to knock on doors, stuff envelopes, phone bank or flyer for those candidates. We as a party cannot exist without your support and endeavours.

I know the sense of loss is raw at the moment, we are all hurting, and while this is a time for much needed self-reflection as a movement we cannot afford to stop holding Boris Johnson to account.

Both here in the European Parliament and in Westminster we must closely monitor and challenge the government on their legislative programme domestically and with regards Brexit.

We cannot afford to take our eyes off them.

We have already seen that the safeguarding workers' rights and environmental standards will be gone after Brexit after the government backtrack on a promise to guarantee them in law.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights will be next.

The day after the general election a senior Tory MP said that we all need to start paying towards an insurance-type system to cover for our care.

The NHS will be next.

This government is not to be trusted on their word, especially for working people all across the country.

Just because we lost the argument does not mean we stop making the case for fairer rights in the work place, ending the gender pay gap, tackling the climate emergency, better accessibility to cheaper transport and guaranteed opportunities to a decent education and jobs for all.

It is how we renew and redefine making and shaping those progressive arguments going forwards that will lead us back into government.

Finally, with the heaviest of hearts I must say it now looks inevitable that we will leave the European Union.

I have always said this is not about my job an MEP, but the hundreds of thousands of jobs that could be lost through Brexit.

That has not changed and the challenge remains the same.

Brexit will not be done on January 31st - it will only the beginning of what will be a long, arduous and potentially painful process; it will remain the biggest threat to our economy and security.

I will continue to be a vocal advocate of Britain being aligned and inside the European Union and I hope the party believes the same and is a part of our core values as of who we are going forwards.

Being a part of a wider bloc, both culturally and economically, does not make us less British, or less patriotic. Identity can never be defined as one dimensional. We, the Labour party, are internationalists not isolationists. We believe in an open society not one that is closed.

We have always believed in collective bargaining, equality and fundamental rights and I refuse those values to disappear. I know the membership will also refuse those values to disappear as we dust ourselves down and regroup and refocus our efforts in the upcoming months.

Once again thank you to all those who campaigned and voted for us last week and to those who have previously voted Labour but did not or could not this time I hope we can regain trust because this party should be a home for everyone.

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