You are a British MP preparing to vote on whether to give Theresa May's government powers to trigger article 50 and begin the process of leaving the European Union.
There is a two day debate before you vote for the bill to pass to the next stage. The day after the debate ends, the Brexit secretary David Davis will reveal the full white paper that lays out what you've already voted on.
When choosing how to vote, you need to weigh up various factors. Such as:
- Do I think it's a good idea for Britain to leave the EU?
- Do I think it's best for the constituents I represent to vote for Britain to leave the EU?
- Did I personally vote to Leave?
- Did my local constituency vote to Leave or Remain?
- Did those who voted me in as an MP vote Leave or Remain?
We're going to need to know a bit more about what kind of MP you are. Which party do you belong to, how did your constituency vote, and how did you personally vote in the referendum?
[[I'm a Tory MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Leave->ToryLeaveLeave]]
[[I'm a Tory MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Leave->ToryRemainLeave]]
[[I'm a Tory MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Remain->ToryLeaveRemain]]
[[I'm a Tory MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Remain->ToryRemainRemain]]
[[I'm a Labour MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Leave->LabourLeaveLeave]]
[[I'm a Labour MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Leave->LabourRemainLeave]]
[[I'm a Labour MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Remain->LabourLeaveRemain]]
[[I'm a Labour MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Remain->LabourRemainRemain]]
[[I'm a Lib Dem MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Leave->LibDemLeaveLeave]]
[[I'm a Lib Dem MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Leave->LibDemRemainLeave]]
[[I'm a Lib Dem MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Remain->LibDemLeaveRemain]]
[[I'm a Lib Dem MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Remain->LibDemRemainRemain]]
[[I'm an SNP MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Leave->SNPLeaveLeave]]
[[I'm an SNP MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Leave->SNPRemainLeave]]
[[I'm an SNP MP in a pro-Leave constituency who voted to Remain->SNPLeaveRemain]]
[[I'm an SNP MP in a pro-Remain constituency who voted to Remain->SNPRemainRemain]]
[[I'm the Green party MP->Green]]
[[I'm the Ukip MP->Ukip]]
[[I'm a Social Democratic & Labour Party MP->SocialDemocratic]]
[[I'm an Independent->Independent]]
[[I'm an Ulster Unionist Party MP->UlsterUnion]]
[[I'm a Democratic Unionist Party MP->DemocraticUnion]]
[[I'm a Sinn Fein MP->SinnFein]]
People like you make me proud to be British.
YOU ARE NOT AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYYou know what to do.
YOU ARE NOT AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYThe people have voted, I'm afraid. Sorry, local constituents. Presuambly they'll forgive you. They just want the whole thing done and dusted now, anyway. One way or another. And why defy the PM? There could be a juicy job coming up for you soon.
YOU ARE NOT AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. HURRAH!Congratulations! You are Kenneth Clarke. As a Tory grandee with a longstanding pro-Remain viewpoint you can do what you like and noone will be angry. Why not vote against?
You're still an enemy of democracy though. Sorry.Ah, you're fine.You're in a tricky situation, and this is even before we get into the question of whether you're in favour of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, hate Jeremy Corbyn with a passion and want him out, or simply are worried about losing your seat in boundary changes / at the next election and want to keep your constituents happy.
Added to this, the Labour leadership has whipped MPs to vote in favour of the bill, lest the press paint Labour as ENEMIES OF DEMOCRACY.
So you can happily vote in favour of the bill. It's the easiest way.
Unless you vote with your conscience / hate Jeremy Corbyn, in which case...
YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYIn a way, you're in a fortunate position, because while your party cautiously backed Remain, you yourself backed Leave. Such a shame your local constituents do not agree with you.
Added to this is the profound question of representation. What matters most here, your own personal conviction, the wishes of your leadership who are trying to keep the party together, or of the majority of the constituents as a whole?
So I'd vote for the bill - unless, of couse, you hate Jeremy Corbyn with a passion that outweighs your hatred for the EU.
In which case, you are an ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYYOU ARE AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYYou don't existYou don't existHey there Norman Lamb, Lib Dem MP for North Norfolk. Though your constituency voted by 60% to leave the EU, the official Liberal Democrat position on Brexit is to vote against the triggering of article 50 and instead press for a second referendum on the final deal with the EU. Most of your colleagues will be voting against the bill, and it wouldn't look good to vote with the Tories, even though your party was in coalition with them until eighteen months ago.
Abstaining might be the best way to go, even though this makes you an ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYThe party's position on the EU has been pretty clear: you like it, you think it's good. The British people have voted to leave the EU.
Your constituency, however, voted to Remain.
You could think that by reflecting both your party's position, your own personal view, and that of your wider constituency, you might be upholding representative democracy by voting against this bill to trigger article 50.
But no. You're an ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYYou don't exist. If you did, you would be an enemy of the peopleFortunately Scotland as a whole voted to Remain, and your party's own position is to Remain - in the European Union, at least.
So you're fine.
That is, to say: AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYYou are a proud patriot! Unless you are a member of the SNP, which you are. In which case
YOU ARE AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYYou are an enemy of the people on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin. But you'd best vote no with all the other traitors, I suppose.Congratulations! You are Caroline Lucas, the Green party's MP in parliament. You have made it [[pretty clear you're against this whole Brexit malarkey->https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/01/article-50-trigger-parties-work-together-brexit-terms-cliff-edge]], though certain grandees within your party take a different view. Your constituency is overwhelmingly Remain, so you can happily vote with your conscience and vote against this bill.
You are an enemy of democracy.
Hi Douglas! You are not an Enemy of Democracy, though I'm still not sure Nigel is your biggest fan.You believe in a united Ireland, which makes you an ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYThere is a good chance that you are Scottish, and representing a pro-Remain area. So I say go ahead and vote against, though this makes you AN ENEMY OF DEMOCRACYNorthern Ireland may have voted to Remain in the EU, but you know better. England - I mean, Britain - must prevail. You have ensured that this is the case. I am proud of you. Tears prick my eyelids.
So proud.Northern Ireland voted to Remain, but you will naturally vote to Remain... in the UK.
You are NOT an enemy of Democracy. Well done!As a Sinn Fein MP, you run for Westminster seats, but you do not take up seats in Westminster or vote on bills, as that would be acknowledging the sovereignty of the Queen, something your party is not the biggest fan of.
Quite clearly you are ENEMIES OF DEMOCRACY