Sunderland MPs called on to 'honour Brexit vote'

Of Wearside’s three Labour MPs, two, Julie Elliott and Bridget Phillipson, have previously argued for a second referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union.

And Washington and Sunderland West MP Sharon Hodgson was among the backers of a House of Commons bill earlier in September intended to block a no deal exit from the EU.

Opposition Conservative councillors will present a motion to a full meeting of Sunderland City Council on September 18 demanding the trio of MPs do more to make Brexit a reality.

The motion councillors will be asked to vote on will read: “This council acknowledges that Sunderland voted to leave the European Union in 2016 and calls upon the city’s three MPs to honour this result by facilitating the UK’s exit from the EU.”

Sunderland’s Conservative leader Robert Oliver, said: “Residents of Sunderland voted to leave the EU in the 2016 Referendum and that decision has to be respected and the UK must leave.

“62% of voters in Sunderland chose to back the Leave campaign and there is no evidence that they have changed their minds or regret their decision.

“Some, like myself, voted to Remain but respect the fact that referendums are decided by a majority and that decision must stand and be implemented.”

A spokeswoman for Sharon Hodgson said the MP was not ‘available for comment’, Bridget Phillipson and Julie Elliott did not respond to request for comment.