IT will not have escaped anyone’s notice that this is the crunch month in the Brexit negotiations. The Government is committed to leaving the European Union at the end of this month – respecting the decision taken in the 2016 referendum.

The set of proposals the Prime Minister submitted to the EU Commission last week are fair and they are workable. They will return control over our laws, our borders, our money and our trade, without any need for the anti-democratic ‘backstop’ that could keep the UK bound into the EU’s customs union for years to come or separate off a part of our United Kingdom without the consent of people in Northern Ireland.

These proposals can command a majority amongst MPs in the House of Commons, and so the EU now have a decision to make as to whether they prefer these proposals or for the UK to leave without an agreement. That is a political decision for them to make.

EU leaders say they don’t want to end up in a no-deal scenario. The UK Government says the same. So let’s get on with it and do a deal. The British people are tired all this posturing and delay. Whichever side of the referendum debate people supported at the time, I think there is an overwhelming majority in this country for just getting on with things, leaving and EU and moving on to address the many other issues we would prefer to be talking about. The Prime Minister has made clear he wants this Government to be addressing the NHS, school funding, infrastructure spending and recruiting more police officers – not incessantly going around the houses debating Brexit.

There are still some MPs in Parliament who are intent on frustrating our departure from the EU, with the aim of derailing the Brexit process altogether. Some have been trying to undermine the Government’s negotiating position for months, if not years. All that further delay will deliver is more unnecessary uncertainty for our local businesses and further collapse in confidence in our democratic systems. All that needs to be said has already been said before – it is time for action, not more empty words.

I will continue to respect the mandate given to us by 17.4 million people – including 70.4 per cent of voters in Dudley South – in the June 2016 referendum and make sure we leave the EU by the end of the month. There will be many difficulties and obstacles in our way, but we have a bright future beyond the European Union. I will support Boris Johnson as he does everything in his power to get us over the line.