As discussed in previous updates,  the government is determined to overturn the parliamentary approval amendment we backed  as well as the earlier amendment that aims to protect the position of economically  active EU nationals here on the date Article 50 notification is given.

Worse still,  the government is acting very swiftly. The debate to  overturn the amendment is likely to take place next Monday, 13 March in the afternoon  and could well be followed by a further Lords debate the same evening.

We are moving as quickly as we can to brief MPs on why they should resist the attempt to overturn the parliamentary approval amendment.

We also believe the EU nationals amendment should remain in place:

the proposed protection would be both compassionate and pragmatic;

case-by-case decisions on the fate of millions are impractical;

and acknowledging that resident EU nationals should remain here would encourage other EU states to reciprocate with their UK national residents.

In the meantime, however, you can take direct action yourself by making your MP aware of your own views on the parliamentary approval amendment  on the importance of Parliament, not the Government, deciding on your own and your family’s future once the outcome of negotiations with the EU and the 27 remaining  member states  becomes clear.

You can do this by:

• finding out who your MP is using this link;
• making direct contact with them or, if they are unavailable, their Parliamentary assistant (whose details you should be able to obtained by calling 020 7219 4272);and
•  either  setting out your views clearly and concisely in writing and asking them  to reply and commit to  defending Parliamentary sovereignty; or
• better still,  arranging to see them tomorrow or over the weekend at a local constituency surgery to explain your views in person; and
• telling them that they can expect to receive a briefing from the People’s Challenge solicitors, Bindmans, and asking them to look out for and read it.

Some key points you might want to consider making are:

• what is at stake for you and your family in the Brexit process and who you want to be the ultimate decision maker over what happens to you– Parliament or the Government;
• whether you are concerned about there being no deal agreed with the EU at all, if so, why and what role you would expect Parliament to have at that stage;
• whether you believe Parliament been given a good reason for surrendering its sovereignty to the Government in relation to the most important constitutional decisions of a generation;
• whether the Government’s reason for not giving Parliament a meaningful say on the outcome of negotiations – to improve its negotiating hand – makes sense toyou; and
• what you expect your MP to do now, as your elected representative.

Last, if you have not already done so, please consider making a further donation to back the The Second People’s Challenge: helping Parliament take control.