This is the English Translation of the letter that I sent to M. Le President de La Republique, Emanuel Macron, on behalf of The People’s Challenge (original French is included below the English).

Mr President,

I’m writing you this open letter to express the views of a group of concerned UK citizens.

Media reports suggest that you are only inclined to grant a very short (15 day) extension to the Article 50 period, even though Boris Johnson’s letter, required by the law voted by Parliament, asked for an extension to 31^st January 2020.

This would have implications: refusal of a request from the UK’s Sovereign Parliament, an attempt by the EU to override the UK’s due constitutional process, it would also frustrate UK Parliamentarians’ ability and duty to ensure that the UK’s constitutional requirements are fulfilled.

The negotiations between the UK Gov. and the EU 27 have largely been carried out “in the tunnel”. That, combined with the enabling legislation the UK Gov. is proposing, demands that the UK ‘s sovereign Parliament has sufficient  time to scrutinise very closely the bill that the Gov. is tabling.

That scrutiny has to include whether the bill complies with constitutional law, whether it complies with commitments to our friends in the EU27, and whether it protects, in law, the rights of UK citizens and residents at Brexit day and into the future.

To curtail this scrutiny, and thus the UK Parliament’s ability to comply with its constitutional requirements, would be seen by many, including UK citizens who are friends of the EU, as an unwarranted and unreasonable imposition by the EU on the Parliament and people of the UK.

Mr President, I share your concern about what is going on in the UK. We are by no means alone, you and I, many others are also seriously worried. But your, mine and their feelings don’t change the situation.

I would ask you therefore to support a long extension of the Article 50 process so that the UK’s Parliament and people can reflect on the now better-known consequences of Brexit. This will also enable the EU to move forward with its own priorities without the distraction of UK domestic politics.

Hopefully this will lead to a resolution of the current Brexit crisis which is better for both the UK and the EU.

Yours,

Grahame Pigney

The People’s Challenge

M. le Président,

je me permets de vous écrire cette lettre ouverte pour exprimer les sentiments d’un groupe de citoyens UE inquiets.

Les médias nous proposent la possibilité que votre inclination est de donner au RU une très petite (15 jours ?) extension à la notification Article 50, même si la lettre de Boris Johnson, requise par la loi votée par le Parlement du RU, a demandé une extension au 1er janvier 2020.

Cette action engendrerait plusieurs  conséquences : un refus d’une demande du Parlement souverain du RU, un essai par le UE de s’imposer sur ce Parlement souverain, et une frustration de son devoir et de son droit de satisfaire correctement les règles constitutionnelles du RU.

Les négociations entre le gouvernement du RU et les EU27 ont procédées largement « dans le noir ». Avec ceci, et la législation proposée par le gouvernement pour régulariser la situation en RU, il faut absolument que le Parlement souverain du RU ait le temps qu’il faut pour examiner minutieusement le projet de loi du gouvernement.

Cet examen doit comprendre : si le projet de loi est conforme à la loi constitutionnelle, à nos obligations à nos amis de l’UE, s’il protège dans la loi, les droits des citoyens et résidents du RU au moment du Brexit et pour l’avenir.

Couper court à cet examen, et donc frustrer le droit et devoir du Parlement d’honorer son rôle constitutionnel, paraitrait a beaucoup de gens, citoyens RU bons amis de l’UE inclus, une imposition ni nécessaire et ni raisonnable par l’UE sur le Parlement et le peuple du RU.

Vous avez, monsieur le président, ma sympathie quand a la consternation a ce qui se passe au RU. Vous et moi, ainsi que beaucoup d’autres, partageons cette frustration. Mais nos sentiments, tant les miens que les vôtres ne changeant pas la réalité de la situation.

Je vous demande donc de favoriser une longue extension à la notification Article 50, pour que le Parlement du RU puisse réfléchir les conséquences du Brexit qui sont maintenant plus claires.

Ceci permettrait aussi au UE d’avancer ses autres priorités sans la distraction de la politique interne du RU.

Dans l’espérance que ceci amènera à une résolution de la crise Brexit du moment et à un avenir plus propice pour tous les citoyens européens.

Vous avez mes salutations distingues,

Grahame Pigney

The People’s Challenge

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Published by Grahame Pigney on behalf of The People’s Challenge Ltd.