The issue of whether to leave or remain in the European Union has divided the country, communities and even families.

The recent referendum saw the UK public narrowly vote to leave, resulting in major political upheaval as the various parties tried to get a handle on the shock result.

The Copeland by-election is one of the first big tests for these parties as commentators look to weigh up the political winners and losers of the Brexit saga.

What adds further interest is that the borough returned a high leave vote compared to many parts of the UK.

But following the referendum, there has been endless debate about whether these voters really wanted to leave, whether it was simply a protest vote or whether they were swayed by some of the promises made by the leave campaign, such as extra money for the NHS, which have since been called into question.

It remains to be seen whether Copeland’s high leave vote will sway this by-election.



Trudy HarrisonTrudy Harrison, Conservative
Like the majority of people in this area, I voted to leave the European Union and I would have no hesitation triggering Article 50.

That vote was a vote for change. A vote to make Britain stronger and fairer. That means controlling our laws, controlling our borders and controlling who we trade with without the restrictions of Brussels.

This by-election is our chance to send a message that the EU referendum result must be respected and to back the Prime Minister’s plan to deliver what local people voted for.

What our local area now needs is a community champion who will ensure that west Cumbria makes the most of the opportunities that leaving the European Union presents.

I firmly believe we can become a centre of nuclear excellence globally. We have one of the best records on nuclear safety in the world, not only will we maintain these standards but in leaving the EU we will also export our expertise around the world.

Given my experience in delivering locally, I’m best placed to make Copeland’s voice heard.”



Fiona MillsFiona Mills, UKIP
The majority of people in Copeland voted to leave the EU. I think the Government has been really slow in moving to enact the people’s wish and many are becoming impatient.

The prevarication allowed the Brexit saboteurs time to mobilise and bring court cases.

There are so many advantages to leaving the EU. We will regain our sovereignty and can make our own laws. We can dispense with all the bureaucracy inhibiting growth and the development of local businesses.

We can take back control of our fishing industry, our rightful fishing quotas and extend our territorial waters to 200 miles.

Reclaiming our fishing rights could bring substantial investment to our local economy and jobs for our young people. For every man or woman at sea there are nine employed ashore.

The EU is protectionist and charges tariffs on goods from outside the EU. Brexit will mean that we can negotiate our own free trade deals benefiting both the UK and the (developing) countries we trade with.

Our country will prosper; we will save the £10bn net membership fee and there will be monies available to invest in our public services and the essential infrastructure required in Copeland – road and rail upgrades are top of the list.

Once Copeland is more accessible it will attract more tourists, businesses and jobs. Copeland needs a swift, clean Brexit so return a UKIP MP to help achieve that. We got the referendum after all and our Prime Minister was a Remainer.



Jack LenoxJack Lenox, Green Party
I’m happy to be totally upfront and say that I voted to remain. I know this puts me in a minority in the constituency. I understand that we are leaving the EU, and I won’t try to prevent us from leaving.

However, I am very concerned by the way in which Theresa May has pushed her party to give her carte blanche on the negotiations.

The Green Party strongly support free movement of people and I think it is vitally important that we protect the rights of EU citizens currently living in the UK to stay and for British citizens living in other EU countries to have the same rights.

We are very concerned about the prospect of the UK economy being driven over a cliff because of Brexit. Theresa May has said that no deal is better than a bad deal, implying that there is the potential for us to simply walk away from the EU completely and rely simply on WTO trading rules.

This would be catastrophic for the UK’s economy.

Turning the UK into a tax haven for bankers and businessmen floating off the shores of Europe might be good for London but it would be extremely detrimental to a constituency like Copeland.

An especially relevant point here is our withdrawal from Euratom, which is unnecessary and very troubling for the nuclear industry here.

It is for this reason that I would fight for the best possible outcome for Copeland when it comes to Brexit.



Gillian TroughtonGillian Troughton, Labour
The public have spoken and I accept that decision. We are leaving the EU.

Now it is the job of politicians to make sure that the UK gets the best possible deal - to project jobs, growth and living standards, across the UK and here in Copeland.

The Tories are mishandling Brexit. They’ve got no answers to the big questions on how they will fight for the best deal for Britain.

What’s more, the Tories pulling us out of Euratom, could put Moorside - which would provide high-skilled and long-term jobs for the area - at further risk.

We’re being forced into a nuclear Brexit which nobody in Copeland signed up for and opting out of Euratom’s highly established safeguarding standards could put us all at risk.

The Conservatives are determined to use Brexit to turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven.

Labour will make sure when Brexit happens that there is a plan to rebuild and transform Britain so that no one and no community is left behind.

We need a Labour MP, here in Copeland, to scrutinise the Tories’ plans and fight to make sure we have a strong voice in Westminster.



Rebecca HansonRebecca Hanson, Liberal Democrat
Listening to people’s views before the referendum I found that very few were voting out because they wanted to leave the single market.

Many were rightly concerned about the inefficiencies of the EU but the details of the Brexit deal and what that would mean for them, were not known.

The hard Brexit that Theresa May is currently pursuing will cause tremendous volatility to our local businesses, especially our farmers. The government must commit to ensuring that farmers do not lose out when EU subsidies come to an end.

The EU citizens who live here must be given assurances that they are welcome and not left with uncertainty about their futures.

The Brexit white paper currently being debated in parliament shows how ill-prepared the Government are for the negotiations to come. They have failed to make provision for the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), which underpins all our trade and safety agreements relating to nuclear energy.

There are no benefits to leaving, there are only disadvantages.

I am delighted that, at my request, Liberal Democrat peers have submitted an amendment to try and overturn this in the House of Lords next week and ensure that this country remains part of Euratom.

With my fellow Liberal Democrats in Parliament we will ensure the Government are made to up their game, scrutinising their proposals and reminding them they don’t have a blank cheque to make west Cumbria poorer.



Roy IvinsonRoy Ivinson, Independent
The decision to leave the European Union was the right decision.

The Europeans are developing a Germanic Federal European state. If we were part of it, this island would not do well.

Like all other offshore islands of much larger states, our needs and requirements would be subservient to them as it was under the Roman empire.

What we want from Brexit is a constructive trading relationship with our neighbours which allows us to seek trading relationships with every other part of the world.

We cannot be members of a customs union or a single market, because that means we stay a member of the EU.

Anyone who tells you that leaving the EU is going to be a walk in the park is a fool.

Finding our way in the world again is going to take time and readjusting the British economy to those changing circumstances at times will be painful.

The next 10 to 15 years will be a rocky time but we will come out of it and be much stronger for it.



Michael GuestMichael Guest, Independent
Regarding Article 50, I would call for it to be triggered sooner rather than later.

I voted out and the majority of Copeland residents voted out by a margin of 62 per cent.

I understand local community needs combined with a knowledge of local and national politics. National political parties are not only fundamentally flawed and undemocratic due to their ‘whip system’, candidate selection and promotion of career politicians, it clearly facilitates ‘potential’ corruption and self-interest.

It is people and the communities they live in which are important, not national political ideology.

Now we have an unprecedented opportunity to change the face of politics for good.

It is time for honest politics and honest opinion and above all listening to what the public have requested through the recent referendum on Brexit.

I am not interested in national party politics and feel that policies being pushed from national have been to the detriment of our borough.

For those that understand national party politics there is a whip system, that I will be free of to do my duty to serve this constituency if elected.

I will be able to represent the community freely. There was a strong economic case for leaving the EU and there was a case for remaining, what I will say is that the majority of Copeland residents voted to leave and if elected I will respect that.

There has been a lot of scaremongering regarding Brexit but in a democratic world which I fully support, the people have spoken!