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Nicky Morgan says she banned subject of Brexit from Christmas dinner Nicky Morgan says she banned subject of Brexit from Christmas dinner
(35 minutes later)
Brexit was so divisive that the former minister and remain campaigner Nicky Morgan banned the subject from the Christmas dinner table, she has revealed.Brexit was so divisive that the former minister and remain campaigner Nicky Morgan banned the subject from the Christmas dinner table, she has revealed.
The former education secretary said she did not want the topic discussed over roast turkey with her in-laws last year.The former education secretary said she did not want the topic discussed over roast turkey with her in-laws last year.
The Conservative MP for Loughborough said the EU referendum had also led to “difficult” conversations and splits in friendships within her constituency local party and also among fellow MPs. Morgan, the Conservative MP for Loughborough, said the EU referendum had also led to difficult conversations and splits in friendships within her constituency local party and among fellow MPs.
“The divisions caused amongst family … we banned Brexit as a topic of conversation at our Christmas lunch because it was just too painful to go and relive again with the in-laws,” Morgan said. “I joined the Conservative party at 16 and I have been a member for 28 years. It is like a second family to me,” Morgan said. “If I think the Christmas lunch with my in-laws was difficult I can’t tell you how difficult the conversations and splits in friendships with members of the party have been in the course of the last 15 months.
“I joined the Conservative party at 16 and I have been a member for 28 years. It is like a second family to me. “It culminated not just in difficult conversations with friends and people I considered to be allies in the parliamentary party but also, for those that do stick their heads above the parapet, both Anna Soubry and I have had to report death threats to the police.
“If I think the Christmas lunch with my in-laws was difficult I can’t tell you how difficult the conversations and splits in friendships with members of the party there have been within my own local party in the course of the last 15 months. “I am a politician; that’s fine, but it takes a toll on family as well.”
“It culminated, not just in difficult conversations with friends and people I considered to be allies in the parliamentary party, but also, for those that do stick their heads above the parapet, both Anna Soubry and I have had to report death threats to the police.
“I am a politician, that’s fine, but it takes a toll on family as well.”
Morgan, who was speaking at the Cheltenham literature festival at an event called What Can the Remainers Do Now?, was sacked from the cabinet when Theresa May became prime minister. But she criticised the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, for undermining the party leader.Morgan, who was speaking at the Cheltenham literature festival at an event called What Can the Remainers Do Now?, was sacked from the cabinet when Theresa May became prime minister. But she criticised the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, for undermining the party leader.
“There are many of us in the Conservative party that can’t believe that we are still debating and divided over the subject of Europe,” she said.“There are many of us in the Conservative party that can’t believe that we are still debating and divided over the subject of Europe,” she said.
“We desperately need to heal the divisions thrown up in the country by the referendum when every time the prime minister tries to get on the front foot, such as the Florence speech, she is undermined by a member of her cabinet within hours or days.“We desperately need to heal the divisions thrown up in the country by the referendum when every time the prime minister tries to get on the front foot, such as the Florence speech, she is undermined by a member of her cabinet within hours or days.
“The parliamentary party are absolutely furious with Boris and I just do not want to see this repeated.”“The parliamentary party are absolutely furious with Boris and I just do not want to see this repeated.”
She went on: “The leavers are more interested in protecting their win than they are in doing the right thing by the party. She went on: “The leavers are more interested in protecting their win than they are in doing the right thing by the party. The country and the national interest is a completely different thing. They are attacking the chancellor and the Treasury and anyone who is trying to negotiate towards a sensible position.
“The country and the national interest is a completely different thing. They are attacking the chancellor and the Treasury and anyone who is trying to negotiate towards a sensible position.
“That is deeply unhelpful for the national interest.”“That is deeply unhelpful for the national interest.”
She also said she did not think the mood of the country was in favour of a second referendum and the key battle was in shaping Brexit.She also said she did not think the mood of the country was in favour of a second referendum and the key battle was in shaping Brexit.