A Brexit Party MEP is being relentlessly mocked online after she moaned about Britain’s anticipated lack of political representation in the European Parliament.
Tweeting on Monday evening, June Mummery wrote: “Attending the penultimate session of the #EuropeanParliament’s #FisheriesCommittee #PECHcommittee with #BritishMEPs. The big question now is, who will be here to hold these people to account while they still control Britain’s waters, but the UK has no representation?”
She had just delivered a speech to the parliament about the EU’s use of destructive fishing methods in UK waters during the transition period between January 31 and the end of the year, and is thought to have been referring to this rather than any time after Brexit.
“While UK fisheries may not have to suffer much longer under the EU rule, a great deal of damage can be done in the time remaining,” she said.
Of course, Mummery voted for Brexit and the primary concern of the Brexit Party, led by Nigel Farage, has always been Britain exiting the European Union. In light of this, the MEP’s tweet was deemed bizarre to say the least.
Response to Mummery’s faux pas was widespread, swift and brutal, prompting “Brexit MEP” to trend on Twitter.
Caroline Voaden, Leader of Liberal Democrat MEPs in European Parliament, delivered a scathing dressing down: “Who will hold these people to account asks @june_mummery? She has also asked if she can come back to attend fisheries com mtgs. Thing is June you wanted to leave. You wanted us to have no voice here, to go it alone. You all crow about your ‘win’. This is what it means. Well done.”
One user wrote: “And here we have it. Brexit penny dropping in one tweet. No one, @june_mummery, there will be NO ONE to hold them to account because you all voted to leave. Leave means leave. No rights. No say. No power. #BrexitShambles #BrexitPartyMEP.”
Another replied: “Hard to believe that this is NOT a parody account...”.
Presenter Jeremy Vine tweeted: “I am struggling to understand this tweet by a #BrexitPartyMEP – someone help please”.
Social commentator Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who recently dominated headlines for her views on Meghan and Harry’s shock announcement, wrote: “You kidding me @june_mummery? This.Is.Literally.What.You.Voted.For #Brexiters wondering who will represent UK in #EU after voting #GetBrexitDone ! What took you so long to figure out what #Remainers have been saying? Go ask #BorisJohnson!”
This comes as the government has suffered a defeat in the House of Lords on Monday over the right of EU citizens lawfully residing in the UK after Brexit to have physical proof of their status.
A spokesperson for The Brexit Party said Mummery was “obviously” commenting on the deficiencies of the so-called “transition period,” not of Brexit itself.
“During this 11-month period, some in the EU could see an incentive to slash British fishing quotas further to decimate our fleets as well as harm our waters with electric pulse trawling – at a time when we will continue to be subject to EU rules with our already small amount of influence over them removed,” the spokesperson said.
“This is one of the reasons why the Brexit Party opposed a long transition period and supported a clean-break Brexit.”
The party representative added: “Those [who] misrepresent the tweet are either ignorant of the withdrawal agreement or are wilfully misunderstanding her words for their own anti-Brexit and anti-democratic ends.”