Tory MP Nick Boles leaves hospital after cancer treatment to vote for Brexit
Out gay Tory MP Nick Boles has posted a photo of himself leaving the hospital where he is receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer, to vote for Article 50 to trigger Brexit.
Boles, a former business minister, posted a photo on his Facebook saying he would leave the hospital where he has received chemotherapy for a tumour in his head, to “represent my constituents”, despite feeling “pretty grim”.
The Conservative MP was a strong supporter of the remain campaign in the lead up to the Brexit vote.
He announced that he was going to be off work in October after being diagnosed with the brain tumour.
Boles said he would be in Parliament tonight to vote on amendments to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which will allow the government to trigger Article 50 if passed.
In his post he said he had been in hospital receiving a third round of chemotherapy.
He wrote: “Today, on my own initiative, I am coming out of hospital to support the government on the Article 50 bill.
“I have spent the last week receiving my third round of chemotherapy for the cancer that was discovered last October. I feel pretty grim and will have to go back to hospital after I have voted. But I want to come to Parliament to represent my constituents on this important bill and do my bit to ensure that it is passed without amendment.
“I believe it is in everyone’s interests that the PM is given the mandate to start negotiating Brexit and the formation of a new relationship with our friends in Europe without delay.”
After supporting the remain campaign throughout the Brexit vote process, Boles said he thought the early signs following the vote were more “positive” than had been anticipated.
MPs in the British Parliament last week voted to progress a bill to initiate Article 50 from its first reading to leave the European Union.
Prime Minister Theresa May promised to begin negotiations to trigger Article 50 by March.
The number of homophobic attacks doubled in the three months following the vote for Brexit.
