SABOTAGE BREXIT AT YOUR PERIL!

After a devastating day for British politics, YOUR democratic vote was thrown into jeopardy with brazen MPs launching a coup on the 17.4m people who voted to leave the EU. Today we warn...

THERESA May was battling to save her Brexit deal last night after suffering a series of stinging Commons defeats.

The Prime Minister was forced to release the full text of legal advice on the agreement after MPs voted for the first time in history to hold the Government in contempt for resisting the will of the Commons.

In a further act of sabotage that cast serious doubts over the country’s scheduled departure from

the EU next March, the Commons also backed a rebel amendment giving MPs the power to set the next steps if she loses next week’s vote on her deal.

Three shattering votes yesterday severely dented Mrs May’s authority to carry out the will of the 17.4 million people who voted for Brexit just days before the

historic division about whether to support her agreement with the EU. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve’s amendment significantly reduces chances of a nodeal Brexit by strengthening the power of MPs over the Government’s response if the Prime Minister deal is rejected.

The Prime Minister hit back by accusing her opponents of seeking to wreck her plan for Brexit and keep Britain tied to Brussels.

Opening a five-day Commons Brexit debate last night the Prime Minister said: “I know there are some in this House and in the country who would prefer a closer relationship with the European Union than the one I’m proposing, indeed who would prefer the relationship that we currently have and want another referendum.

“Although I profoundly disagree, they are arguing for what they believe is right for our country and I respect that. But the hard truth is that we will not settle this issue and bring our country together that way and I ask them to think what it would say to the 52 per cent who came out to vote Leave in many cases for the first time in decades if their decision were ignored.” She added: “I think it is very important that all of us in this House recognise what this Parliament did. This parliament overwhelmingly voted to give the choice of membership of the EU to the British people. The people voted, they voted to leave, I believe it is incumbent on us to deliver that Brexit and I believe it is a matter for trust in politicians and in this House that we do indeed deliver on that Brexit.”

Finishing her speech Mrs May told MPs: “We should not let the search for a perfect Brexit prevent a good Brexit that delivers for the British people.”

Urging them to back her, she finished her 66-minute stint on her feet by saying: “So I promise you today this is the very best deal for the British people, I ask you to back it in the best interests of our constituents and our country.

“And with my whole heart I commend this motion to the House.”

During the debate, former foreign secretary Boris Johnson branded Mrs May’s deal “a democratic disaster”.

He said: “It is a national humiliation that makes a mockery of Brexit.”

Mr Johnson also claimed the deal “will keep us in permanent captivity”. Mr Johnson described Mrs May’s deal as “a paint and plaster pseudo Brexit” that camouflaged continuing Brussels rule over the

UK. He ended: “If we vote through this apology for Brexit we will be showing that we are treating the 17.4 million people who voted Leave with contempt, we will be turning our backs on those people.

“When people voted to leave in 2016, they voted for change. They didn’t vote for an endless transition

or a thinly disguised version of the status quo. They voted for freedom and independence and a better Britain, and for a country where politicians actually listen to what the people say.

“If we try to cheat them now, as I fear we are, they will spot it and they will never forgive us.” Downing

Street aides insisted the Prime Minister was determined to battle to win next week’s vote.

Opposition MPs roared with delight after the Government was defeated by 311 votes to 293 in yesterday’s division on a motion proposing that ministers were in contempt of Parliament for resisting a

previous vote earlier this year in favour of releasing the full text of advice from Government lawyers about her Brexit deal.

An attempt by ministers to try to refer the issue to the Commons Privileges Committee was also rejected in a vote by MPs. Following the defeats Commons Leader

Andrea Leadsom said the full text will be released to MPs today.

Mrs May’s 10 parliamentary allies in the Democratic Unionist Party voted against the Government on the contempt motion.

And the DUP’s Westminster leader has said he would be “happy” to have another general election to

prove the party has support in Northern Ireland for blocking the PM’s Brexit deal.

Nigel Dodds said: “In terms of the views of the people of Northern Ireland I’m quite happy to put it to a test any time. We will happily go to the electorate and put our views to the people if needs be, and

I’m quite certain we would be returned in greater numbers than today.”

Within an hour of the defeat on the contempt motion, the Government lost a further vote when MPs backed an amendment by proBrussels Tory Dominic Grieve seeking to strengthen the power of

the Commons over the final Brexit outcome. It was approved by 321 votes to 299, a majority of 22.

His measure will mean MPs will be able to amend a statement by the Government about Brexit that ministers are legally obliged to make within 21 days if the Prime Minister’s deal is rejected. Labour

leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “The deal before us would make our country worse off.”

He added: “The Government has spent more time arguing with itself than it did in negotiating with the EU.”