Tory whip faces calls to resign over Brexit vote storm
THERESA May’s chief whip was facing calls to resign last night after it emerged he broke Commons conventions in a bid to win a crunch vote on Brexit.
Julian Smith came under fire after it was revealed he had ordered a number of Tories to break an agreement with the opposition as he battled to see off a bid by proBrussels MPs to keep Britain in a customs union with the EU.
The Government won Tuesday night’s critical vote on the Trade Bill by 307 to 301 – a majority of just six. But ministers faced embarassment after it emerged Tory chairman Brandon Lewis took part despite an agreement that he would skip the vote to make up for the absence of Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson, who is on maternity leave and would have voted the other way. Miss Swinson accused the Tories of ‘cheating’ and asked Theresa May: ‘How low will your government stoop?’
Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery called it ‘appalling’ and said: ‘Julian Smith and Brandon Lewis must now resign or be sacked.’
The row shone a spotlight on the practice of ‘pairing’, where opposing whips agree deals to pair off MPs who are unable to make a vote.
Yesterday it emerged that Mr Smith had ordered a number of MPs to ignore pairing deals, but Tory sources said the instruction was only intended for short-term pairs.
One said: ‘ Brandon was given the wrong instructions ... we always respect pairing for new mums. But, in a very tight vote on a critical issue, we thought about breaking the shortterm pairs. This is not unprecedented, and not a resigning matter.’