MAY FORCED INTO BREXIT FUDGE BY REBELS
PM is forced into last-minute deals to survive vote but gives the Commons say on final Brexit deal
The Tories have been forced to cobble together a compromise LIB DEM BREXIT SPOKESMAN TOM BRAKE
DESPERATE Theresa May survived a key Brexit vote by offering Tory Remain rebels last-minute concessions that would give MPs a “voice” on the final departure deal.
In a massive gamble, the Prime Minister gave her word to rebels that Parliament will have a say in the Brexit process after she negotiates a deal with Brussels later this year.
Facing a Commons defeat on an amendment giving Parliament a “meaningful vote” on Brexit, May called in 14 Tory rebels to offer them concessions when the Bill goes back to the Lords next week.
In an afternoon of high drama, with the Commons on a knifeedge, solicitor general Robert Buckland promised to have “structured discussions” with Tory rebels over their bid to give Parliament a greater say if MPs reject the final Brexit deal.
The vague offer worked and the rebellion which would have damaged the Prime Minister and weakened her negotiating hand in Brussels collapsed.
The deal left pro-EU Tory rebels thinking they could still exercise influence over the final deal and Downing Street relieved that May’s tested Brexit formula of kicking a problem down the road still works.
MPs voted by 324 to 298 to reject a House of Lords amendment which would have given MPs the power to tell the Prime Minister to go back and renegotiate the Brexit deal.
Only two Conservatives voted against the Government in the “meaningful vote” division, pro-EU MPs Ken Clarke and Anna Soubry.
But five Labour MPs voted with the Government – Ronnie Campbell, Frank Field, Kate Hoey, John Mann and Graham Stringer.
The six-hour crunch debate to reverse the changes to Brexit legislation passed in the Lords revealed the huge tension in the Tory party.
Bills on trade and customs are set to follow in this session, with May facing further rebellions.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister suffered the resignation of a minister over her handling of Brexit.
Junior minister Phillip Lee said there was growing evidence the Brexit policy the Government were pursuing was “detrimental to the people we serve”.
Lee then abstained in the vote, declaring the Government’s
concession justified his decision to resign. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said a humiliated PM had offered “so-called concessions” to rebels. He said: “We will wait and see the details of this concession and will hold ministers to account to ensure it lives up to the promises they have made to Parliament.”
Starmer added: “This vote was about ensuring Parliament was given a proper role in the Brexit negotiations and that we avoid a no-deal situation, which is becoming more likely with the divisions at the heart of this Government.”
Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: “As has become a tradition in Brexit negotiations, the Tories have been forced to cobble together a compromise.
“Time will tell as to whether this is just another attempt to buy off the rebels or a real attempt at consensus. But if we face the prospect of a ‘meaningless process’ rather than a ‘meaningful vote’, Parliament will be enraged.”
There were rowdy scenes when only a limited amount of time was left to discuss the dispute over Brussels powers being devolved to Holyrood and Cardiff governments.
Scottish Labour MP Paul Sweeney protested about the limited time left to debate amendments and the SNP’s Pete Wishart confronted Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington at the dispatch box.
Wishart said: “Amendments that were designed in the House of Lords and we the elected members have 15 minutes to debate them. Isn’t he ashamed of himself ?”
But Scottish Tory MPs hit back at the SNP.
Pro-Brexit MP Ross Thomson said: “At a time when Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un can show agreement can be reached, is it not telling that the only person who cannot reach agreement is Nicola Sturgeon because all they care about is grievance and independence?”
Ian Blackford, the SNP Westminster leader, said Scotland’s voice had been shut out of the Brexit debate.
He said: “This fundamentally changes the devolution settlement on these islands – changes to which the Scottish Parliament has expressely withheld its consent.
“There was no chance for a vote on any of the amendments proposed by MPs from Scotland. Scotland’s voice has been shut out of the Brexit debate.”