BERCOW BLOCKS TEZZA’S 3rd VOTE
Ancient law foils Brexit plans
JOHN Bercow left Theresa May’s Brexit plans in chaos last night after blocking any attempt to let MPs vote for her deal again.
The Prime Minister had hoped to bring her proposal back for a third time after MPs had twice crushed it in the Commons.
But Mr Bercow quoted a parliamentary convention dating back to 1604 that says votes cannot be done twice if the proposal is “substantially the same”. It was also a huge broadside to Downing Street, who the Remain-voting Speaker did not notify before his speech.
He said: “There has been much speculation over the past week about the possibility of the Government bringing before the house a motion on Brexit for another so-called meaningful vote.
“What the Government cannot legitimately do is re-submit the same proposition, or substantially the same, as that of last week which was rejected by 149 votes.”
However, his shock move was praised by MPs on both sides of the debate.
Remainer Anna Soubry said: “This is what happens when you don’t seek compromise and consensus from the beginning.”
Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash also backed the decision, saying it made an “enormous amount of sense”.
However, some MPs worried the move would stop Brexit altogether.
Alec Shelbrooke claimed there would now be a huge delay, adding: “The Speaker has just tried to kill Brexit.”
After the announcement, SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford warned Britain was now in a “constitutional crisis”. He demanded the PM call a meeting of opposition leaders to find a way through it.
Later, No 10 said Mr Bercow’s statement required “proper consideration”.