The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Government ‘bottled’ early recess vote
The UK Government has ditched a planned vote to bring the House of Commons into recess early as Conservative MPs threatened yet another rebellion against their whips.
MPs are due to rise for the summer holidays on July 24, but a motion tabled last night would have seen the Commons rise tomorrow, with a vote pencilled in for today.
However, the Government did not move the motion amid growing Tory opposition to the plan, with several pro-European Tories having already indicated they would have opposed any attempt to cut short the term with so much work to do on Brexit.
Labour was also understood to have instructed its MPs to vote against the proposal. A strong rebellion on the Conservative benches could have led to an embarrassing defeat for a Government, currently assailed on all sides over its plans for leaving the European Union.
One Government source admitted they had “bottled it” amid increasing numbers of backbench MPs preparing to inflict a damaging defeat on Prime Minister Theresa May.
Labour former minister Chris Bryant, who raised a point of order after the motion was pulled, told of his concern that the Government would try to table a similar motion on Thursday evening and avoid the need for a vote.
He said: “Is it your understanding we will now be sitting next Monday and Tuesday? It would be quite convenient for members and for the House to know whether we’re going to be sitting.”
He added: “I just wonder what your view about these rather rum proceedings is Mr Speaker?”
Speaker John Bercow responded: “My strong sense is that the motion not having been moved, the status quo applies and that is that this House will not only sit tomorrow and Thursday, but it is to be expected that it will indeed sit on Monday and Tuesday of next week as had always been the intention.”
SNP MP Alison Thewliss said the whole “shambles” over the recess dates was “absolutely ridiculous” and “disrespectful to all parents in this House”.
Mrs May has faced a string of rebellions in the Commons in recent days and still has a potentially damaging resignation speech by Boris Johnson to come.
Asked about bringing recess forward, Mrs May’s official spokesman said: “The Government came forward with this proposal following discussions with other parties.”