The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
MPs vote down Theresa May’s latest Brexit plans
PM suffers Commons defeat by 45 votes
Theresa May has suffered another humiliating Commons defeat after MPs again voted down her latest Brexit plans.
On another dramatic day at Westminster, MPs voted by 303 to 258 – a majority of 45 – against the motion endorsing the Government’s negotiating strategy.
Ministers sought to dismiss the defeat as no more than a “hiccup”, as No 10 insisted the prime minister would continue in talks with Brussels unchanged. However, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was clear her approach had failed and called on her to come forward with a “coherent plan” that could command broad support.
The wording of the motion called on MPs to reiterate their support for the approach set out in an earlier set of votes on January 29. On that occasion, the Commons voted for a governmentbacked amendment calling on ministers to reopen negotiations with Brussels on the Northern Ireland backstop.
The defeat shattered the fragile show of Conservative unity after last month’s Commons votes. It came after ministers warned that failure to support the motion could undermine the prime minister’s efforts to secure concessions on the backstop in her talks.
EU leaders have indicated that they are deeply reluctant to give any further ground unless they can be sure it will get a majority in Parliament.
Following the vote, Mr Corbyn said the government needed a new strategy that could bring MPs together and avoid the “catastrophe” of no-deal.
“The Government cannot keep on ignoring Parliament and ploughing on towards March 29 without a coherent plan,” he said.
“She cannot keep on just running down the clock and hoping that something will turn up that will save her day and save her face.”
Downing Street, however, insisted the prime minister would carry on with her negotiations with Brussels while accusing the Labour leader of putting party ahead of country.
“Jeremy Corbyn yet again put partisan considerations ahead of the national interest – and yet again, by voting against the Government’s motion, he is...voting to make no-deal more likely,” a No 10 spokesman said.
“While we didn’t secure the support of the Commons this evening, the prime minister continues to believe, and the debate itself indicated, that far from objecting to securing changes to the backstop that will allow us to leave with a deal, there was a concern from some Conservative colleagues about taking no-deal off the table at this stage.”
The defeat had been largely unexpected with most attention focused on the next set of votes due on February 27 which is expected to see a cross-party push to prevent a no-deal break.
Pro-Remain Tory Anna Soubry said: “We are in such a mess, I’m afraid, that Parliament is going to have to take back control of this. It is a symbol, I’m afraid, of the profound lack of leadership, actually, in both political parties.”