Corbyn switches tack as MPS pass Brexit Bill

Labour leader accused of betraying voters as MPS pass the EU Withdrawal Bill by majority of 36

Jeremy Corbyn paved the way for Labour to support permanent single market membership yesterday as MPS passed the Government’s flagship Brexit legislation

He said membership was “open for discussion”, after previously ruling it out. His remarks sparked fears Labour is preparing to reverse its pledge not to block Brexit as MPS accused the party of betraying voters by voting against the EU Withdrawal Bill.

‘This Bill is utterly pernicious, it is dangerous, un-british and I think that it has at its heart a lie. It represents the biggest power grab’

‘I know the position of the Government is always to reject all changes. Well this time, actually, be positive’

JEREMY CORBYN paved the way for Labour to support permanent single market membership yesterday as MPS clashed in the House of Commons over the Government’s Brexit Bill.

The leader said membership was “open for discussion”, marking another shift in his Brexit policy after previously ruling it out.

His remarks prompted fears Labour is preparing to reverse its pledge not to block Brexit as MPS accused the party of betraying the public by voting against the EU Withdrawal Bill. MPS voted at midnight with Theresa May facing Conservative demands for concessions, hinting at trouble ahead.

Vowing to listen, David Lidington, justice minister, admitted the legislation was “complex” but “essential to honouring the result of the referendum”.

MPS voted to give the Bill a second reading with 326 votes to 290, a majority of 36.

Labour’s Caroline Flint was heckled by her colleagues after warning that voters would not support her party’s decision to block the Bill.

But Labour MP Chris Bryant said there were clauses in the legislation that “Erdogan, Maduro and Putin would be proud of ” as his party accused ministers of ignoring democracy.

“This Bill is utterly pernicious, it is dangerous, it is fundamentally un-british and I think that it has at its heart a lie,” he said. “It pretends to bring back power to this country, but it actually represents the biggest peace time power grab by the executive over the legislature, by the Government over Parliament, in 100 years.”

While no Tory MPS voted against the Bill, a significant number raised concerns about “Henry VIII clauses”, which give ministers the right to change laws without a vote.

Bob Neill, the Tory chairman of the justice select committee, and Dr Sarah

Wollaston, the health committee chairman, both demanded concessions in order to guarantee their support.

Sir Edward Leigh, a vocal Tory Brexiteer, won cross-party support after he called on the Government to make a “generous” financial offer to the EU to secure a swift exit.

He also called for a change in tone from Mrs May. “I know the position of the Government is always to reject all amendments,” he said. “Well this time, actually, be positive. Think to yourself, if this is improving parliamentary scrutiny, we’re going to get our way.”

Bernard Jenkin also pledged to work with MPS from across the Commons to make changes and his promise was echoed by Labour’s Ms Flint.

Rounding up the debate for the Government, Mr Lidington insisted there were “significant safeguards” on the use of delegated powers in the Bill.

Questioned on whether the Government was willing to extend the eight days allocated for debate over the Bill at committee stage, he replied: “Where there is good reason to extend debate further, we are willing to consider that very seriously and carefully indeed.”

Theresa May, the Prime Minister, said Parliament had taken a “historic decision” in voting for a bill “which gives certainty and clarity ahead of our withdrawal from the European Union”.

Ken Clarke, the former Tory Chancellor, called for “substantial amendments” to the Bill, saying: “I’ve known governments [to] go back on reassuring words in the past.”

A total of seven Labour MPS rebelled against Mr Corbyn and voted with the Government to pass the Bill.

A party source said some of Mr Corbyn’s supporters believed the voting against would help to force a new general election. Labour’s amendment designed to block the Bill was defeated in the Commons by 318 votes to 296, with a majority of 22.

It followed an interview in which Mr Corbyn claimed that the party was open to permanent membership of the single market – a significant shift from previous claims that these rules will cease after the transitional period.