Brexit-vote row sparks call for May to sack key allies
●Tory chair and Chief Whip under pressure amid claim of murky tactics
Theresa May faced calls last night to sack two senior figures in her government over claims they deliberately denied an MP on maternity leave her vote in a knife-edge Commons division on Brexit.
Opposition parties demanded that Chief Whip Julian Smith and Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis resign or be sacked over their role in the murky parliamentary convention of pairing in the vote on Tuesday.
Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson raised the alarm after Mr Lewis took part in the crucial vote on remaining in the EU customs union, which saw the government defeat an amendment to trade legislation by just six votes.
Ms Swinson, who gave birth to her second child on 29 June and has not been at Parliament since, had been told that the Tory chairman was her pair, meaning he would cancel out her absence by abstaining.
She received apologies from Mr Lewis and Mr Smith, who claimed there had been an error, but accused the government of a “calculated, deliberate breaking of trust”.
Out of all the votes on Tuesday, Mr
Lewis only took part in the two closest divisions.
Yesterday it was reported that two other Tory MPS had been “ordered” by the chief whip to break pairing arrangements,promptingoutrageand calls for the two men to lose their jobs.
Itwasreportedthatmrsmith told the chief whip of another party that he had deliberately sought to break pairing arrangements, but didn’t realise Mr Lewis was paired with Ms Swinson.
Last night the Prime Minister came under fresh pressure to set the record straight amid claims she misled the Commons when she insisted the situation arose by mistake.
Earlier, Mrs May told MPS the breaking of the pair was “done in error”.
Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: “The Tories’ story is changing by the minute as they desperately scramble to cover up their appalling actions.
“This government is rotten to its core. Julian Smith and Brandon Lewis must now resign or be sacked, and Theresa May must apologise for misleading the House.”
Tory former minister Anna Soubry, a leading Remainer, said: “If true this is appalling and those responsible must resign. If we cannot behave with honour we are nothing.”
Conservative Brexiteer Peter Bone said he was “very concerned” to hear that a pairing had been broken.
Conservative MP Heidi Allen said: “No matter how tough the going gets, principle, integrity and standards matter. Without those, what’s left?”
Reports suggest two unnamed MPS were also instructed to break their pairs, but ignored the order after seeking further advice.
The Conservative Party did not deny the allegations. Downing Street said Mrs May still had full confidence in Mr Smith.
Asked if the Prime Minister stood by her comments that the pact had been broken in error, a spokeswoman replied: “Yes, absolutely.”
Yesterday, Ms Swinson said: “This reflects pretty badly on those peddling the ‘honest mistake’ nonsense.
“To be fair, hats off to the two MPS who told their Chief Whip to take a running jump when he asked them to break a pairing just because the government might lose.”
The Lib Dems called for the Chief Whip, who normally does not speak in Parliament, to make a statement to the House, claiming the Conservatives had “clearly broken the pairing convention and possibly misled Parliament in calling the vote ‘a mistake’.”
SNP Westminster leader Pete Wishart asked in the Commons for a full inquiry into the breakdown of pairing.
Challenging the Leader of the Commons, Andrea Leadsom, in Parliament yesterday, the Labour MP Wes Streeting said: “The idea that pregnant women and new mothers will be cheated out of their vote and representation to save the skin of this shambolic government is an absolute disgrace and an affront to the House.”
There is no formal parental
leave system for MPS. A report by the cross-party Commons procedure committee has already set out how one could be set up, including proxy voting for parliamentarians who are absent after giving birth or through illness, but no action has been taken yet.
Ms Leadsom said there would now be a debate on proxy voting, which would end the need for pairing, in September.
A Conservative spokesman said: “We have apologised for the fact that a pregnancy pairing arrangement was broken in error this week.
“No other pairs offered on the Trade Bill on Tuesday were broken.”
Brussels will force Britain to crash out of the European Union if it rejects Theresa May’s latest Brexit plan, a senior Tory has warned.
Quitting without an agreement would not be an “optimal solution”, Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom admitted.
But the EU must be told the Chequers blueprint, which has divided the Conservative party, is the “final offer”, the Commons Leader insisted.
Her comments came as the European Commission issued a warning to governments, businesses and citizens in the 27 remaining EU states to prepare for “significant disruption” as a result of Brexit.
Brussels officials said a no-deal cliff-edge withdrawal in March 2019 cannot be ruled out, and warned that “preparation must therefore
UK could be forced out of the EU without a deal, senior minister warns
Angus Howarth
be stepped up immediately at all levels and taking into account all possible outcomes”.
The European Commission released its report as Dominic Raab made his first visit to Brussels as Brexit Secretary for talks with chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier.
Arriving in Brussels for his meeting with Mr Barnier, Mr Raab told reporters he was looking forward to “heating up the negotiations”.
Mr Raab said: “I have come out to discuss the detailed proposals we have got in our white paper that you will have seen.
“I’m looking forward to, with renewed energy, vigour and vim, looking at the detail of all of this.”
Mr Barnier told reporters that “we have a lot of work to do”, adding: “There are 13 weeks left before the October European Council. During this short time we have two things to do.
“We must finalise the withdrawal agreement and we are not yet there.
“We must also prepare a political declaration on our future relationship.
“On the withdrawal agreement, it is a matter of urgency to agree a legally operative backstop for Ireland and Northern Ireland. We need an allweather insurance policy.”
Answering MPS’ questions in the House of Commons before setting off to the Belgian capital, Mr Raab said he was “relentlessly and unflinchingly” focused on getting “a win-win deal good for this country and good for our European friends”.