Tory anger at Remainer Benn’s Brexit role
PARLIAMENT has ‘ failed a test’ by appointing a pro-Remain Labour grandee to lead scrutiny of the Government’s Brexit agenda, a senior Tory warned last night.
Former Labour Cabinet minister Hilary Benn was chosen to lead the major Commons Brexit committee on Wednesday, despite having played a leading role in the Remain campaign.
In his first interviews yesterday, he served notice that he will use every device to pin down ministers on details of the Government’s negotiating strategy – despite warnings the move would damage Britain’s national interest.
He also cautioned he will try to force ministers to give MPs a vote on Brexit, saying it was ‘inconceivable’ that parliament would not get a decisive say. His appointment is controversial due to the leading role he played in the Remain campaign, when, as labour’s shadow foreign secretary, he said Brexit would be a disaster.
Some MPs also believe it is wrong for a senior frontbench MP to be parachuted in to take charge of a major backbench committee.
Labour and Tory whips agreed a secret deal last month handing Labour chairmanship of the new Brexit committee. MPs then voted this week to appoint Mr Benn ahead of Eurosceptic Labour rival Kate Hoey by 330 votes to 209. The Brexit committee is also likely to end up being dominated by pro-EU MPs, despite the decisive public vote in favour of leaving the Brussels club.
It will be comprised of 21 MPs, including 10 Tories, five from Labour, three from the SNP and one each from the Lib Dems, Greens and Democratic Unionists. But with the majority of MPs having campaigned to stay in the EU it is unlikely to end up with a majority in favour of Brexit. Appointments will be agreed by party whips in the coming weeks.
Prominent Tory MP Peter Bone said last night: ‘This was a test for Parliament, and Parliament failed it. It was surprising enough that our whips agreed to hand the chair to Labour. But I think the decision to install such an outspoken Remainer is concerning.’
Cabinet ministers also warned Labour against demanding all details of the Government’s negotiating position. Chancellor Philip Hammond told MPs this week it would ‘spectacularly undermine’ chances of securing a good deal for the UK. Brexit secretary David Davis also warned the Commons: ‘What the Opposition is trying to do is put ours in a disadvantaged position to the EU. That is not in the national interest.’
But Mr Benn made clear he is determined to get the maximum possible information in the public domain. ‘We know the Government is making assessments of the economic impact of the different options that might be available in these negotiations,’ he said.
‘If they are doing that, it is really important that they share those assessments with Parliament.’ He told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme that he accepted the 52 per cent vote to Leave, but added: ‘This is going to be the most complex and most challenging task that the nation has faced in peacetime since the end of the Second World War.’
‘This was a test – and Parliament failed it’