A tale of two politicians: After Diane’s no-show, Tory with brain cancer makes it in
AN MP with cancer dragged himself from his hospital bed to back the Brexit Bill yesterday – just days after Diane Abbott skipped a vote because she had a migraine.
Nick Boles, a former business minister, is undergoing chemotherapy for a tumour in his head.
But he travelled to the Commons yesterday to vote, saying that even though he felt ‘pretty grim’, he wanted to represent his constituents.
Meanwhile, George Osborne broke a three-line whip on the Brexit Bill so he could make a speech in Belgium. Mr Boles’s efforts are in stark contrast to Mr Osborne and Miss Abbott, who last Wednesday did not vote in a debate on the same Bill.
The shadow home secretary, pictured right, left two hours before the vote, saying she had a migraine.
But some backbenchers believe that the Remainer had ‘thrown a sickie’ because she could not bring herself to vote for the triggering of Article 50.
Mr Boles, who has been off work since his diagnosis in October, yesterday posted a picture on Twitter of himself in a wheelchair and wearing a blue medical mask.
Writing on Facebook, he said: Today, on my own initiative, I am coming out of hospital to support the government on the Article 50 bill.
‘I feel pretty grim and will have to go back to hospital after I have voted.
‘But I want to come to Parliament to represent my constituents on this important bill and do my bit to ensure that it is passed without amendment.’ Despite not voting last week, Miss Abbott was in the chamber to do so yesterday.
However, former chancellor George Osborne was nowhere to be seen – as he was 200 miles away in Antwerp, where he had been invited to address a conference about Brexit.
Tory sources said he had not been given permission not to vote in the Commons.
It is unknown whether Mr Osborne was paid for his appearance at the conference.