MP wearing a tag cast crucial vote to kill off No Deal
The Commons voted to rule out a no Deal Brexit thanks to the support of disgraced MP Fiona Onasanya.
The politician is wearing an electronic tag after being sentenced to three months’ jail in January for perverting the course of justice after repeatedly lying to police about a speeding offence.
On Wednesday night MPs voted by a majority of only one to support a Bill to further delay the date of Brexit to avoid no Deal.
Former Labour MP Miss Onasanya, 35, who is facing the prospect of being expelled by her constituents in Peterborough, was one of those to vote in favour of the legislation.
had she not turned up in the Commons, the vote would have been tied and the Speaker would have been expected to reject the Bill.
Tory MP Christopher Davies, who admitted submitting false expenses last month and is awaiting sentence, also went to the Commons for Wednesday’s vote. he opposed the measure.
hours earlier Miss Onasanya had appeared at an employment tribunal, where she is accused of discriminating against a disabled employee who was told to use the male toilet because she couldn’t climb the stairs.
Last month the MP was released early from prison in Surrey having served only 28 days behind bars and agreed to a curfew and an electronic tag.
The solicitor faces a byelection if at least 10 per cent of registered voters in her constituency – about 7,000 people – sign the petition by May 1.
yesterday a peer said it was an outrage that the Bill had gone through only thanks to an MP wearing a tag.
Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth said the fact the legislation had been fast tracked could lead to ‘tyranny’.
‘The Bill was passed by one vote,’ he said in the Lords. ‘And that one vote came from someone wearing a tag because they were released from prison.
‘This is a major constitutional matter. It was passed by one vote. The speeches were limited to two minutes in the other place [the Commons].
‘All that lies between us and tyranny is that we respect the conventions of both houses.’
MPs backed the Bill to delay the date of Brexit, tabled by Labour’s yvette Cooper, during the late- night sitting on Wednesday by 313 votes to 312.
Some 14 Tory MPs backed the Bill. They were all Remainers, including Ken Clarke and Dominic Grieve. Six Tories abstained. Of the 20 rebels, some 17 were former ministers.
The legislation requires Theresa May to table a motion seeking MPs’ approval for an extension to Article 50 – the formal process for leaving the eU – beyond April 12 to a date of her choosing. It is part of a Parliamentary bid to prevent a no Deal departure from the eU.
In an unusual step, Speaker John Bercow allowed the Bill to be fast-tracked through the Commons in a single day.
Tory Brexiteers opposed the measures and expressed their frustration at the legislation clearing all stages in the Commons in a matter of hours.
Peter Bone, Conservative MP for Wellingborough, urged Mr Bercow to ‘make this farce stop’ and prevent further votes.
Usually legislation takes weeks or months to go through the Commons, but MPs tore up the rules to ensure it passed ahead of next week’s Brexit deadline.
Mark Francois, of the european Research Group of Tory eurosceptics, said it was a ‘constitutional outrage’ that the Bill had been ‘rammed through’ in only four hours. Mr Bercow said there was ‘nothing disorderly’ about the procedure.