Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
028 9056 8006 Corbyn hit by Brexit quitters
Five Labour MPS resign posts to defy leader
JEREMY Corbyn was hit by his own Brexit revolt 24 hours after Theresa May was forced into a climbdown by Tory mutineers.
Five Labour MPS last night quit their roles so they could defy their leader in a vote on keeping the UK inside the European Economic Area.
Laura Smith left her Shadow Cabinet Office post while Ged Killen, Ellie Reeves, Tonia Antoniazzi and Anna Mcmorrin resigned as parliamentary aides to shadow ministers.
Fifteen Labour MPS rebelled to vote against the EEA while 75 rebelled to vote for it – making a total of 90 MPS defying their party leader, who had ordered them to abstain.
Mr Corbyn said: “I understand the difficulties MPS representing constituencies which voted strongly for Leave or Remain have. Labour respects the referendum and does not support the EEA or Norway model. It would leave us with next to no say over rules we have to follow, it does not allow us to negotiate a new comprehensive UK-EU customs union and it fails to resolve the Irish border issue.”
The Lords’ Brexit Bill amendment had called for remaining in the EEA to be a negotiating objective. It was rejected by 327 votes to 126. Three Tories – Remainers Anna Soubry, Ken Clarke and Dominic Grieve – broke the whip to vote for the EEA. The revolt came on the second day of Commons votes on the Government’s flagship Brexit Bill.
Rebel Tories earlier warned Mrs May to honour pledges she made for a “meaningful vote” on Brexit as she dodged a humiliating defeat.
Remainer and ex-cabinet minister Nicky Morgan threatened to defy her if the PM failed to deliver. She said: “Parliament must have a real say.”
ON REVOLT LAST NIGHT