PUBLIC AS THEY OF BREXIT VOTE
Group of Tory Brexiteers, who had helped scupper Mrs May’s attempts, stood one by one to confirm they would back the new deal.
ERG deputy chairman Mark Francois pledged to Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay “You have my word, sir”.
Conservative Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, revealed his support for the Brexit deal.
The veteran eurosceptic said: “Having given a great deal of consideration to all the issues that have been discussed over the last few weeks, and having had the opportunity to discuss with ministers, and in Number 10, and in various other places, and in our groups, I have come to the conclusion that we must support this deal.” Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith vainly appealed to Sir Oliver to pull his amendment.
He said: “Would he please come to the despatch box and ask the member for West Dorset [Sir Oliver] to please now, recognising we need to have a meaningful vote, to withdraw his amendment and give the British people what they are dying for, a decision on Brexit?”
But with Labour MPS including Caroline Flint and Melanie Onn ready to provide Mr Johnson with a historic victory, the votes of the 10 DUP MPS, including Westminster leader Nigel Dodds, were to prove crucial in the final reckoning.
Unlike the ERG though, the Northern Ireland MPS were not for compromising despite reassurances on the province’s future in the UK. From his seat, veteran DUP MP Jim Shannon, shouted: “Sell out! Treachery! Betrayal.”
Despite desperate last minute lobbying when the vote was called, the DUP followed the Remainer alliance of Labour, Lib Dems and SNP into the voting lobbies to back the Letwin
‘Give the people what they are dying for – a decision’
amendment. It proved crucial as the tellers announced a defeat for the Government of 322 to 306 votes.
Despite giving up their Saturdays for the first time in 37 years and the expectations of a fed-up nation, MPS again could not conclude the Brexit debate.
As they flooded out to speak to the TV crews, former Tory rebel Steve Brine, who backed Mr Johnson in the vote, said: “The public will not forgive us.”