Nearly 200 Tories refuse to back May’s plan to extend Article 50
The UK government suffered a major rebellion as MPS backed Theresa May’s call for a Brexit delay until 30 June.
After Parliament rushed through legislation requiring the Prime Minister ask the EU to extend Article 50, the Commons approved a Government motion setting the date at the end of June by 420 votes to 110 – a majority of 310.
However, despite the crossparty agreement on the need for a delay, the motion was opposed by 97 Conservative rebels and 80 more Tory MPS didn’t vote.
Abstentions included the
Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom. Earlier, Ms Leadsom had called for EU leaders to abandon their long-held opposition to renegotiating the withdrawal agreement.
Legislation pushed by Labour’s Yvette Cooper in bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit on 12 April had been sped through both Houses of Parliament in just three days.
Solicitor General Robert Buckland told MPS they “must find a way” to leave the EU with a deal and said that even if the UK is forced to take part in European elections on 23 May, British MEPS may not have to take their seats.
“The new European Parliament does not meet until early July and therefore it is important for us to distinguish the need to have elections and then the requirement for British MEPS to have to actually sit in the European Parliament,” he said.