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| Jo Stevens is first Labour Shadow Cabinet member to quit over Jeremy Corbyn's order to 'vote for Brexit' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A member of Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet has quit her post, reigniting Labour’s bitter war over Brexit. | A member of Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet has quit her post, reigniting Labour’s bitter war over Brexit. |
| Jo Stevens, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, said leaving the EU would be “a terrible mistake” and she could not vote for it, as instructed by the Labour leader. | Jo Stevens, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, said leaving the EU would be “a terrible mistake” and she could not vote for it, as instructed by the Labour leader. |
| “I expect this to be the most important vote I will ever cast as an MP and for me it is a clear issue of principle and conscience,” she said. | “I expect this to be the most important vote I will ever cast as an MP and for me it is a clear issue of principle and conscience,” she said. |
| The resignation came despite an olive branch offered by the leadership, after Mr Corbyn imposed a three-line whip to vote for the Article 50 Bill. | The resignation came despite an olive branch offered by the leadership, after Mr Corbyn imposed a three-line whip to vote for the Article 50 Bill. |
| Diane Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, said Labour MPs might yet be allowed to oppose the Bill at a later stage if its amendments are thrown out. | Diane Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, said Labour MPs might yet be allowed to oppose the Bill at a later stage if its amendments are thrown out. |
| Labour would “review our position” if it failed to change the legislation during detailed discussions at committee stage, she said. | Labour would “review our position” if it failed to change the legislation during detailed discussions at committee stage, she said. |
| However, the move failed to prevent the first loss of a Shadow Cabinet member since Mr Corbyn triumphed in last summer’s leadership battle. | However, the move failed to prevent the first loss of a Shadow Cabinet member since Mr Corbyn triumphed in last summer’s leadership battle. |
| In a letter to her leader, Ms Stevens said she was “a passionate European” who had voted to remain, as had most people in her city and constituency of Cardiff. | In a letter to her leader, Ms Stevens said she was “a passionate European” who had voted to remain, as had most people in her city and constituency of Cardiff. |
| She said she accepted the referendum result and recognised that she could not block the passage of the EU withdrawal bill. | She said she accepted the referendum result and recognised that she could not block the passage of the EU withdrawal bill. |
| But she added: “I believe that leaving is a terrible mistake and I cannot reconcile my overwhelming view that to endorse the step that will make exit inevitable is wrong. | But she added: “I believe that leaving is a terrible mistake and I cannot reconcile my overwhelming view that to endorse the step that will make exit inevitable is wrong. |
| “When I vote I will be representing my constituents, a great many of whom, including a great many Labour party members and voters, have strongly urged me to vote in this way. | “When I vote I will be representing my constituents, a great many of whom, including a great many Labour party members and voters, have strongly urged me to vote in this way. |
| “That is why, in Shadow Cabinet, I argued against the imposition of a three-line whip.” | “That is why, in Shadow Cabinet, I argued against the imposition of a three-line whip.” |
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