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| Jeremy Hunt apologises after failing to vote with government on prorogation by mistake - live news | Jeremy Hunt apologises after failing to vote with government on prorogation by mistake - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Philip Hammond, the chancellor, has been explaining why he did not vote with the government against the Hilary Benn amendment intended to stop Boris Johnson proroguing parliament. | |
| The Conservative Party has always, at its core, had a fundamental belief in the importance of strong institutions – and in a representative democracy there can be no more vital institution than it’s Parliament. 1/2 | |
| It should not be controversial to believe that Parliament be allowed to sit, and have a say, during a key period in our country’s history. 2/2 | |
| In an interview with the BBC’s Newsnight Margot James, who resigned as a culture minister today so that she could vote against the government for the anti-prorogation amendment, said “quite a number” of ministers would leave the government if Boris Johnson becomes PM and join the campaign to block a no-deal Brexit. She said | |
| Over the course of the last few months I’ve been increasingly uncomfortable about the way the rhetoric is developing on Brexit. My constituents voted to leave in Stourbridge by 70 percent, so I’ve honoured that commitment, voted for the prime minister’s deal three times, but when that didn’t get through parliament I became more and more worried that there is the potential to crash out with no-deal at the end of October. The fact that Boris Johnson - and he hasn’t won yet by the way but obviously he may - is not ruling out proroguing parliament, I felt that this time that rather than just abstain I would vote for the amendments that will make it more difficult ... | |
| I think a lot of people would be prepared to serve under Jeremy Hunt if he gets in. If we do end up with Boris as our prime minister, then I think quite a number of people who would have always been voting with the government will leave the government and will be doing everything they can with myself and others to make sure we leave with a deal, or we carry on negotiating or we look for another outcome. | |
| You have to remember that democracy isn’t just about the majority wins and has everything its way – especially when the minority is as big as 48%, and also when a majority actually voted to remain in Scotland and Northern Ireland. So I think we have to treat the minority with more respect than proroguing parliament and clearing off without a deal – leaving us very exposed as an economy and a society and reliant on the United States at a very bad time. | |
| As my colleagues Peter Walker and Jessica Elgot report in their story on the prorogation vote, the 17 Tory rebels included Keith Simpson, who was voting against his party for the first time in his long career as an MP. Simpson said: | As my colleagues Peter Walker and Jessica Elgot report in their story on the prorogation vote, the 17 Tory rebels included Keith Simpson, who was voting against his party for the first time in his long career as an MP. Simpson said: |
| This is the first time I have rebelled against my party in 22 years in parliament. This is a huge national issue, I said months ago to my local paper and my association that I was totally against no deal. So this is the first time I have rebelled but you can get a taste for it. | This is the first time I have rebelled against my party in 22 years in parliament. This is a huge national issue, I said months ago to my local paper and my association that I was totally against no deal. So this is the first time I have rebelled but you can get a taste for it. |
| The Tory leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt has apologised after revealing that he missed today’s vote by accident. He would have voted with the government, he says. | The Tory leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt has apologised after revealing that he missed today’s vote by accident. He would have voted with the government, he says. |
| I missed votes today because I thought I was slipped and it turns out I was not.Apologies to my colleagues & Whips https://t.co/Nlm1Yaen8R position is that parliament should NOT restrict the hands of an incoming govt in this way & I remain opposed to how parl voted | I missed votes today because I thought I was slipped and it turns out I was not.Apologies to my colleagues & Whips https://t.co/Nlm1Yaen8R position is that parliament should NOT restrict the hands of an incoming govt in this way & I remain opposed to how parl voted |
| Votes in the House of Commons can have legislative consequences and political consequences, and sometimes it is not entirely obvious what either of them will be. This afternoon’s vote relating to a no-deal Brexit is important, but probably not decisive. Here are some thought on what it means. | Votes in the House of Commons can have legislative consequences and political consequences, and sometimes it is not entirely obvious what either of them will be. This afternoon’s vote relating to a no-deal Brexit is important, but probably not decisive. Here are some thought on what it means. |
| 1) Boris Johnson has suffered his first Commons defeat - before even becoming prime minister. Jeremy Hunt, his rival for the Tory leadership, has ruled out proroguing parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit, but Johnson pointedly hasn’t. Over the last two days peers and MPs have voted to tie his hands on this point. Coming after the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch as ambassador to Washington in response to comments from Johnson, this is fresh evidence that the Westminster machine already regards him as PM. | 1) Boris Johnson has suffered his first Commons defeat - before even becoming prime minister. Jeremy Hunt, his rival for the Tory leadership, has ruled out proroguing parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit, but Johnson pointedly hasn’t. Over the last two days peers and MPs have voted to tie his hands on this point. Coming after the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch as ambassador to Washington in response to comments from Johnson, this is fresh evidence that the Westminster machine already regards him as PM. |
| 2) This vote probably means proroguing parliament in the autumn to stop MPs blocking a no-deal Brexit is now closed as an option for Johnson. The Benn amendment says, if parliament were prorogued or adjourned in this timescale, it would have to be recalled. But a tiny window of uncertainty remains because a) if the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland were to revive, the Benn amendment would become redundant; and b) there is always the faint chance of a rogue PM trying to ignore this law. | 2) This vote probably means proroguing parliament in the autumn to stop MPs blocking a no-deal Brexit is now closed as an option for Johnson. The Benn amendment says, if parliament were prorogued or adjourned in this timescale, it would have to be recalled. But a tiny window of uncertainty remains because a) if the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland were to revive, the Benn amendment would become redundant; and b) there is always the faint chance of a rogue PM trying to ignore this law. |
| 3) Stopping parliament being prorogued is not the same as stopping a no-deal Brexit. It remains the case that, if Johnson were to opt for a no-deal Brexit, MPs sitting in the Commons in September or October would have no obvious means of stopping him. An Institute for Government report said, under the rules as they are now, it would be “almost impossible” for MPs to stop no-deal without using a no confidence vote to bring down the government. Even if Johnson did lose a no confidence, there is no guarantee he would pause Brexit to allow the electorate to have its say. But the IfG report also says the situation might be different if the Speaker were to be more “flexible” in his interpretation of Commons procedure, and John Bercow has repeatedly hinted that he would be willing to bend the rules to help MPs vote against no-deal (as he did here, referring to standing order 24). | 3) Stopping parliament being prorogued is not the same as stopping a no-deal Brexit. It remains the case that, if Johnson were to opt for a no-deal Brexit, MPs sitting in the Commons in September or October would have no obvious means of stopping him. An Institute for Government report said, under the rules as they are now, it would be “almost impossible” for MPs to stop no-deal without using a no confidence vote to bring down the government. Even if Johnson did lose a no confidence, there is no guarantee he would pause Brexit to allow the electorate to have its say. But the IfG report also says the situation might be different if the Speaker were to be more “flexible” in his interpretation of Commons procedure, and John Bercow has repeatedly hinted that he would be willing to bend the rules to help MPs vote against no-deal (as he did here, referring to standing order 24). |
| 4) But Tory opposition to no-deal is looking a bit more robust this afternoon than it was. As I mentioned this morning, in recent weeks MPs trying to use parliamentary process to block no-deal have suffered a series of defeats. (See 9.09am.) Today they won a handsome victory. Some 17 Conservative MPs voted against the government, and five ministers seem to have abstained deliberately; by this time next week those five will probably be on the back benches, making a “Gauke-ward squad” of 20-plus. If Johnson sacks more ministers in a reshuffle, that could get even bigger. Most of these MPs would probably not vote against the government on no confidence motion to stop a no-deal Brexit, but with the government’s working majority set to fall to just three after the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection, the rebels probably have enough muscle to bring Johnson down. | 4) But Tory opposition to no-deal is looking a bit more robust this afternoon than it was. As I mentioned this morning, in recent weeks MPs trying to use parliamentary process to block no-deal have suffered a series of defeats. (See 9.09am.) Today they won a handsome victory. Some 17 Conservative MPs voted against the government, and five ministers seem to have abstained deliberately; by this time next week those five will probably be on the back benches, making a “Gauke-ward squad” of 20-plus. If Johnson sacks more ministers in a reshuffle, that could get even bigger. Most of these MPs would probably not vote against the government on no confidence motion to stop a no-deal Brexit, but with the government’s working majority set to fall to just three after the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection, the rebels probably have enough muscle to bring Johnson down. |
| 5) An early election looks ever more likely. Johnson would want to avoid an early election until he has delivered Brexit, but these numbers mean that he might not be left with any choice. Here is an assessment from Mujtaba Rahman, who does Brexit analysis for the Eurasia Group consultancy. | 5) An early election looks ever more likely. Johnson would want to avoid an early election until he has delivered Brexit, but these numbers mean that he might not be left with any choice. Here is an assessment from Mujtaba Rahman, who does Brexit analysis for the Eurasia Group consultancy. |
| Our revised, short term #Brexit probabilities:-40% Early election* (basecase); 25% No-deal; 20% Tweaked deal*; 10% Referendum*; 5% Other scenarios - clean A50 extension, no strings attached; caretaker Govt*; revoking A50; proroguing Parliament *Accompanied w A50 ext pic.twitter.com/FIKHl4ygGp | Our revised, short term #Brexit probabilities:-40% Early election* (basecase); 25% No-deal; 20% Tweaked deal*; 10% Referendum*; 5% Other scenarios - clean A50 extension, no strings attached; caretaker Govt*; revoking A50; proroguing Parliament *Accompanied w A50 ext pic.twitter.com/FIKHl4ygGp |
| Downing Street has put out this statement about the vote. A spokesman said: | Downing Street has put out this statement about the vote. A spokesman said: |
| The prime minister is obviously disappointed that a number of ministers failed to vote in this afternoon’s division. No doubt her successor will take this into account when forming their government. | The prime minister is obviously disappointed that a number of ministers failed to vote in this afternoon’s division. No doubt her successor will take this into account when forming their government. |
| This is probably less aggressive than it sounds. If you look at the list of ministers who abstained (see 2.11pm) - Greg Clark, Sir Alan Duncan, David Gauke, Philip Hammond and Rory Stewart - they are all people who were never expected to serve in government with Boris Johnson anyway. Theresa May could have chosen to sack them now, but with only a week to go before the new PM forms a government, that would have been a bit pointless. | This is probably less aggressive than it sounds. If you look at the list of ministers who abstained (see 2.11pm) - Greg Clark, Sir Alan Duncan, David Gauke, Philip Hammond and Rory Stewart - they are all people who were never expected to serve in government with Boris Johnson anyway. Theresa May could have chosen to sack them now, but with only a week to go before the new PM forms a government, that would have been a bit pointless. |
| Tony Lloyd, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, rises to make a point of order. He says by the time a bill has got this far, it is the property of the house, not the government. He says there have been rumours that the government might drop the bill at this late stage to stop it becoming law. Can the Speaker rule that out? | Tony Lloyd, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, rises to make a point of order. He says by the time a bill has got this far, it is the property of the house, not the government. He says there have been rumours that the government might drop the bill at this late stage to stop it becoming law. Can the Speaker rule that out? |
| The Speaker, John Bercow, says he has not heard that suggestion. But he says the chief whip, Julian Smith, and the Northern Ireland minister, John Penrose, are both on the front bench now indicating that that will not happen. Penrose rises himself and confirms this. | The Speaker, John Bercow, says he has not heard that suggestion. But he says the chief whip, Julian Smith, and the Northern Ireland minister, John Penrose, are both on the front bench now indicating that that will not happen. Penrose rises himself and confirms this. |
| MPs have backed the rest of the Lords amendments by 328 votes to 65. | MPs have backed the rest of the Lords amendments by 328 votes to 65. |
| From the Times’ Stephen Swinford | From the Times’ Stephen Swinford |
| Here's a full list of ministers who didn't vote, although it is likely many of them will have been slipped:ClarkDuncanGaukeHammondStewartOddly Jeremy Hunt didn't vote. We're trying to find out whyKaren Bradley is on an official visit to Northern Ireland | Here's a full list of ministers who didn't vote, although it is likely many of them will have been slipped:ClarkDuncanGaukeHammondStewartOddly Jeremy Hunt didn't vote. We're trying to find out whyKaren Bradley is on an official visit to Northern Ireland |
| Earlier I featured a tweet saying Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, abstained. But she voted with the government. | Earlier I featured a tweet saying Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, abstained. But she voted with the government. |
| And here is the list of MPs who voted against the Benn amendment. Only one Labour MP, Kate Hoey, voted with the Tories and the DUP against it and only one independent, Ian Austin. | And here is the list of MPs who voted against the Benn amendment. Only one Labour MP, Kate Hoey, voted with the Tories and the DUP against it and only one independent, Ian Austin. |
| Here is the division list with all the MPs who voted for the Benn amendment in the first vote. | Here is the division list with all the MPs who voted for the Benn amendment in the first vote. |
| There were 17 Conservatives voting for it. | There were 17 Conservatives voting for it. |