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Brexit: MPs give bill to stop no-deal second reading by majority of 29 – live news Brexit: MPs give bill to stop no-deal second reading by majority of 29 – live news
(32 minutes later)
In the debate Paul Bloomfield, the shadow Brexit minister, is winding up for Labour now. He says he has some sympathy for the Kinnock amendment, but he argues that it is flawed because, he says, the cross-party talks did not actually reach an agreement on a revised withdrawal agreement text.
The debate on the 29 amendments tabled to the Benn bill has not been especially illuminating. The most interesting ones are those tabled by Labour’s Stephen Kinnock and other, mostly Labour, MPs designed to allow MPs to vote for a version of Theresa May’s deal, incorporating the changes proposed during the cross-party talks.
Proposing his amendments, Kinnock said:
It is a travesty that parliament did not get to vote on the withdrawal agreement bill as it was very different to the former prime minister’s blind Brexit and provided far more clarity on EU and UK relations.
Here are some lines about what Boris Johnson told the Conservative 1922 Committee this afternoon.
From Sky News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told the 1922 committee of Conservative MPsthere must be an election and Britain will leave the EU on Oct 31st
From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn
More trouble for Boris. Lots of Tory backbenchers in a 1922 Committee meeting with the PM now just cheered Edward Leigh and Damian Green for speaking up for the 21 rebels, and booed Dan Kawczynski for attacking them.
I'm told Boris is now explaining his alternative Irish backstop idea to the 1922, an all-Ireland agrifood zone, by quoting Ian Paisley Snr: "Our people may be British but our cows are Irish”.
In reply to backbenchers demanding the whip is restored to the 21, I’m told Boris repeatedly said he “can’t undermine the chief”. Tory MPs say it was the PM who instructed the Chief Whip to do it.
From the FT’s Sebastian Payne
Boris Johnson came under sustained attack in the 1922 committee this evening for withdrawing the whip from the 21 anti no deal rebels. The prime minister blamed it on the chief whip, saying it would be wrong to undermine him. "It was completely pathetic," said one MP.
Johnson was also questioned about the role of Dominic Cummings in the sacking of the 21 rebels. The PM responded that Cummings shouldn't be blamed as it was him in a "latex mask".
From the Spectator’s James Forsyth
Boris Johnson’s deployment of Ancient Greek to explain his decision to take the whip away from 21 Tory MPs hasn’t totally reassured Tory MPs. But there does seem to have been a hint of eventual reconciliation
Dame Caroline Spelman will not lose the Tory whip for voting against the government tonight, the Telegraph’s Gordon Rayner reports.
Sounds as though Caroline Spelman will be spared. Govt source says today's vote was NOT being treated as a confidence vote so she won't be kicked out despite breaking three-line whip. Where does that leave party discipline though?
Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, admitted on Sky News that Labour has not got a settled view on exactly when it wants an early election to be held. She said:
We want the general election after we’ve sorted out the no deal … I can’t help you with exactly what date it’s going to be. Or when it is that we’re going to put it down.
Whether it’s going to be the mechanism which is two-thirds [of MPs voting for an election] or whether we’re going to go for [a confidence vote] later on - I’m not sure at the moment because we’re making decisions on an hourly basis.
Thornberry also said her preference would be to wait for a few weeks.
I personally think that we need to have a general election when we’re going to win it. I’ll wait a couple of weeks. If we can give them a little bit of extra rope – just let them be in power for a few more weeks, then people can really see how bad they are.
My colleague Peter Walker has been covering the Young Conservatives for a People’s Vote protest outside Conservative Campaign Headquarters this afternoon about the effective deselection of pro-European Tories. He has found out that the group does exist.
I’ve popped from parliament to Conservative HQ nearby, where we’re promised a demo by Young Conservatives aghast at Boris Johnson’s approach to Brexit and party purges. So far there’s about a dozen media people... but no protesters. It’s not due just yet, so hopefully not a hoax.
The disgruntled Young Conservatives *do* exist, but not in great numbers - fewer than the assembled media so far. They seem to also be linked to the Conservative Group for Europe, headed by Ken Clarke, so these are very much the pro-remain edge of the party. pic.twitter.com/Gn7KHlXlFp
They’re now eagerly chanting, “We want our party back,” and “Dominic Cummings is not a Conservative”. Given their Ken Clarke-like views on Europe, “our party back” potentially means from some time in the Heath era.
Donald Trump has been speaking about Boris Johnson. Asked by reporters what he thought about developments in the UK, and the Commons defeat Johnson suffered last night, Trump replied:Donald Trump has been speaking about Boris Johnson. Asked by reporters what he thought about developments in the UK, and the Commons defeat Johnson suffered last night, Trump replied:
He’s a friend of mine, and he’s going at it, there’s no question about it … Boris knows how to win. Don’t worry about him.He’s a friend of mine, and he’s going at it, there’s no question about it … Boris knows how to win. Don’t worry about him.
Jeremy Corbyn’s video tweet of Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi urging Boris Johnson at PMQs to apologise for his comment about Muslim women has been retweeted by the American congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Omar herself has been the subject of racist abuse from Donald Trump.Jeremy Corbyn’s video tweet of Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi urging Boris Johnson at PMQs to apologise for his comment about Muslim women has been retweeted by the American congresswoman Ilhan Omar. Omar herself has been the subject of racist abuse from Donald Trump.
In every corner of the globe and certainly here in America, every constituent deserves courageous Representatives who could call out hate and bigotry. Demand it, expect it and don’t even allow them to coward! https://t.co/IXtV3XfTN9In every corner of the globe and certainly here in America, every constituent deserves courageous Representatives who could call out hate and bigotry. Demand it, expect it and don’t even allow them to coward! https://t.co/IXtV3XfTN9
Voting on the Benn bill was much the same as voting on the SO24 motion yesterday, but there have been some minor changes.Voting on the Benn bill was much the same as voting on the SO24 motion yesterday, but there have been some minor changes.
New Tory rebelNew Tory rebel
Dame Caroline Spelman has joined the Tory rebels. Yesterday she voted against the SO24 motion, but today she voted for the Benn bill.Dame Caroline Spelman has joined the Tory rebels. Yesterday she voted against the SO24 motion, but today she voted for the Benn bill.
Non-voting rebelNon-voting rebel
But there were 21 Tory rebels in the vote at 5pm, the same number as last night. That’s because Caroline Nokes, who rebelled last night, did not vote this afternoon. It is not clear why.But there were 21 Tory rebels in the vote at 5pm, the same number as last night. That’s because Caroline Nokes, who rebelled last night, did not vote this afternoon. It is not clear why.
Independents joining the rebelsIndependents joining the rebels
Two independents who did not vote yesterday, Kelvin Hopkins and John Woodcock, both voted with the opposition and Tory rebels today.Two independents who did not vote yesterday, Kelvin Hopkins and John Woodcock, both voted with the opposition and Tory rebels today.
Extra non-voting Labour MPExtra non-voting Labour MP
Yesterday, two Labour MPs did not vote: Sir Kevin Barron and Derek Twigg. Today, a third Labour MP, Ronnie Campbell, did not vote. Yesterday, Campbell voted with the Labour whip for the SO24 motion.Yesterday, two Labour MPs did not vote: Sir Kevin Barron and Derek Twigg. Today, a third Labour MP, Ronnie Campbell, did not vote. Yesterday, Campbell voted with the Labour whip for the SO24 motion.
The division lists for the second reading vote on the Benn bill are here.The division lists for the second reading vote on the Benn bill are here.
Boris Johnson is addressing the Conservative 1922 Committee, according to the Spectator’s James Forsyth.Boris Johnson is addressing the Conservative 1922 Committee, according to the Spectator’s James Forsyth.
The usual desk banging reception for the Tory leader at the ‘22. But Boris Johnson will need to reassure a slew of Tory MPs nervous after last night’s expulsionsThe usual desk banging reception for the Tory leader at the ‘22. But Boris Johnson will need to reassure a slew of Tory MPs nervous after last night’s expulsions
Dame Caroline Spelman, the former environment secretary, was the new Tory rebel, the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn reports.Dame Caroline Spelman, the former environment secretary, was the new Tory rebel, the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn reports.
The Tory rebellion is growing: Govt defeated on 2nd reading of Benn bill to delay Brexit by one more than last night; 329-300. Caroline Spelman is the new rebel.The Tory rebellion is growing: Govt defeated on 2nd reading of Benn bill to delay Brexit by one more than last night; 329-300. Caroline Spelman is the new rebel.
The amendments are available on the Commons website here (pdf).
I will highlight some of the main ones soon.
MPs are now debating amendments to the bill.
Sir Mike Penning, a Tory Brexiter, has just complained that printed copies of the amendments are not available yet in the vote office.
Lindsay Hoyle, the deputy speaker, says they will appear soon, and well before voting at 7pm.
MPs have voted to give the bill to stop a no-deal Brexit on 31 October a second reading by 329 votes to 300 – a majority of 29.
That majority is two bigger than last night (when the SO24 motion was passed by 328 votes to 301).
This is from the Daily Mirror’s Jason Beattie.
I'd forgotten that Dominic Cummings told the Economist in 2016 there was a "strong democratic case" for putting any Brexit deal back to the peoplehttps://t.co/eOiQk0HTXJ
This is what Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s de facto chief of staff, said about a second referendum in an Economist interview in January 2016 (before the referendum on leaving the EU). At the time, Cummings was campaign director for Vote Leave. Asked if he thought the government would hold a second referendum, on the terms of Brexit, in the event of a vote to leave, Cummings replied.
I think that is a distinct possibility, yes. It’s obviously not something that we can force. We’re a campaign group. But I think it is perfectly possible that leadership candidates to replace David Cameron will say that they think there are good grounds for a new government team to offer the public a voice on what the deal looks like. And we obviously wouldn’t oppose that, if that’s what senior politicians want to offer. I think there’s a strong democratic case for it.
There’s also the issue of the profound loss of trust that the establishment has suffered over the past 20-30 years. All parties have told lies about this subject, whether it’s John Major and David Cameron or Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Nick Clegg. People have repeatedly promised referendums then not held referendums. So given that, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if leadership candidates to replace Cameron said: we need a mechanism so people can have confidence in what we say.
MPs are now voting on the Benn bill. The result will be announced in about 15 minutes.
Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, is winding up the second reading debate on the Benn bill for the government.
He claims the bill would undermine the government’s negotiation with the EU. And he insists progress is being made. Originally the EU said the withdrawal agreement could not be rewritten, he says. But now they are saying they are open to effective alternatives to the backstop.
Margot James, who was a Conservative MP until she lost the whip last night after voting against the government, has added her voice to those criticising Dominic Cummings, the PM’s de facto chief of staff. (See 3.17pm.) At PMQs she asked Boris Johnson about him, saying he should remember Margaret Thatcher’s words: “Advisers advise, ministers decide.” After PMQs she told PA Media she had received “a lot of very supportive texts from people in No 10” after asking her question. She continued:
The levels of comments stretches far and wide and it’s high time [Cumming’s] wings were clipped.
Asked what she thought of Cummings, James said:
Very dangerous, very dangerous indeed. He is ruthless, he couldn’t care less whether we got a deal or whether we didn’t and he rules with a rod of iron.
I don’t approve of the way he treats people, apropos that poor special adviser who did nothing wrong whatsoever.
I mean, I could go on but you know my opinion of the man.
Boris Johnson will open the debate holding an early election in the Commons this evening, Downing Street said. The prime minister’s spokesman said:
The prime minister, while not wanting an election, believes that if his negotiating position has been destroyed then that should be tested at an election and the public should be able to decide on the next steps forward.
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has said Labour and other opposition parties have yet to decide when they might support Boris Johnson’s call for an election, saying this would only happen when they were certain that no-deal Brexit on 31 October had been blocked.
The parties were taking legal advice, and would decide day by day, he told reporters, saying it meant Labour could still back an election on Johnson’s preferred date of 15 October, once a backbench bill seeking to block no deal had become law, but also possibly not till the Brexit date had been delayed.
The key, McDonnell said, was that they could not trust Johnson, calling him “beyond all the norms of political and constitutional practice in this country”. He said:
We want to get the legislation secure, with royal assent, but we’re also not going to be tricked or conned, so we’re looking at every way in which, having secured the legislation, that he can’t wriggle out of abusing by the law.
At the moment there’s nothing that Johnson has done in recent weeks that gives us the confidence that he’s going to abide by the law.
McDonnell’s stance seems closer to that advocated by Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, than Jeremy Corbyn’s team. Starmer was due to meet other opposition parties on Thursday morning, McDonnell said, saying the SNP’s stated preference for an earlier election was “not a settled position by any means” among other parties.
He said:
We haven’t got a preference. Our preference is to stop a no-deal Brexit. So any mechanism that’s available to us, we’re exploring.
From Sky’s Lewis Goodall
My understanding is that the strong view of Starmer, McDonnell and virtually all factions of PLP is that there shouldn’t be an election before November.Am told Starmer told PLP: “we need to implement the bIll too- which necessarily means going beyond October.”