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Brexit: Bercow refuses to allow 'meaningful vote' on deal today - live news Brexit: Bercow refuses to allow 'meaningful vote' on deal today - live news
(32 minutes later)
The SNP Commons leader, Pete Wishart, said:
What he proposes in this business statement around the withdrawal agreement bill is totally unacceptable. Three days to consider a bill, somebody suggested it’s 100 pages, how on earth are we going to have the chance to assess that properly? No economic impacts, no economic assessments.
Wishart said it was only last week that the Queen “put on her best crown” and came to Parliament for the Queen’s Speech. He asked when that would be discussed, and asked if it was just a “supreme waste of time”.
Rees-Mogg told the Commons the “Benn act and another known as the Boles Cooper act” were brought through at short notice. He said: “A king emperor left in 24 hours, and we are removing an imperial yoke in over a week.”
Back to Brexit and the shadow Commons leader, Valerie Vaz, has told MPs:
At every stage, the government has been running scared of this House and democracy and it’s now attempting to force through a flawed Brexit deal which sells out people’s jobs, rights and our communities.
The Commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, began his reply by condemning abuse aimed at politicians after he and his son were targeted as they left Parliament on Saturday.
I’ve had many really kind inquiries about my son. He is a 12-year-old boy, he found nothing more exciting than being escorted home by the police – I’m not sure he should have found it so exciting but he did.
As a really serious point, I think it’s very important that MPs can come and go from the precincts of Parliament feeling safe, and we must think about whether there’s more we need to do and whether sessional orders may be helpful in that regard.
Rees-Mogg said the withdrawal agreement bill’s programme motion, which outlines its timetable, will be “down tonight in an orderly way” before noting: “The bill, of course, won’t be pulled.” He also dismissed Vaz’s claims and pointed to the government’s two attempts to hold an election, adding: “If anybody is frit they are on the opposition benches.”
DUP MPs have asked for clarification from the UK government on whether Northern Ireland goods travelling to other parts of the UK will require customs declarations. The DUP MP Gavin Robinson said:
Mr Speaker these responses are calamitous. Can he answer that question that was asked earlier: is it the case that Northern Ireland goods will require customs declarations to enter what is supposed to be unfettered access to the rest of their own country?
To heckles of “answer it” from fellow DUP MPs, Smith said:
On the issue of checks and forms, unfettered access is a key part of this protocol, and I’ll be working to ensure we deliver on that in the interest of Northern Ireland business in the coming weeks.
Calling for Stormont MLAs to have their pay reduced again due to the deadlock, Lady Sylvia Hermon said:
As members of the legislative assembly at Stormont continue to be unable to fulfil their responsibilities, what consideration has the secretary of state given to cutting their salaries yet again?
Smith said:
I plan to review all elements relating to the assembly if we’re unable to move things forwards over the coming days.
The chairman of the Commons Northern Ireland select committee, Simon Hoare, suggested that the UK Parliament consider legislating on the Irish Language act to get the talks at Stormont moving.
The secretary of state has provided a window which could possibly see this House overcome the hurdle which seems insurmountable for the parties in Northern Ireland and that is to legislate for the Irish Language act; therefore taking it out of the debate between the principal parties in Northern Ireland and, in my judgment, removing the hurdle which the roadblock, sorry to mix my metaphors, to getting Stormont back up and running.
Responding, Smith said:
The Irish Language act is one of a number of issues that are being discussed in the talks process. I’d say again the most important and the best way to resolve these issues is through the Stormont talks.
Dodds’ colleague, Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson, said he “cannot emphasise enough” how important the principle of consent is to unionists.
The idea that a decision of the momentous nature of the one we will be expected to take in four years’ time does not reflect adequately the principle of consent – as expressed in the Belfast agreement – has serious implications for our ability to support the restoration of devolution without that safeguard.
And I say with all seriousness to the secretary of state, if this issue is not addressed it goes well beyond this Brexit deal.
Responding, Smith told MPS:
This protocol is for a reserved matter. It is not for the assembly. The Belfast agreement is extremely clear that there will be matters which will not be subject to the consent mechanism in the assembly.
The DUP’s Westminster leader, Nigel Dodds, accused the government of not doing enough to restore powersharing to Northern Ireland.
On health, education, crime, policing, investment and all the rest of it still the government sits on its hands and allows no government for Northern Ireland. Is he now realising that with Brexit coming we have to have power in the hands of ministers whether in the assembly or here? We can’t go on abdicating that decision?
Smith was asked by the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Tony Lloyd, whether he could assure MPs the Police Service of Northern Ireland has the “resources in the event of any form of civic disturbance?”
Lloyd said he didn’t want to “emphasise what kind of civic disturbance there could be” but said there could be a “period of prolonged public unrest”. Smith replied:
The government has invested a further £20m, or nearly £20m, and stands ready to continue to support the PSNI financially.
This is a sensitive period, with police officers under threat day in, day out. But I am comforted that the PSNI is well resourced, and I think it is doing an exceptional job.
I don’t see any need for any circumstance for the British Army operating in that way. The PSNI are doing all of the functions along with our security services in an exceptional manner.
In the Commons, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Julian Smith, has been facing questions. He has told MPs:
A new legal framework for lawful access to abortion services in Northern Ireland will be put in place by 31 March 2020, in line with the 2018 UN CEDAW report. I will be consulting on the new framework very soon.
On same-sex marriage and opposite-sex civil partnerships, regulations are to be made no later than 13 January 2020.
There are two key areas we are going to consult on. How to allow for religious same-sex marriage ceremonies, and also the issue of conversion from civil partnership to marriage and vice-versa.
At the latest, the first civil same-sex marriages will take place on the week of Valentine’s Day 2020.
There is clearly this concern about how does the [Northern Ireland] assembly – now the law is changing – how does it influence? It can influence, but we need to be clear that the law from tomorrow has changed across those two areas, and we can, obviously we will hear the views of the assembly, and we will work with them, but the law, from tomorrow, has changed.
• Boris Johnson has been denied the opportunity to hold a second vote on his Brexit deal in the House of Commons after the Speaker, John Bercow, ruled that it would be “repetitive and disorderly”.Bercow said it would break longstanding conventions for MPs to debate and vote on the agreement struck in Brussels last week, little more than two days after Saturday’s historic sitting.“Today’s motion is in substance the same as Saturday’s motion, and the house has decided the matter. Today’s circumstances are in substance the same as Saturday’s circumstances,” Bercow said in the Commons on Monday.• Boris Johnson has been denied the opportunity to hold a second vote on his Brexit deal in the House of Commons after the Speaker, John Bercow, ruled that it would be “repetitive and disorderly”.Bercow said it would break longstanding conventions for MPs to debate and vote on the agreement struck in Brussels last week, little more than two days after Saturday’s historic sitting.“Today’s motion is in substance the same as Saturday’s motion, and the house has decided the matter. Today’s circumstances are in substance the same as Saturday’s circumstances,” Bercow said in the Commons on Monday.
• Soft-Brexit Tory MPs and independents are resisting the idea of attaching a customs union to Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement bill, meaning it would likely need an alliance of all opposition parties to pass.Conservative MPs and former Tories, who previously backed the idea of a customs union, suggested on Tuesday they would prefer not to reopen the issue and wanted to support Johnson’s deal.Damian Green, the leader of the One Nation caucus, and Oliver Letwin, who has is heavily involved in the parliamentary fight against a no-deal Brexit, both indicated they would back Johnson’s deal without a customs union appended. • Soft-Brexit Tory MPs and independents are resisting the idea of attaching a customs union to Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement bill, meaning it would likely need an alliance of all opposition parties to pass.Conservative MPs and former Tories, who previously backed the idea of a customs union, suggested on Tuesday they would prefer not to reopen the issue and wanted to support Johnson’s deal.Damian Green, the leader of the One Nation caucus, and Oliver Letwin, who has been heavily involved in the parliamentary fight against a no-deal Brexit, both indicated they would back Johnson’s deal without a customs union appended.
• The unconventional “form” of Boris Johnson’s extension request is irrelevant to the EU, the European commission has confirmed, as Germany’s economic affairs minister said “it goes without saying” that a further Brexit delay would be granted. • The unconventional “form” of Boris Johnson’s extension request is irrelevant to the EU, the European commission has confirmed, as Germany’s economic affairs minister said “it goes without saying” that a further Brexit delay would be granted.Peter Altmaier, a key ally of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said he believed either a technical extension to allow extra time for legislation to pass, or a longer period to accommodate a general election or second referendum would be offered.
Peter Altmaier, a key ally of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said he believed either a technical extension to allow extra time for legislation to pass, or a longer period to accommodate a general election or second referendum would be offered.
• Scotland’s most senior judge, Lord Carloway, has rejected a call by the UK government to end a case examining whether Boris Johnson broke a promise that he would not try to sabotage the request for a Brexit extension.After losing a Commons vote on Saturday on delaying his deal, Johnson sent an unsigned copy of the letter required by the Benn act but also sent another, personal, letter to Brussels that asked EU leaders not to agree to an extension. The judge said he would continue with the case until it was clear that Downing Street had complied with the act in full.• Scotland’s most senior judge, Lord Carloway, has rejected a call by the UK government to end a case examining whether Boris Johnson broke a promise that he would not try to sabotage the request for a Brexit extension.After losing a Commons vote on Saturday on delaying his deal, Johnson sent an unsigned copy of the letter required by the Benn act but also sent another, personal, letter to Brussels that asked EU leaders not to agree to an extension. The judge said he would continue with the case until it was clear that Downing Street had complied with the act in full.
• Northern Ireland’s unionist parties have recalled the Stormont assembly today in a last-minute attempt to stop the decriminalisation of abortion from coming into effect.The region’s restrictive abortion laws are set to change at midnight on Monday after the Commons voted last July to bring reproductive rights in Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK.• Northern Ireland’s unionist parties have recalled the Stormont assembly today in a last-minute attempt to stop the decriminalisation of abortion from coming into effect.The region’s restrictive abortion laws are set to change at midnight on Monday after the Commons voted last July to bring reproductive rights in Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK.
The leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, is on his feet in the House of Commons and tells MPs that the government will try to pass key Brexit legislation through the Commons in three days this week.The leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, is on his feet in the House of Commons and tells MPs that the government will try to pass key Brexit legislation through the Commons in three days this week.
He added that the Withdrawal Agreement Bill would be debated at second reading and committee stage on Tuesday, with further discussion on Wednesday before the conclusion of proceedings on Thursday. He added that the withdrawal agreement bill would be debated at second reading and committee stage on Tuesday, with further discussion on Wednesday before the conclusion of proceedings on Thursday.
If the bill passes second reading tomorrow - the first key vote on it - MPs will then get the chance to vote on the programme motion setting out this accelerated timetable.If the bill passes second reading tomorrow - the first key vote on it - MPs will then get the chance to vote on the programme motion setting out this accelerated timetable.
Rees-Mogg also spoke about his experience, and that of his son, as they were escorted by police out of parliament on Saturday, one of a number of MPs who the police guarded amid heckling. Diane Abbott was another. Rees-Mogg also spoke about his experience, and that of his son, as they were escorted by police out of parliament on Saturday. He was one of several MPs who the police guarded amid heckling. Diane Abbott was another.
“My 12 year old son found nothing more exciting than being escorted by police,” said Rees-Mogg, who went on to say that it may be necessary to look at measures to ensure that MPs are able to come and go. “My 12-year-old son found nothing more exciting than being escorted by police,” said Rees-Mogg, who went on to say that it might be necessary to look at measures to ensure that MPs are able to come and go.
For readers wondering where Boris Johnson was earlier when Steve Barclay was taking questions on Brexit, including some asking why the prime minister as not doing so, we’ve been told by Downing Street that he is in Downing Street.For readers wondering where Boris Johnson was earlier when Steve Barclay was taking questions on Brexit, including some asking why the prime minister as not doing so, we’ve been told by Downing Street that he is in Downing Street.
But why wasn’t Johnson taking questions?But why wasn’t Johnson taking questions?
“Because Steve Barclay was,” a spokesperson replied when asked.“Because Steve Barclay was,” a spokesperson replied when asked.
I’ve conferred with colleagues and, as we understand it, convention is that you can’t demand a particular minister replies to your urgent question.I’ve conferred with colleagues and, as we understand it, convention is that you can’t demand a particular minister replies to your urgent question.
As it’s urgent they might not be available, and junior ministers do often fill in. As it’s urgent they might not be available, and more junior ministers do often fill in.
In the Commons, Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith has been taking questions about Brexit, attempts to restore the assembly at Stormont and moves to decriminalise abortion.
On the latter, Smith says that a consultation is due to start in the coming days.
“A new legal framework for lawful access to abortion services in Northern Ireland will be put in place by March 31 2020 in line with the 2018 UN CEDAW report. I will be consulting on the new framework very soon.
“On same-sex marriage and opposite-sex civil partnerships, regulations are to be made no later than January 13 2020.
“There are two key areas we are going to consult on. How to allow for religious same-sex marriage ceremonies, and also the issue of conversion from civil partnership to marriage and vice-versa.”
He added: “At the latest, the first civil same-sex marriages will take place on the week of Valentine’s Day 2020.”
Beyond the UK and Europe, events at Westminster continue to generate head scratching from media in other parts of the world. My colleague Daniel Avelar Guimarães has been taking a look:
In the US, the Washington Post highlighted Boris Johnson’s “humiliating defeat in the House of Commons” on Saturday. Using a slightly more optimistic tone, the New York Times reports that Johnson “still has a surprisingly good chance of leading Britain out of the bloc” because of disagreements within opposition parties regarding their strategy for Brexit.
The view on Brexit from the Middle East is also far from unanimous. Israel’s Haaretz said that Johnson faces a “potentially perilous ratification” of his Brexit plans as opposition MPs try to amend his proposed divorce bill.
On the other hand, UAE’s The National said that No 10 is “increasingly confident” that it can get Parliament’s approval fin an upcoming vote, and mentioned that the pound “reached its highest in more than five months at $1.3011” amid investors’ optimism.
And in South American media, Britain is shown as a country in turmoil. In Brazil, Folha de S.Paulo compared Johnson’s increasing isolation in Parliament to the failures of his predecessors, Theresa May and David Cameron, further describing Brexit as a “reputation-crushing machine” for prime ministers.
In neighboring Argentina, La Nacion said that divisions in the House of Commons reflect broader trends in the British society, mentioning an Opinium/Observer poll that puts support for a second referendum at 42% against 43% who reject a new vote.
The government is coming under fire this evening over confirmation by the Brexit Secretary, Stephen Barclay, that Northern Irish businesses will have to complete exit declarations when sending goods to Great Britain under the terms of the Brexit deal.
As reported by Politico, Barclay was correcting an answer he gave minutes earlier to the House of Lords European Union committee, when he said he did not think such forms would be required under the deal.
He told peers: “We’ve said in terms of [trade] from NI to GB that it will be frictionless and so there wouldn’t be [declaration forms].”
The Labour Peer, Stewart Wood, was the committee member who pressed Barclay and has been making hay on Twitter and says that Barclay’s “revelation” confirms two things
“1. The GB-NI border inside the UK will, from a commercial point of view, feel like a real border.
2. The Govt is trying to push through a vote on the deal before the text of the Withdrawal Bill is seen for a reason: the contents are alarming.”
Nigel Farage, the Brexit Party leader, and the east Belfast DUP MP, Sammy Wilson, have both been weighing in:
Goods going from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK would need export declaration forms. It’s now clear that @BorisJohnson is prepared to wreck the United Kingdom to get this EU treaty through. No wonder the DUP are unhappy. https://t.co/b6rjWyi8TU
Urgent Brexit questions have been concluded now - the Northern Ireland secretary, Julian Smith, is taking questions - but the Westminster focus will shift back very swiftly in a while to Brexit when MPs react to the publication of the withdrawal agreement bill.
They won’t have long to read it, however, as the second reading of the bill – and with it, a chance to vote – comes as early as tomorrow.
If you missed it, here’s the moment from earlier when the Commons Speaker, John Bercow, ruled out allowing a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal.
The Speaker John Bercow's ruling that debating the Withdrawal Agreement today would be "repetitive and disorderly" follows the @HouseofCommons debate on Saturday. https://t.co/MGkn2k7cpf
The Guardian’s political editor, Heather Stewart, has filed this piece on how Boris Johnson has been denied the opportunity to hold a second vote on his Brexit deal in the House of Commons after the Speaker ruled it would be “repetitive and disorderly”.
She adds that the government, meanwhile, still hopes to push the legislation necessary to enact Brexit through parliament in time to meet the 31 October deadline despite having reluctantly been compelled to send a letter asking for an extension to article 50,
The withdrawal agreement bill was expected to be published later on Monday, with the key second reading vote likely to be held on Tuesday.
MPs from across the house are then likely to table a string of amendments seeking to tweak the Brexit deal, including to force the government to negotiate a customs union with the EU27 and to subject it to a “people’s vote”.
John Bercow denies Boris Johnson second vote on Brexit deal
So what happens now? There is “disappointment” from Downing Street, in the first soundings coming out of the prime minster’s spokesperson.
Paul Waugh of Huffpost UK tweets:
PM's official spokesman:"We are disappointed that the Speaker has denied us the chance to deliver on the will of the people. The public want Brexit done."
Meanwhile, the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn has been reporting on a fresh headache for the government (and anyone struggling to keep up with Brexit-related acronyms frankly):
Remember CRAG? It's a fresh headache for the Govt's bid to pass the Brexit deal by October 31. The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (2010) requires any treaty be laid before the House for 21 days before it can be ratified. The Brexit deal is such as treaty 1.
The Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, is speaking now and makes the case again for a new referendum.
If the prime minister was allowed to change his mind – and request an extension – then surely the British people should be allowed to do so.
Ian Blackford, the leader of the SNP at Westminster, wants to know the whereabouts of Boris Johnson, who he says has been utterly humiliated by his defeat in the House of Commons on Saturday.
The unsigned letter that was sent to Brussels at the weekend “lacked respect”, he adds.
Barclay replies that the crux of the issue was that the prime minister had complied with the law and had set out his well-known views on the issue.
There isn’t any word from him about where Johnson is.
Ken Clarke is on his feet now, asking that the date of 31 October should no longer have the “sacred quality” it has attained, though he would be personally quite happy if a withdrawal can be secured in the right way.
“The date was not selected by the British public or the British government. It was a compromise selected by President Macron and others and was plucked out of the air,” he adds.
Barclay says that the prime minister has confirmed that the UK government would abide by the law, but has also left no one in any dount about what his position is.
“We in this house want to collude with the British public to get Brexit done,” he adds, sidestepping that second Corbyn question about whether some MPs are facing potential investigations for “colluding with foreign governments”.