The talk of the day has been of the Brexit amendments tonight with Labour, Tory rebels, Lib Dems (when they turn up) and the SNP finally coming together in a menacing block to face down the Government.
The Prime Minister has been neglecting her Sun Tzu and allowed herself to be attacked on two sides by two different armies: the Moggists won a victory yesterday with their amendments, but today the Remainers have their turn.
What’s the important business? Nicky Morgan‘s frictionless trade area amendment caused the most ructions, with the Government hauling in individual pro-EU Tory MPs to be persuaded not to rebel – and rumours of possible parliamentary “dark arts” being used to avoid the vote altogether.
In the end the government managed to win the vote – but only by six votes.
The other issue is about summer holidays. The Government tabled a motion to bring forward recess by a few days and end their torrid time in Parliament on Thursday – but MPs on both sides of the house have taken the opportunity to publicly disagree.
Votes continue this evening.
Last night’s numbers are worrying for the Government
The votes on the amendments proposed by Jacob Rees-Mogg‘s eurosceptic European Research Group showed what’s possible: one of them passed by just three votes, 305-302.
That’s without the dyed-in-the-wool Remain votes of Tim Farron – who was giving a speech about his struggle combining political liberalism with devout Christianity – and Vince Cable, who was somewhere else.
The Lib Dems admitted they underestimated how close the vote would be – but there are still Labour Brexiteers who make the numbers harder to get for the rebels, especially with the prospect of any Remainer victory being portrayed as a betrayal in the press. Four voted with the Government yesterday, if we include the suspended Kelvin Hopkins.
Tuesday’s vote on the customs union was won by Theresa May with an almost as narrow margin of six votes.
Boris breaks the rules – but gets away with it
No longer the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson has returned swiftly to his lucrative Daily Telegraph column. One problem, however: he never told the parliamentary appointments watchdog Acoba.
Rules bar former Cabinet ministers from taking up new jobs in their first three months – in case they might benefit financially from what the Government’s about to do, for example.
It took Boris just a few days – and he’s already using the bully pulpit to try shape public opinion. He’ll be okay though: Acoba has no power to punish people who break the rules.
Vote Leave fined and reported
Vote Leave has been reported to police after the Electoral Commission found evidence that it co-ordinated with a separate campaign group.
It was fined £61,000, while BeLeave founder Darren Grimes was fined £20,000 and reported to police along with Vote Leave official David Halsall.
Sir Christopher Chope objects to women’s conference
A Conservative MP who was heavily criticised for blocking a bill to outlaw upskirting last month has used the same parliamentary procedure to obstruct plans for a global conference of female MPs in the Commons.
Sir Christopher Chope shouted “object!” after a motion was put by the government to use the chamber for a Women MPs of the World conference, Benjamin Butterworth writes.
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