Theresa May (pictured in her constituency today) could face a defeat on the Brexit Bill on the eve of the EU summit
Theresa May could face her first defeat on the crucial Brexit Bill this week as MPs demand a ‘meaningful vote’ on any trade deal struck with the EU.
A cross-party group of MPs are pushing an amendment that would force the government to hold a binding vote before it can formally enact the UK’s departure from the EU.
The mooted change to the legislation has been drawn up by former Attorney General Dominic Grieve – meaning it is likely to garner support from Tory Remainers.
Unless whips make concessions rebels believe there is a high chance they can get a change to the EU Withdrawal Bill through the Commons.
The defeat could mar Mrs May’s trip to an EU summit on Thursday and Friday, where the bloc’s leaders are expected to finalise a deal that will see trade talks start in the New Year.
The government has been fighting to get the legislation – which effectively copies EU laws on to the domestic statute books in preparation for Brexit – in the face of more than 400 amendments.
Other major clashes coming down the line include one over whether to include a fixed Brexit date on the front page of the law. The battle in the Lords next year is likely to be even fiercer.
In a joint statement today, senior MPs including Conservative Anna Soubry and Labour’s Chuka Umunna urged colleagues to ‘put the national interest, not party politics, first’.
‘It has been said that in the EU referendum last year, the British people voted to ‘take back control’ of our laws,’ the MPs said. ‘For many, that meant a powerful reassertion of parliamentary sovereignty.
‘As such, we parliamentarians have a solemn duty to scrutinise the actions of the executive. On no subject is this scrutiny more important and more necessary than Brexit.
‘Members of all parties have already provided valuable scrutiny to the EU (Withdrawal) bill, and we have forced the government into some concessions.
‘But little of that will matter unless we can have a truly meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement the government negotiates with the European Union.’
Tories Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve are among those backing the ‘meangingful vote’ amendment to the Brexit legislation
David Davis (pictured on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show today) is stewarding Brexit legislation through parliament
The SNP, Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru,are also backing the amendment, saying it is necessary in case ministers use ‘exceptional powers to take the UK out of the EU on a bad deal, or with no agreement at all’.
The measure, to be brought forward by former Conservative minister Dominic Grieve, could mark an embarrassing first Commons defeat for Theresa May on Brexit – just days before she flies to Brussels for crucial talks with EU 27 leaders.
The Observer reported leading Tory rebels believe they have high chance of securing the vote, in a move the MPs say is about putting ‘the national interest, not party politics, first’.
Meanwhile, a separate Liberal Democrat amendment calls on Britain to be kept in the European single market following Brexit.
The move is an attempt to force Labour to commit to supporting a soft or a hard Brexit, according to party leader Vince Cable.
He told the Sunday Times: ‘The purpose of the amendment is obviously to flush out the Labour Party, which is clinging to constructive ambiguity on all matters European.
‘It puts Corbyn very firmly on the spot. He and his acolytes have been going round since the June election trading on young people’s belief that he’s anti-Brexit, but actually he’s nothing of the kind.
‘He needs to come off the fence. The logic of the Labour Party position is that they must now support this motion or it will be evidence of confusion and weakness.’