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Brexit: MPs vote by 358 to 234 to pass the withdrawal agreement bill – live news
Brexit: MPs vote by 358 to 234 to pass the withdrawal agreement bill – live news
(32 minutes later)
MPs vote for EU withdrawal agreement bill, which paves way for UK to leave EU in January
MPs vote for EU withdrawal agreement bill, which paves way for UK to leave EU in January
Charles Michel, the president of the European council, welcomed the vote, tweeting that it was an “important step in the article 50 ratification process”. He added: “A level playing field remains a must for any future relationship,” referring to the EU’s demand for fair competition in exchange for a free-trade agreement with zero tariffs and zero quotas.The European parliament expects to ratify the withdrawal treaty on 29 January, if the next stages at Westminster go to plan, paving the way for the UK to leave the EU on 31 January.
This is from BBC political correspondent Iain Watson. He says as many as 30 Labour MPs abstained or stayed away from the vote on the Brexit bill this afternoon.
You can read our story on the passage of the withdrawal agreement bill at second reading here. The Guardian’s political editor Heather Stewart writes:
The programme motion has been passed by 353 votes to 243.
The programme motion has been passed by 353 votes to 243.
The deputy speaker wishes members a very peaceful Christmas and they file out.
The deputy speaker wishes members a very peaceful Christmas and they file out.
There is now an adjournment debate on the “progress of Southend towards city status” and then parliament breaks up til 7 January.
There is now an adjournment debate on the “progress of Southend towards city status” and then parliament breaks up til 7 January.
The Telegraph’s Asa Bennett has tweeted some pictures of the prime minister signing copies of the withdrawal agreement bill for MPs:
The Telegraph’s Asa Bennett has tweeted some pictures of the prime minister signing copies of the withdrawal agreement bill for MPs:
This, from the Mirror’s deputy political editor Ben Glaze:
This, from the Mirror’s deputy political editor Ben Glaze:
MPs are now voting on the programme motion, which sets out the timetable for getting the bill through parliament by 31 January.
MPs are now voting on the programme motion, which sets out the timetable for getting the bill through parliament by 31 January.
It’s a good time to share another explainer on what happens after the Brexit bill passes. (Spoiler alert – Brexit will not be done.)
It’s a good time to share another explainer on what happens after the Brexit bill passes. (Spoiler alert – Brexit will not be done.)
Some reaction from political journalists –
Some reaction from political journalists –
MPs have voted on the government’s withdrawal agreement bill at the second reading. With Boris Johnson’s 80-strong majority, the bill was passed by a comfortable margin, with 358 voting for and 234 against.
MPs have voted on the government’s withdrawal agreement bill at the second reading. With Boris Johnson’s 80-strong majority, the bill was passed by a comfortable margin, with 358 voting for and 234 against.
Here’s an explainer from Guardian Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll on what’s new in this version of the bill:
Here’s an explainer from Guardian Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll on what’s new in this version of the bill:
Today’s vote means MPs have approved the general principles of the bill and it will now move to what is known as “committee stage”, where a more detailed examination takes place. Here’s a guide as to what happens next from parliament’s website.
Today’s vote means MPs have approved the general principles of the bill and it will now move to what is known as “committee stage”, where a more detailed examination takes place. Here’s a guide as to what happens next from parliament’s website.
As we are waiting for the outcome of the vote on the WAB, reports that the prime minister is signing copies of the bill for MPs.
The Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, said the general election had delivered a clear instruction to parliament to leave the EU and so MPs should respect that decision and back the bill.
Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, who is predicted to run for the Labour leadership, warned Conservative MPs to “be careful”. “Doing things because the government has a majority doesn’t mean those things are right,” he said.
He said the move to water down commitments to child refugees was an example of that. “That is a moral disgrace,” he said.
Starmer said the result of the general election means that Brexit will happen. “We will have left the EU within the next six months,” he said. “Whatever side we were on – or no side at all – the leave/remain argument goes with it.”
Starmer says that, in fact, it is a worse deal today because the government has removed the role of parliamentarians to vote on negotiating objectives and has sidelined workers’ rights. He also says that the clause that prevents the government from asking for an extension is “reckless and irresponsible”. You can read the background on his point here.
Lee Rowley, the Conservative MP for North East Derbyshire, said it was just over a year since he announced “with great regret” he would not be supporting the government on the initial iteration of the withdrawal agreement bill. “I think all of us who served in the previous parliament, particularly on these benches, regret what happened over the past year or so,” he said.
“Wherever we stood, whatever our views, there was a fog that descended over this place, which meant that people here, otherwise rational, otherwise willing to look at the wider picture, were unable to do so, and it paralysed our politics. And today marks an important stage for many of us that we can start to move on.”
Meg Hillier, the Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, thanked Rowley for speaking “characteristically thoughtfully and without triumphalism”. But she said there were very valid reasons why the “rushed bill and rushed debate on it” would lead to very real problems in the future.
Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said there is “so much” wrong with the withdrawal agreement bill, much more than before. She says that a free trade agreement of the sort sought by the government would have a terrible impact on the economy and on constituencies like hers.
Mike Wood, the Conservative MP for Dudley South, said he spoke to many former Labour voters during the campaign who said they would be voting for him.
He said the phrase “get Brexit done” did not come from election posters, but from the doorstep. “In those areas that for many, many years have been returning Labour members to this house, the overwhelming sense was frustration,” he said. “People were tired of being ignored by their representatives and Brexit was an obvious example.”
Thanks for all your questions
Here are a few more of your questions answered.
Q: Where can I go to be part of a ‘rejoin the EU’ fight back? I am feeling a terrible powerlessness and don’t want it to become hopelessness. Alistair Levie, bed and breakfast owner, Torquay
There is the Final Say group if you’re looking to try to push for a confirmatory public vote. Details on this are easy to find online. A rejoiners group set up shortly after the election is being run by the leadership and membership of the Open Britain/People’s Vote campaign group. It does not have a website so it appears hard to know how to get engaged but as ever, Twitter might be able to provide connections to people who feel the same way.
Q: If we had proportional representation, with the same voting system, what would be the number of seats allocated to each party? Kay, Felixstowe
Some research done by the Conversation website, and not by the Guardian, looked at both the German and Dutch models of PR. They concluded that under both systems the Conservatives would have won the most seats but not an outright majority, coming in at fewer than 300 MPs, and inevitably leading to a hung parliament. The Lib Dems do better and the Scottish National party fared worse in both forms of PR. The Brexit party and the Greens would have done mildly better under a Dutch system but not the German one.
Hello, it’s Frances Perraudin here, taking over the live blog from Matthew Weaver.
Ruth Cadbury, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, has been speaking in the house. She said parliament had a duty to scrutinise the withdrawal agreement bill. She said 53% of people voted for parties that wanted a second referendum in the general election and opinion polls showed most people were now in favour of remaining in the EU.
Just over 15 minutes left to ask any questions you may have on the general election results and what happens next. Send them in to us here.
Q: How significantly will voter ID and the new constituency boundaries influence future elections? Michael, Sheffield
The need for voter ID could be very significant in my opinion. It was pleasing to see in the Queen’s speech that the government suggested that those who did not have ID could apply for a free local electoral identity document. However impersonation at an election is extremely low, which makes this new rule seem heavy handed. The concern is that those on lower incomes who do not have the right documents will be put off voting.
Q: Hi Kate, There is going to be an inevitable push and pull between left and centre-left in the Labour party for the forthcoming leadership election. What do you think the new leader needs to do to reconnect with lost votes, bearing in mind the policies under Corbyn seemed pretty popular? Nat, 26, local government officer, London
It’s true that the policies were popular but that many did not find Corbyn credible as a leader in order to deliver them. A leftwing manifesto may work again but scaled down as voters felt overwhelmed by the significant offer of policies. I think a new leader needs to work extremely hard in building a profile in the north of England and the Midlands. I felt some of the rallies in the election campaign were in the wrong places and there was no visibility of Labour in town centres, high streets and on market days.
Even if it does not feel easy, leaders really need to do on the ground walkabouts and take the criticism head on. I think it may be sensible to try to bring a shadow cabinet together that has people with slightly different views from the leader on domestic policy. However, they should not have a shadow cabinet that is push and pull on Brexit. That will be too hard to navigate and it’s been proven that it makes the public think there is not a cohesive top level of leadership.
You have been sending in your questions about the general election results, which I will be answering until 1.30pm. You can share your questions with us via our form here.
Q: Can Johnson abolish the Fixed-term Parliaments Act and not replace it with anything else, meaning there will be no local means of an election being called? Jon, 40, administrator, Sheffield
Yes, he can abolish it and plans to do so in the first few months of 2020. It is something of a priority for the government. The previous arrangements of an election being held every five years will come back into force. Even if the FTPA existed, Johnson’s majority means it would be very unlikely that MPs would try to call for an early election anyway.
Q: What’s happened to the report on Russian interference in the Brexit referendum? Fred, London
We are still awaiting its publication, although Boris Johnson – after securing his majority – decided that the government was now in a position to release it. Expect pressure to mount for its publication in the early new year but it could still take months. The fact it was not printed pre-election was highly controversial and the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who was the intelligence and security committee chair, said the reasons given were “bogus”. The report was compiled by the committee but a new chair and members will need to be elected, which could hold things up.
