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| Cameron facing rebellion as he denies MPs vote on European arrest warrant | Cameron facing rebellion as he denies MPs vote on European arrest warrant |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has withdrawn his commitment to holding a vote on the European arrest warrant in a move that the Speaker of the House of Commons said would be regarded as “contemptuous” by the public. | David Cameron has withdrawn his commitment to holding a vote on the European arrest warrant in a move that the Speaker of the House of Commons said would be regarded as “contemptuous” by the public. |
| MPs thought they were going to vote on whether to opt in to 35 EU justice and home affairs measures, including the European arrest warrant, which is opposed by dozens of Conservative backbenchers over fears that Britons are being sent for trial abroad for minor offences. | MPs thought they were going to vote on whether to opt in to 35 EU justice and home affairs measures, including the European arrest warrant, which is opposed by dozens of Conservative backbenchers over fears that Britons are being sent for trial abroad for minor offences. |
| However, the Speaker, John Bercow, confirmed that there would only be a vote on 11 of those measures, which do not include the controversial warrant. Ministers insisted that this was as good as voting on the whole package, which has to be re-adopted by the UK by 1 December. | However, the Speaker, John Bercow, confirmed that there would only be a vote on 11 of those measures, which do not include the controversial warrant. Ministers insisted that this was as good as voting on the whole package, which has to be re-adopted by the UK by 1 December. |
| In an extraordinary attack on the government, Bercow said: “I think I have given a fairly clear indication that this has been a sorry saga. And the house should not be put in this position. Most of us think that a commitment made is a commitment that should be honoured, and we should try to operate according to sensible standards, rather than try to slip things through through some sort of artifice. | In an extraordinary attack on the government, Bercow said: “I think I have given a fairly clear indication that this has been a sorry saga. And the house should not be put in this position. Most of us think that a commitment made is a commitment that should be honoured, and we should try to operate according to sensible standards, rather than try to slip things through through some sort of artifice. |
| “It may be the sort of thing that some people think is very clever, but people outside of the house expect straightforward. And they are frankly contemptuous, and I use the word advisably, contemptuous of what is not straight dealing. Let’s try to learn from this experience and do better.” | “It may be the sort of thing that some people think is very clever, but people outside of the house expect straightforward. And they are frankly contemptuous, and I use the word advisably, contemptuous of what is not straight dealing. Let’s try to learn from this experience and do better.” |
| Bercow also said that there was nothing in standing orders to allow a vote on one matter to be a “proxy” on something else. He was responding to Christopher Chope, a Conservative, who said the government was saying Monday evening’s vote would be effectively be a vote on the EAW. | Bercow also said that there was nothing in standing orders to allow a vote on one matter to be a “proxy” on something else. He was responding to Christopher Chope, a Conservative, who said the government was saying Monday evening’s vote would be effectively be a vote on the EAW. |
| The government is now facing the possibility of a major rebellion over the issue in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon. Defending the position, May said she would treat the vote on the 11 measures as being a vote on all 35, including the European arrest warrant. She said they were not all mentioned in the motion because there was no need for them all to be transposed into UK law. “The government is clear we will be bound by that vote, if the House | |
| chooses not to transpose those measures,” she said. | |
| Labour said it would vote against a business motion allowing the 11 measures to be debated for beyond 90 minutes, raising the prospect that the government could be defeated. | Labour said it would vote against a business motion allowing the 11 measures to be debated for beyond 90 minutes, raising the prospect that the government could be defeated. |
| Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said the motion was a joke and a shambles. She pointed out that Cameron only promised a few weeks ago in the House of Commons: “I am not delaying a vote on it. There will be a vote on it.” | Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said the motion was a joke and a shambles. She pointed out that Cameron only promised a few weeks ago in the House of Commons: “I am not delaying a vote on it. There will be a vote on it.” |
| Bill Cash, the Tory chairman of the European scrutiny committee, said it was a disgraceful way to go about running government business. He said it was “completely unbelievable” that Theresa May, the home secretary, would come to the house and argue that the motion was about the European arrest warrant. | Bill Cash, the Tory chairman of the European scrutiny committee, said it was a disgraceful way to go about running government business. He said it was “completely unbelievable” that Theresa May, the home secretary, would come to the house and argue that the motion was about the European arrest warrant. |
| “This is a travesty of our parliamentary proceedings,” he said, saying he would vote against a business motion. “It is a trick. It is an attempt to get round the reality.” | “This is a travesty of our parliamentary proceedings,” he said, saying he would vote against a business motion. “It is a trick. It is an attempt to get round the reality.” |
| Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said it was a “shambolic attempt” to get the motion through, while Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, suggested it should be withdrawn. | Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said it was a “shambolic attempt” to get the motion through, while Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, suggested it should be withdrawn. |
| Sir Richard Shepherd, a backbench Conservative MP, said the growth of executive arrogance had grown unsupportable and suggested the MPs should “talk out” the motion until it runs out of time. | Sir Richard Shepherd, a backbench Conservative MP, said the growth of executive arrogance had grown unsupportable and suggested the MPs should “talk out” the motion until it runs out of time. |
| After a series of Tory MPs stood up to condemn the government, Ken Clarke, the former cabinet minister, intervened to say May should be allowed to explain the proposal. | After a series of Tory MPs stood up to condemn the government, Ken Clarke, the former cabinet minister, intervened to say May should be allowed to explain the proposal. |
| But Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Tory rightwinger, said the “outrageous abuse of parliamentary procedures” and the “fundamentally underhand” tactics needed be debated fully by backbenchers. | But Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Tory rightwinger, said the “outrageous abuse of parliamentary procedures” and the “fundamentally underhand” tactics needed be debated fully by backbenchers. |
| Ukip responded by saying it showed the public would not be able to trust the prime minister to hold a European Union referendum. | Ukip responded by saying it showed the public would not be able to trust the prime minister to hold a European Union referendum. |