Brexit indicative votes latest: Deadlock remains as MPs reject all eight alternative options put to the Commons

WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

MPs have rejected all eight options on a future relationship with the EU as Parliament and the country remained in crisis over Brexit.

They voted on a series of options as an alternative to Theresa May’s twice-rejected deal.

But the highest number of votes for any of the proposals was one for a confirmatory public vote on a Brexit deal which had been tabled by former Foreign Secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, and two other Labour MPs.

It was supported by 268 MPs but opposed by 295.

Brexit deadlock: MPs rejected all the options put forward
REUTERS

In second place was an option championed by former Chancellor Ken Clarke for any Brexit deal to include a customs union, but it still lost by 272 to 264.

Labour’s policy of a customs union with close alignment with the single market was rejected by 307 to 237.

A Common market 2.0 blueprint, advocated by former minister Nick Boles and which would keep Britain trading smoothly with the EU, gained the support of 188 MPs but was opposed by 283.

A “no deal” departure, pushed by Tory MP John Baron, was rejected by a crushing 400 to 160.

Former Cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who masterminded the move for Parliament to take greater control of the Brexit process, insisted that the votes tonight were a starting point and MPs would get a chance to vote again on Monday to see if they can make a breakthrough.

He stressed: “It’s a very great disappointment that the House has not chosen to find a majority for any proposition. However those of us who put this proposal forward as a way of proceeding predicted we would not this evening reach a majority.”

But he was met with shouts of “resign” from MPs joking that Sir Oliver had presumed the role of de facto Prime Minister by organising today’s indicative votes.

Theresa May said today she will step down as PM before the next phase of Brexit negotiations
EPA

Speaker John Bercow faced fury from the Tory benches by allowing another set of votes having previously ruled that the Government could not bring its Brexit plan for a third vote unless there were significant changes to it.

He clashed with former Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin in heated exchanges, with Mr Bercow warning that he would not be intimidated by MPs.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay argued that the failure to find a solution reinforced the case for Mrs May’s deal, which itself had just suffered a major blow as the Government’s Democratic Unionist Party allies said tonight that they would not back it.

Dame Margaret also pointed out that two of the options gained more support that the Government’s Brexit blueprint, which was defeated by 391 to 242 on the second occasion earlier this month, having previously suffered the biggest parliamentary defeat in history by 230 votes.

MPs backing a People’s Vote were delighted with the results this evening.

Shadow minister for civil society Steve Reed tweeted: “Parliament has not agreed any option tonight - but the biggest vote in favour of any option, including May’s deal, is for a people’s vote. Round two of voting on Monday.”

But Westminster experts pointed out that the Beckett amendment did not specify that remaining would be on the ballot paper, so did not mirror the People’s Vote proposal.

A proposal for revocation to avoid a no deal was opposed by 293 to 184.

Former farming minister George Eustice’s option for an EFTA/EEA arrangement mustered just 65 votes, being rejected by 377.

An option led by Tory backbencher Marcus Fysh, for hard Brexit “contingent preferential arrangements” was defeated by 422 to 139.

Shadow housing secretary John Healey tweeted that he was “gutted” to lose Melanie Onn from his team after she resigned over Labour’s decision to back the option for a second referendum.

Wednesday's votes came just hours after Mrs May promised to stand down if MPs backed her withdrawal deal.

The Prime Minister then suffered a blow after her Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) allies said they would not support it, despite her vow to quit.

DUP leader Arlene Foster
PA

Mrs May had managed to win over a number of Brexiteers including Boris Johnson after promising, in a desperate, eleventh-hour move, that she would quit if the Withdrawal Agreement gets through the Commons.

However, the DUP said it would not back the plan as it believes that the Northern Ireland border backstop poses a threat to the economic and constitutional integrity of the UK.

The party's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds left no doubt that this meant the DUP's 10 MPs voting against the deal, tweeting: "The DUP do not abstain on the Union.

Meanwhile, MPs also voted by 441 to 105 to pass a statutory instrument, secondary legislation, to delay Brexit from March 29.

The Government had already agreed, under international law, with the EU for an extension to quitting the EU until at least April 12, and the SI brings that into UK law.

The Northern Irish party's decision will be highly influential on Leave-backing Tory MPs who had been considering falling in line behind the PM.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT