That’s variously for a customs union; for a custom arrangement plus the Single Market; for a second referendum, and for staying in the EU.
PS: We make that 28 Spartans and six Remainers. The Prime Minister won only nine votes from across the floor, and lost the DUP.
“There are those that will say ‘the House has rejected every option, you’ll probably lose, so why bother?’. I bother because this is the last opportunity to vote for Brexit.”
He describes the backstop as “a con trick which breaks up the UK”.
The former Brexit Secretary argues that this is the responsible thing to do to avoid a no-deal exit and ensure the UK leaves the EU.
“If we say we stand up for 17.4 million people then we have to get those people what they asked for, to leave the EU. This now is the only way.”
He argues that the House faces a “clear choice”, and rejecting the Withdrawal Agreement would jeopardise any extension of Article 50.
Now some of these MPs may have been ill, or absent, or abroad. But how many were slipped with the connivance of the system?
The Letwin plan has not exactly delivered the promised clarity. Instead, the Commons has again said what it does not want.
“Consider the consequences for trust in politics if this House forces an outcome on the people that they no longer desire.”
The Speaker will block a Government ‘notwithstanding motion’, but announced this just after allowing Letwin’s.
He suggests that it is no different to ministers passing laws with amendments they dislike, but Redwood points out they are not normally compelled to do so.
His choice: amendments from Baron, Boles, Eustace, Clarke, Corbyn, Cherry, Beckett, Fysh.
“What could be more extreme than deliberately opting for something…simply because it has ‘BREXIT’ written on the front in bright, shiny letters?”
“It is ridiculous to suggest that Parliament taking control is overturning democratic institutions… it’s doing its democratic job of holding Government to account!”