Labour rebels who DEFIED Corbyn to vote with Tories on Brexit bill
THE Labour rebels who defied leader Jeremy Corbyn to vote with the Tories on the Brexit bill have been revealed, and are joined by their suspended colleague Kelvin Hopkins who is being investigated over sexual misconduct allegations.
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The House of Commons voted by a majority of 29 to approve the EU Withdrawal Bill after a third reading last night.
It will now be passed onto the House of Lords to be scrutinised by peers.
The bill seeks to repeal the 1972 legislation that took us into what was then called the European Economic Community.
MPs voted in favour of the bill by 324 to 295, with the vast majority of Labour MPs opposing it.
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Only four Labour politicians voted to approve the bill that shadow Brexit secretary Sir Kier Starmer has branded “not fit for purpose”.
Mr Starmer has maintained that MPs should have a meaningful vote on the UK's final deal with the EU.
One of those opposed to his party’s position was the Chair of the Work and Pension Select Committee Frank Field.
He was joined by the MP for Vauxhall Kate Hoey, the MP for Bassetlaw John Mann, and the MP for Blackley and Broughton Graham Stringer.
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Kelvin Hopkins, the Labour MP suspended amid sexual misconduct allegations, voted in favour of the bill as an independent.
It was also approved by 310 Tories and 10 DUP MPs.
It was rejected by 297 MPs, made up of 243 from Labour, 35 SNP MPs, 11 Lib Dems, 4 Plaid Cymru, 3 independent MPs, and the one Green MP.
Mr Corbyn’s own MPs have also rebelled against him over the terms of Britain’s departure from the EU.
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48 Labour MPs backed a bid to keep Britain in the single market and customs union after Brexit.
The rebels, including former shadow transport secretary Daniel Zeichner and former frontbencher Chuka Ummuna, sought an amendment to the EU withdrawal bill to confirm “continued membership of the single market and customs union before ministers can implement any withdrawal agreement.”
The bid was slapped down by 322 votes to 99.
The EU Withdrawal Bill seeks to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, which brought the UK into the EU, and is also designed to transfer Brussels laws into UK legislation.
Brexit Secretary David Davis said: “We are pleased that the bill has successfully completed this stage of its passage through parliament.
“From the beginning our approach has been to work constructively with MPs from the across the House wherever impossible to improve the bill.
“This is a critical piece of legislation that aims to maximise certainty for individuals and businesses after our exit.
“We are looking forward to working with peers as the bill enters its next stage of scrutiny in the House of Lords at the end of this month.”
