Brexit vote LIVE: Victory as Tory rebels back down on threat to challenge May over vote
THERESA May has secured a major Brexit victory after Tory rebels backed down on a threat to push for a 'meaningful vote' on her deal with the EU.
If the amendment had been successful, it have would see Parliament take
control of negotiations if a final Brexit deal was turned down by MPs.
Senior
pro-EU Tory Sarah Wollaston, who had been expected to rebel, said in a
tweet that she will back the Government on the "meaningful vote".
Dr Wollaston wrote: "Following further assurances that further Govt amendments will come forward in the Lords, I will now be supporting the Govt.
"For avoidance of any doubt, the promised further amendment in the Lords must closely reflect Dominic Grieve's amendment."
Antoinette Sandbach, another ardent Tory Remainer, also sided with the Government after accepting the Chief Whip's assurances.
Dr Wollaston wrote: "Following further assurances that further Govt amendments will come forward in the Lords, I will now be supporting the Govt.
"For avoidance of any doubt, the promised further amendment in the Lords must closely reflect Dominic Grieve's amendment."
Antoinette Sandbach, another ardent Tory Remainer, also sided with the Government after accepting the Chief Whip's assurances.
EU Withdrawal bill vote: Theresa May has secured a major Brexit victory in the Commons
A meaningful vote is not the ability to reverse the decision of the referendum
David Davis
Before the vote, Brexit Secretary David
Davis warned warned Tory rebels that the Government was committed to
honouring the 2016 referendum result.
He said: "A meaningful vote is not the ability to reverse the decision of the referendum.
"We will put in front of Parliament the decision for them to vote.
"After that there will be a process of primary legislation to put the actual details of it in Parliament, so Parliament will actually decide on the application of the detail."
He added that the Cabinet would meet for two days at Chequers to finalise the Government's Brexit White Paper and allow negotiations with the EU to speed up.
The Prime Minister's judgement day over Brexit got off to abysmal start after the shock resignation of justice minister Phillip Lee.
In a dramatic statement, Dr Lee said Parliament was being sidelined and he could not support "how our country's exit from the EU looks set to be delivered".
He added: "If Brexit is worth doing, then it is certainly worth doing well; regardless of how long that takes. It is, however, irresponsible to proceed as we are."
The Bracknell MP also called for Article 50 to be paused, extended or revoked to allow more time for negotiations.
Labour MP Frank Field raised concerns that a Government defeat “will be sending our negotiators back naked into the negotiating room”.
He said the Brussels club would know that the Government has been “beaten”.
But Mr Field said at least the House of Lords were honest enough to say they wanted to stop Brexit, adding: "In this house some people have been quite clear they want to prevent Brexit. Others disguise that fact.”
Veteran Tory Brexiteer Sir Edward Leigh said it would be a "catastrophic blow" if the Government lost today's vote.
He urged MPs to "bite this bullet now", adding: "Parliament, don't stand against the people, implement their will."
Tory former minister Anna Soubry hit out at the "deeply divided Cabinet", saying: "Never before have we been in a situation where we have a Cabinet who is so divided.
"Where some of its most senior people who hold the greatest offices of state, at every twist and turn, when our Prime Minister moves towards securing a Brexit that will serve everybody in our country, the softest, most sensible Brexit, both publicly and privately they undermine her and scupper her attempts.
"It simply has to stop and that moment is now."
"We will put in front of Parliament the decision for them to vote.
"After that there will be a process of primary legislation to put the actual details of it in Parliament, so Parliament will actually decide on the application of the detail."
He added that the Cabinet would meet for two days at Chequers to finalise the Government's Brexit White Paper and allow negotiations with the EU to speed up.
EU Withdrawal Bill vote: Brexit Secretary David Davis is speaking in the Commons
The Prime Minister's judgement day over Brexit got off to abysmal start after the shock resignation of justice minister Phillip Lee.
In a dramatic statement, Dr Lee said Parliament was being sidelined and he could not support "how our country's exit from the EU looks set to be delivered".
He added: "If Brexit is worth doing, then it is certainly worth doing well; regardless of how long that takes. It is, however, irresponsible to proceed as we are."
The Bracknell MP also called for Article 50 to be paused, extended or revoked to allow more time for negotiations.
Labour MP Frank Field raised concerns that a Government defeat “will be sending our negotiators back naked into the negotiating room”.
He said the Brussels club would know that the Government has been “beaten”.
But Mr Field said at least the House of Lords were honest enough to say they wanted to stop Brexit, adding: "In this house some people have been quite clear they want to prevent Brexit. Others disguise that fact.”
Veteran Tory Brexiteer Sir Edward Leigh said it would be a "catastrophic blow" if the Government lost today's vote.
He urged MPs to "bite this bullet now", adding: "Parliament, don't stand against the people, implement their will."
Tory former minister Anna Soubry hit out at the "deeply divided Cabinet", saying: "Never before have we been in a situation where we have a Cabinet who is so divided.
"Where some of its most senior people who hold the greatest offices of state, at every twist and turn, when our Prime Minister moves towards securing a Brexit that will serve everybody in our country, the softest, most sensible Brexit, both publicly and privately they undermine her and scupper her attempts.
"It simply has to stop and that moment is now."
EU Withdrawal bill vote: Theresa May leaves Downing Street to make her way to the vote
Meanwhile, Mrs May’s former advisor Nick Timothy urged MPs not to betray the people who voted to leave the EU.
Mr Timothy said: “MPs said they wanted the people to decide.
“And the people decided to leave the European Union. They must not be betrayed.”
Mrs May has been warned any defeat on this key piece of legalisation would send the wrong message to Brussels.
The PM told her ministers during a cabinet meeting today, a vote on the government's plans for Brexit will send a message to the EU and will make negotiations more difficult if lawmakers undermine the official position.
Mrs May's spokesman said: "The prime minister said that the votes were important in terms of the message they send to Brussels.
"She said that anything which undermines the government at home would make the negotiations with the EU more difficult."
Mr Timothy said: “MPs said they wanted the people to decide.
“And the people decided to leave the European Union. They must not be betrayed.”
Mrs May has been warned any defeat on this key piece of legalisation would send the wrong message to Brussels.
The PM told her ministers during a cabinet meeting today, a vote on the government's plans for Brexit will send a message to the EU and will make negotiations more difficult if lawmakers undermine the official position.
Mrs May's spokesman said: "The prime minister said that the votes were important in terms of the message they send to Brussels.
"She said that anything which undermines the government at home would make the negotiations with the EU more difficult."
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