Brexit: Labour to back rebel Tory bid to force Johnson to demand extension – live news
Prime minister has said he is ‘very confident’ deal will be approved in historic Commons vote on Saturday
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Margot James, one of 21 Tory rebel MPs expelled from the party last month, has said she will vote for Boris Johnson’s deal.
James said her decision is due to that fact 64% of her constituents in Stourbridge voted to leave the EU, but that she does have concerns about risks it may pose to the future of the UK.
It is important to note that what I trust will be agreed by parliament tomorrow is just a starting point for negotiations about our future relationship with the EU.
I am disappointed that the PM has removed many of the commitments made by the former PM that provided for frictionless trade and maximum access to the single market for goods and services.
Sir Oliver Letwin has said the purpose of his amendment was to ensure there was an extension to the negotiations if there were problems or delays passing the deal’s legislation through parliament.
Basically, we are supporting the deal and we are making sure there is an insurance policy to make sure there isn’t a mistake that leads to an unforeseen crashing out.
We are creating a sustained insurance policy which means if something goes wrong with the legislation, then we will be sure that the country will be in the EU beyond 31 October until we have found some other way of getting out conveniently.
They know they won’t find themselves in that crashing out position later in the month if something goes wrong in the legislation process, so I really do think it maximises the chance of the deal going through.
Letwin is adamant he’s not trying to disrupt the deal, because his amended motion would still be a vote to back the deal or not – but by his own admission it makes the politics a lot more fuzzy
Forcing the PM to ask for a delay even if MPs have voted for the deal certainly changes the dynamics around tomorrow
Lab MP who was tempted to vote for Johnson’s deal just told me they’ll vote for Letwin: “Gets us off the hook for a bit longer.”
Biggest decision about tomorrow is what the govt decides to do if Letwin amendment passes. Do they pull the whole motion? Or proceed with it, knowing it no longer constitutes a meaningful vote?