BORIS Johnson believes he has the numbers to pass a Brexit vote today but “poor man’s Cromwell” John Bercow may block it, it emerged this morning. The Remainer Speaker will decide later whether to let the PM hold a vote on his deal, leaving Brexit hanging in the balance. Boris wants to hold a meaningful […]
BORIS Johnson believes he has the numbers to pass a Brexit vote today but “poor man’s Cromwell” John Bercow may block it, it emerged this morning.
The Remainer Speaker will decide later whether to let the PM hold a vote on his deal, leaving Brexit hanging in the balance.
Boris wants to hold a meaningful vote on Brexit today after Sir Oliver Letwin’s wrecking amendment ruined his plans on Saturday, and forced him to seek a Brexit extension from the EU.
But Mr Bercow has warned that he could oppose it, arguing that the deal has already been debated in the Commons.
On Saturday the Speaker warned that a supposed re-run of the vote would be “irregular”.
It comes as:
A vote on the Letwin amendment took place on Saturday, but a vote on Boris’ deal itself didn’t ever happen after Tory MPs stormed out of the chamber.
No10 warned they would pull the vote if he allows more wrecking amendments like at the weekend.
They said: “There is no point in having a meaningless vote.”
And MPs warned the Speaker to allow the vote to happen and not “abuse” his power.
Nadine Dorries tweeted: “The Speaker has jetisoned hundreds of years of tradition a number of times, in order to facilitate rebel demands.
“It will be a sad day if he chooses to abuse his power and prevent a vote on the new deal, when the public are screaming out for it.”
Another MP branded him a “poor man’s Cromwell”.
Oliver Cromwell was the revolutionary responsible for overthrowing the monarchy in the 1600s – and rose to be leader of England, Wales and Scotland as king in all but name.
Michael Fabricant added: ““The nation is crying out – and so am I – for not another groundhog week. Let democracy and Parliament be seen to work; and that means delivery at last on the EU Referendum result.”
While Rishi Sunak, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, told former Tory MP Mr Bercow to allow a vote to take place.
“I think people are crying out to see that and they would find it odd if some procedural technical device meant we weren’t able to have that vote,” he told the BBC.
Mr Bercow is due to stand down as Speaker at the end of the month and has come under fire for a series of controversial decisions about Brexit.
He has admitted to voting Remain in the referendum and Brexiteers think he’s been biased against them.
If the vote is held later, the PM’s team are confident he does have the numbers to win.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC on Sunday: “We seem to have the numbers in the House of Commons.”
Up to 15 Labour MPs were reported to be on side and ready to get behind the deal – which would push it over the line. Eight have confirmed so far they will vote for it.
Rebel MPs could also stage a repeat of Saturday’s Commons antics and amend the motion to withhold approval for Boris’ deal until ALL the legislation has been signed into law.
No10 wants to show the EU that the deal can pass so it doesn’t allow the PM another extension to Brexit.
A source said last night: “Letwin’s delay amendment turned Saturday into a meaningless vote and denied MPs and the public the chance to end the uncertainty.
“Parliament needs a straight up and down vote on the deal.”
We need to #GetBrexitDone – even if that means Parliament sitting day and night until October 31st
Trust in politics and politicians is at an all time low. So let’s earn our pay, get to work and not stop until the referendum is delivered on
— Jake Berry MP (@JakeBerry) October 21, 2019
The PM faces a parliamentary war to deliver his Brexit plan to the people this week.
But No10 believes he can keep his promise to lead Britain out of the EU by October 31, despite being forced by rebel MPs on Saturday to send a letter requesting yet another delay.
Brussels is staying tight-lipped on whether they will grant another extension until after Boris attempts further votes this week.
Ministers confirmed today the Withdrawal Agreement Bill would be published and MPs would vote on it tomorrow.
Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said: “This is the chance to leave the EU with a deal on October 31. If Parliament wants to respect the referendum, it must back the bill.”
IT WAS said that this miserable excuse for a Parliament might finally rally round and deliver the result of the referendum — but we thought it too good to be true.
And so it has proved.
Puffed-up backbencher Oliver Letwin put a dirty great spanner in the works on Saturday, giving Speaker John Bercow the chance to twist it by refusing to allow MPs to vote again on the deal.
We are used to Bercow disgracing his office, but this would be a new low even for him.
The EU has given the PM 48 hours to get his deal through Parliament, and if Bercow uses a legal loophole to scupper him, it will go down in history as an act of grave constitutional vandalism.
Aided and abetted by Bercow, smug Remainer MPs have spent three years betraying the people who elected them.
With this new deal, Boris Johnson has given them one last, shining chance to redeem themselves.
For the sake of democracy, the Speaker must not snatch it away.
However, even if Boris gets his deal through the first or second hurdles today or tomorrow, he faces a mammoth battle to push it through by the end of the week.
MPs are expected to vote on a programme motion in the coming days which will try to fast-track it through the Commons in a few days rather than weeks or months.
But once it comes to Parliament MPs are set to table dozens of amendments to it to try and water Brexit down and slow the process.
One is on the way from a second referendum, Labour figures said yesterday.
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