The Commons voted to take control of the agenda
Headline:
Brexit: Boris Johnson defeated as MPs take control
Tory rebels and opposition MPs have defeated the government in the first stage of their attempt to pass a law designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
The Commons voted 328 to 301 to take control of the agenda, meaning they can bring forward a bill seeking to delay the UK’s exit date.
In response, Boris Johnson said he would bring forward a motion for an early general election.
Jeremy Corbyn said the bill should be passed before an election was held.
In total, 21 Tory MPs, including a number of ex-cabinet ministers, joined opposition parties to defeat the government.
After the vote, Downing Street said those Tory MPs who rebelled would have the whip removed, effectively expelling them from the parliamentary party.
Race ya off the cliff!
Bojo seems to utilising the Trump administration as a model for success. Lie, bully, pretend you’re a champion of ‘the people’. Thank f–k parliament are having none of it.
What districts do the defectors represent, and could they run for a different party?
Colin,
I’m not sure of the constituencies of the rebels but as I understand it you vote for an individual, not a party. In theory those who were de-selected could affiliate with another party. It seems that at least some were veteran politicians on the verge of retirement anyway.
Colin, I haven’t read which Tory MPs voted against their party, but they are certainly free to join and stand for another party in elections if that party nominates them, or to stand as an independent candidate.
One Tory ostentatiously entered the chamber, turned away from the government seats, crossed the floor and joined the Lib-Dem ranks. Johnson no longer has a majority of even one.
I am delighted by that, as well as by Johnson’s defeat.
AoS,
Indeed. I think what has shocked many spectators this side of the pond is that Bojo has just de-selected long standing Tory veterans who were considered very establishment. This includes several previous Chancellors and members of the the Privy Council. This includes Kenneth Clarke and the grandson of Winston Churchill (something which must grate on Johnson somewhat as he has modelled himself in Churchill’s model, superficially at least).
The fact that MPS can change affiliation was demonstrated this evening. As Johnson stood to make a speech one Tory MP stood up and crossed the floor to join the Liberal Democrat party on the opposition side of the chamber.
Beat me to it Tim. It was a joy wasn’t it?
You can see the video of what Tim described here. A glorious example of democracy in action.
Now if only our Congress could learn something from Parliament.
At least one Tory, who stood up against Chamberlain’s sell-out of the Czechs, was expelled and forced out of Parliament. That same man died in action during the fall of France less than two years later.
This is an almost parenthetical detail in Tim Bouverie’s 2019 book ‘Appeasement.’ I don’t have a copy in hand to include his name.
I look forward to someone making sense of the UK’s current situation for me, raw news articles about it daze me.