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Courtesy of the Times.
Theresa May threatened Conservative rebels with a general election this summer if they defeated her plans on customs after Brexit. Whips issued the warning to Remain-backing MPs, led by the former ministers Stephen Hammond and Nicky Morgan, minutes before a crucial vote last night that would have kept Britain inside a customs union. The prime minister survived the vote by a majority of six, although 12 of her MPs walked through the opposition division lobbies in defiance.
One rebel revealed the threats by Chris Pincher, the deputy chief whip. “[Pincher] said they would pull the third reading of the [trade] bill and call a vote of confidence. He said we’d be responsible for a general election and putting Jeremy Corbyn in No 10. It was appalling behaviour. Totally disgraceful.” Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act two votes of no confidence two weeks apart, both carried by a simple majority in the Commons, would trigger a general election. Another Tory Remain supporter described the whips’ behaviour as horrible. The whips also feared that a defeat would lead to more letters being sent by the party’s MPs to Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, forcing a leadership vote before parliament went into recess next Tuesday.
Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrat MP who is on maternity leave, accused the government of betraying a promise that she would be “paired” with a Tory MP — where neither member votes — to ensure that her absence did not count against her. On Twitter she claimed that her pair, Brandon Lewis, had broken the agreement and voted, adding: “Desperate stuff.” Last night Mr Lewis apologised to Ms Swinson on Twitter. “I think it was an honest mistake made by the whips in fast-moving circumstances,” he said. “I know how important the pair is to everyone, especially new parents, and I apologise.” Ms Swinson’s complaints were not echoed by Labour, which also has MPs on maternity leave.
The Commons rejected the customs union amendment by 307-301 after four Labour Brexiteers — plus one sitting as an independent — backed the government. The latest amendment was tabled by Mr Hammond. It stated that if a free trade area had not been negotiated by January 21 ministers must change tack and start discussions on joining a customs union. Labour backs the idea of a customs union with the European Union after Brexit, but the government says that this would leave Britain unable to strike its own international trade deals.
