Brexit 'meaningful vote': government backs away from fight with rebels

The government has backed away from confrontation with the Brexit rebels over a meaningful vote.

At the eleventh hour a written ministerial statement from David Davis explained that it would be up to the Speaker at the time to decide whether MPs could amend a motion if no deal is reached by 21 January.

“It will be for the Speaker to determine whether a motion when it is introduced by the government under the European Union (withdrawal) bill is or is not in fact cast in neutral terms and hence whether the motion is or is not amendable.”

Labour immediately dismissed the compromise as meaningless.

Sources close to the shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, insisted it was only an attempt to buy off enough rebels to save the government from defeat.

“It pushes the can down the road by saying the Speaker will decide what is a neutral motion.”

On Tuesday night, government ministers were briefing the pro-Brexit European Reform Group that the motion would definitely not be amendable. The statement is not attached to the legislation and has no legal force.

Pro-Brexit ministers and backbenchers viewed the amendment – which was first tabled by the former attorney general, Dominic Grieve, and backed overwhelmingly in the House of Lords on Monday night – as an attempt to establish that MPs had the power to prevent Brexit if the terms were viewed as unacceptable.

But the amendment’s backers on both sides of the Commons insisted it was only intended to ensure parliament has a voice in the process.

Overnight the government had sounded confident they had the numbers to overturn the Lords vote. But during the morning the count for potential Tory rebels has grown.

Dr Philip Lee, who resigned last week as a minister, said he would definitely back the amendment on Wednesday.

Labour whips are also pressing their backbenchers who abstained last time to vote against the government this time. “It’s time to remember what being Labour means,” one was quoted as saying.

One leading rebel has backed down. Nicky Morgan tweeted: “Welcome acknowledgment from the government that House of Commons standing orders mean that it is the Speaker who determines whether a motion is expressed in neutral terms – on this basis parliament’s vote is meaningful – and I will support govt amendment in lieu.”