Brexit battle continues: Government rejects Lords amendment on 'meaningful vote for MPs' (again)

Theresa May’s Brexit battle is set to continue after the Government rejected a House of Lords amendment to the EU withdrawal bill giving MPs a “meaningful vote” on the final deal.

Ministers now face another showdown in the Commons tomorrow after the House of Lords again voted down the Tory Government on the issue of a “meaningful vote”.

The amendment would require the Government to allow MPs to vote on how it would proceed if it fails to secure a Brexit deal by 21 January next year.

Pro-EU rebels led by former attorney general Dominic Grieve have accused ministers of reneging on measures which they believed had been agreed to stave off a rebellion last week.

Mr Grieve has said that he still hoped it would be possible to come to a “sensible compromise” that would address the concerns of both sides.

But Number 10 said it could not accept the amendment and would be re-tabling its original amendment.

A spokesman said: “Agreeing to amendable motions would allow parliament to direct government on its approach to exiting the EU, binding the prime minister’s hands and making it harder to secure a good deal for the UK.

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“It also does not meet the reasonable tests set out last week by the prime minister and the secretary of state of exiting the European Union that any new amendment must respect the referendum result, cannot undermine the negotiations or change the constitutional role of parliament and government.

“Our original amendment struck the right balance between respecting the tests set out by the government as well as delivering on the aims of Dominic Grieve’s own amendment. That’s why we will be re-tabling our original amendment today and will look to overturn the Lords decision tomorrow.”

Mr Grieve has dismissed suggestions that rebels will bring down the Government if it is defeated.

He told BBC Radio 4: “Whichever way the vote ultimately goes, the idea that the Government is going to be endangered by this difference of view within the House of Commons which might lead to its defeat is complete nonsense.”

On Monday Theresa May warned against any moves to “tie her hands” during negotiations with Brussels, saying Parliament must not be able to “overturn the will of the British people”.

The amendment, tabled by Viscount Hailsham and dubbed ‘Grieve 2′ by the peer, was tabled after Mr Grieve warned the Tory rebels could “collapse” the Government if they disagreed with the final outcome of withdrawal talks.