‘Pitiful’: Senior Lib-Dems under fire for missing crucial Brexit vote

Sir Vince Cable was facing embarrassment today after missing a knife-edge Commons vote which was won by Brexiteers.

The Liberal Democrat leader and Tim Farron, his predecessor, were both absent for the vote on a new clause put down by the Tory Right to the Customs Bill which was passed 305 to 302 votes.

The Lib-Dems have made stopping Brexit their central aim this Parliament, and the two senior party members were today criticised for failing to show up for the vote.

Labour MP Neil Coyle tweeted: “They had one job...”

Former Tory business minister Anna Soubry said: “It’s absolutely pitiful that the leader of the Liberal Democrats was not even in the House, never mind taking part in some of the most important legislation to go through the House in decades.”

A Lib-Dem source insisted the two MPs not being there had not made the difference as there were three votes in it, but a number of Labour backbenchers were also absent. The source added: “Vince had an important meeting off the parliamentary estate which had been approved by the whips. Nobody knew that those two amendments would be close.” He added: “The Chequers fudge is unworkable, our aim is to stop Brexit.”

Mr Farron, an Evangelical Christian, is understood to have been giving a speech, called Illiberal Truths, at Digby Church Hall in Sherborne, Dorset.

He tweeted late last night: “So, a) the Tories can’t stand the sight of each other and b) parliament can’t hold the government to account if it’s not sitting... therefore, we are being bounced into having a longer holiday! I will be voting against this nonsense.”

Labour MP Kate Hoey, whose Vauxhall constituency largely backed Remain, also faced a backlash after voting with the Brexiteers, and the Government, on the clause tabled by former Cabinet minister Priti Patel on the collection of taxes and duties.