PM avoids humiliating Commons defeat on Brexit after buying off Tory rebels

Theresa May has narrowly avoided a humiliating Commons defeat on Brexit by buying off Tory rebels with a climbdown on human rights.

But in a series of votes on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, the Government's majority fell to just 10 in one vote, with veteran Tory MP Ken Clarke rebelling.

Earlier, pro-Remain Conservative MPs led by former attorney general Dominic Grieve had threatened a rebellion on protecting human rights after Brexit.

Mr Grieve tabled amendments to the bill - proposing that the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights should be part of UK law, as did Jeremy Corbyn and Labour MPs.

One of them would have allowed challenges to be brought against EU laws retained after Brexit.

But when Solicitor General Robert Buckland pledged a Government rethink, Mr Grieve backed down.

Mr Buckland promised a post-Brexit human rights document would also be published in December.

"We have listened and will continue to reflect carefully on all the arguments that have been made today," said Mr Buckland. "We are prepared to look at this issue again. The Government will bring forward its own amendment at report stage."

A clearly relieved Mr Grieve leapt to his feet and told MPs: "This is a really important concession, which appreciatively reflects the disquiet that has been shown. In the light of that, I will not be pressing my amendment to a vote."

Earlier, moving his amendments, Mr Grieve claimed there could be a "road crash" at the bill's report stage, in which he would be unable to support "a whole series of matters" unless they could be resolved by consensus.

But Mr Buckland's concession failed to satisfy Mr Clarke, whose name was listed second on the amendment and said he would be inquiring whether he had a right to call a vote on it, although he did not in the end.

"It's no good fobbing us off with more discussions - and there'll be amendments which won't actually change the policy," Mr Clarke said.

He added of the charter: "If it's doing no harm, why is the Government going to such lengths to get rid of it as the one specific change in this bill?

"Presumably it's because it's got the word European and rights in it, and this was intended from a Daily Telegraph gesture to the hard right wing of my party."

At the end of eight hours of debate, there were five votes:

:: An amendment from Labour MP Ellie Reeves, asking for Parliament to be informed of changes in EU law on family-friendly employment rights and gender equality, was defeated by 314-295 - a Government majority of 19.

:: A Labour amendment to retain the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in UK law was defeated by 311-301 - a Government majority of just 10. Mr Clarke was the sole Tory rebel.

:: A separate Labour amendment to retain the existing principles of EU law within domestic law on or after Brexit day was defeated by 315-296 - a Government majority of 19.

:: A fourth vote on Labour MP Mary Creagh's amendment, which called for EU environmental law principles to be retained, was defeated by 315-295 - a Government majority of 20.

:: Finally, MPs voted by 313-295 to approve Schedule 1 being part of the Bill.

Despite the threat of a Tory backbench rebellion, there was strong support for the Government from some senior Conservative MPs.

Former minister Sir Edward Leigh told MPs: "There's been a cosy consensus so far in this debate that everything about European human rights is wonderful and we want to transfer it into our own law.

"Actually, many of us think that the advancement of European so-called human rights has been at the detriment of the rights of other people, particularly religious people, to find their own space.

"When we retain or regain parliamentary sovereignty in this House and through our democracy we can start asserting the right to real human rights."

And senior Eurosceptic MP Sir Bill Cash said: "It is up to us to make our own laws and we can make them, we can listen to the arguments, we can make the amendments, we can recognise human rights - and all the other things - as and when."

Speaking after the Commons votes, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said: "The Government squeaked home, but we will not give up the fight to protect fundamental rights from an extreme Brexit.

"Ministers won't be permitted to weaken vital protections to appease their own Brexiteer backbenchers and ram through a Tory Brexit.

"The vast majority of people do not want to see a Brexit that undermines our freedoms, equality and privacy."