Chichester MP backs Labour's Brexit bill amendment

Chichester MP Andrew Tyrie voted for a Labour amendment to the Government's Brexit Bill on Tuesday (photo from Parliament.tv).

The new clause in the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, would have forced the Government to consult both MPs and Lords on a final deal to leave to European Union before it is finalised.

But the amendment was defeated by 326 votes to 293 in the House of Commons meaning the bill remained unchanged.

Government ministers said MPs would be allowed a ‘meaningful vote’ on the final draft agreement before it went to the European Parliament.

In the Commons yesterday (Tuesday February 7), Mr Tyrie said: “I will limit my contribution to a couple of minutes and confine it to a few questions for the minister.

“The concession that he gave at the start is significant; the question is: how significant?

“What did he mean when he said that the Government ‘will bring forward a motion on the final agreement?’

“He must mean the proposed agreement. I noticed that he changed the wording to ‘final draft agreement’. Is he talking about the draft agreement, or a final agreement, at a point at which it is too late to change it?

“Secondly, the minister says that he expects and intends that this place will get a say before the European Parliament.

“In what circumstances is it practically possible for us not to have that if the Government want us to have it?

“Thirdly, will he answer the equivalence point that has been made by my honourable friend the Member for Devizes (Claire Perry)?

“We must be able to have at least as much say as the European Parliament.”

David Jones, a minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, replied: “He asked what this honourable house would be asked to approve. It would be the final agreed draft of the agreement before it was submitted to the European Parliament.”

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