Nicola Sturgeon has condemned MPs for enabling Theresa May to “chase a fairytale” after the Commons backed a move to replace plans for an Irish border backstop.
During a tense evening of voting on amendments to The Prime Minister’s Plan B Brexit deal, the Commons passed a proposal which supports May’s agreement if the backstop is replaced with “alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border”.
Tabled by Graham Brady, influential chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tories, the amendment drew support from arch-Brexiteers in the European Research Group, as well as from the DUP.
However, European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker had already informed the Prime Minister that the EU would not renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, ruling out any changes to the backstop.
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Nevertheless, the Brady amendment passed by a majority of 16 votes.
Scotland’s First Minister responded on Twitter: “The House of Commons could have asserted itself tonight - instead it indulged the PM’s decision to chase a fairytale at the behest of the DUP/ERG, and increased the risk of no deal in the process. A woeful abdication of responsibility."
The House of Commons could have asserted itself tonight - instead it indulged the PM’s decision to chase a fairytale at the behest of the DUP/ERG, and increased the risk of no deal in the process. A woeful abdication of responsibility. https://t.co/b5ybMIHI9W
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 29, 2019
The Brady amendment was the seventh to be voted on after several proposals designed to rule out a no-deal withdrawal were rejected.
The non-legally binding Spelman amendment, which “rejects” the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal, was the only one to pass.
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Responding to a report that a Tory Cabinet member was gleefully enjoying the successive defeats for attempts to rule out a no-deal Brexit, Sturgeon said: “Just when you think it’s not possible to feel any more contempt for this shower ...”
Just when you think it’s not possible to feel any more contempt for this shower... https://t.co/XevvRzBMAN
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 29, 2019
Ian Blackford’s amendment, which also would have ruled out no deal if passed, was rejected by MPs.
After the Commons voting concluded, the spokesman for European Council president, Donald Tusk, said: "The Withdrawal Agreement is and remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. The backstop is part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for re-negotiation."
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