A suggestion of a ministerial resignation over this new clause 36... not confirmed yet - awaiting result - if former true, government heading for farcical embarrassing defeat
Government passes Rees Mogg amendment making it illegal for HMRC to apply Government’s own White Paper Facilitated Customs Arrangement without reciprocal tariff collection by EU by 3 votes in end 305-302, MPs saying that a minister has resigned over this
So Guto Bebb @GutoAberconwy has confirmed to me that he has resigned from Government tonight as a Defence minister in order to vote against the government accepting Rees Mogg amending customs bill over Facilitated Customs Arrangement Chequers idea
Dominic Raab now must go to Barnier and clarify that the White Paper idea of a Facilitated Customs Agreement will in fact be illegal for HMRC to enact unless the EU (ie every EU27 country passing laws to do so) also collects UK tariff revenue/refunds too.
Government argue that this was implied by White Paper, but compulsory reciprocity at the point of HMRC acting illegally wasnt in there. Big victory, clever Commons manoeuvring and flexing of muscles by ERG and Rees-Mogg over May Government on NC36
Same on Government accepted ERG amendment against VAT harmonisation - won by 3 votes by Government 303-300.
14 Tory rebels on the ERG customs amendment (NC36) including Bebb - enough for Government defeat, were it not for 4 Labour MPs voting with the Government on this - activel courted on floor of Commons by Rees Mogg. Extraordinary stuff.
Tory rebels at 14 now include new names Guto Bebb and Mark Pawsey...
Labour rebels who prevented government defeat (3) were Hoey, Field & Stringer -
Great irony that only last week Rees Mogg was very disconcerted about the Government passing its Brexit on “socialist votes”
Labour rebels who prevented government defeat (3) were Hoey, Field & Stringer -
Great irony that only last week Rees Mogg was very disconcerted about the Government passing its Brexit on “socialist votes”
And a picture tells a thousand words - effective ERG Brexiter whip recently resigned Brexit minister Steve Baker confers with the Labour MPs who brought victory - Field and Hoey
On the VAT narrow victory for ERG/ Government. Labour MPs tell me that shadow Chancellor had persuaded the three Labour Brexiters to defeat Government, this time the DUP persuaded them to change.
VAT amendment may have difficult knock on effect for proposed NI backstop agreement.
VAT amendment may have difficult knock on effect for proposed NI backstop agreement.
LibDem numbers and SNP numbers also down by two each and newly independent Sheffield Hallam MP O’Mara did not vote either. Fine margins.
But Kate Hoey says that what those Labour MPs said re the VAT vote is not the case for her
