Wednesday 8 February 2017

Brexit Bill passes 492-122

The Brexit Bill has passed through Parliament unmolested despite attempts by Remoaner MPs to get over 100 pages of amendments added to it.

The bill passed by 492 votes to 122 with 52 Labour MPs defying Jeremy Corbyn's order to back Brexit. The SNP contingent in the Commons marked the vote by singing the EU's national anthem, Ode to Joy. Which is a bit pathetic.

Next stop is the House of Lords where they are expected to try and spoil it again which could lead to the British government using the Parliament Act to force it through. There is speculation that the Tories could call a general election with a manifesto commitment to leave the EU and abolish the House of Lords if peers scupper the bill's passage but this would mean missing an important deadline to avoid having to hold EU elections in 2019.