Brexit: More humiliation for Boris Johnson as his brother resigns
Jo Johnson has resigned as junior minister after the House of Lords agreed to pass the Brexit delay bill.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s younger brother, Jo, has resigned as a junior minister and said he would also step down as a politician, citing a conflict between family loyalty and the national interest.
The news followed Britain’s House of Lords agreeing to pass the Brexit delay bill after the Commons passed the legislation earlier on Thursday (AEST).
It means Boris Johnson will be forced to ask Brussels for a three month extension to the Brexit deadline if he fails to reach a deal with the EU by October 19.
Jo Johnson, 47, had previously expressed backing for a second referendum on whether Britain should leave the EU, but accepted a job as a junior minister in the business and education departments when his brother became prime minister.
“It’s been anhonour to represent Orpington for 9 years & to serve as a minister under three PMs,” Jo Johnson said on Twitter.
Itâs been an honour to represent Orpington for 9 years & to serve as a minister under three PMs. In recent weeks Iâve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest - itâs an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles as MP & Minister. #overandout
— Jo Johnson (@JoJohnsonUK) September 5, 2019
“In recent weeks I’ve been torn between family loyalty and the national interest - it’s an unresolvable tension & time for others to take on my roles as MP (Member of Parliament) & Minister,” he said.
Reuters
‘We have stopped no deal’
Today, Tory peers tabled 100 amendments in an attempt at a filibuster that could have prevented the legislation getting onto the statute book before parliament is suspended on Monday.
However the government lifted the filibuster after 10 hours, announcing it was dropping its opposition to the bill, and all stages in the Lords would be completed by 5pm Friday local time (2am Saturday AEST).
Labour peer Andrew Adonis tweeted his relief at the decision, saying: “We have stopped no deal — & we can now go home.”
Government chief whip announces government cave-in at 1.20 am - they are lifting the filibuster after 10 hours, with a commitment that the EU Bill will pass by 5pm Friday. We have stopped no deal - & we can now go home ððððªðº
— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) September 5, 2019
â¦@AnthonyGleesâ© Interesting to be part of a record breaking 16 Divisions in the House of Lords today when we obtained an agreement to get the safe passage of the âStop a No-Dealâ Bill. Sensible outcome of long Debate pic.twitter.com/EqEGddr0Il
— Lord Kirkhope (@LordKirkhope) September 5, 2019
Peers had arrived in the Lords with toothbrushes and sleeping bags, expecting to have to sit through the night and into the next day. The decision was taken after a record 17 filibuster votes — the most in 800 years.
The bill will now go back to the Commons for consideration of any amendments before going forward for royal assent and passing into law.
The move could mean MPs supporting his call for an early election.
Earlier today his motion was defeated in the Commons: while MPs voted 298 to 56 in favour of an October 15 poll, the motion failed to reach the two thirds majority needed to call a general election.
However Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had said he would support an election after the delay bill was passed into law.
It comes as Mr Johnson was reportedly forced to defend Dominic Cummings amid concerns about the influence wielded inside No. 10 by the chief strategist.
Mr Cummings was apparently behind the decision to remove the whip from rebel Tories this week. At a surly meeting of the 1922 Committee, Mr Johnson was asked to rein him in, The Times reports.
Sir Roger Gale, the MP for North Thanet, called for him to be “frog-marched” out of Downing Street and told the BBC that Mr Cummings was “an unelected foul-mouthed oaf throwing his weight around” in a “completely unacceptable” manner.
MPs reject Boris’ call for early election
Boris Johnson has undergone the humiliation of a double defeat, with MPs rejecting his demand for an early election after passing a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit.
Although they voted 298 to 56 in favour of the Prime Minister’s motion for an October 15 poll, the motion failed to reach the two thirds majority needed to call a general election.
Mr Johnson had demanded the snap election after being defeated again in the Commons over the bill to delay Brexit.
However a number of MPs abstained over the election vote, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would support a general election only after the bill to delay Brexit had passed and received Royal assent.
The Times reports that Mr Corbyn will meet with opposition leaders on Friday (AEST) to agree a unified position, with pressure growing on them to ensure an election can only take place once the Brexit deadline has passed.
Mr Johnson said of Mr Corbyn: “Forty-eight hours ago he was saying ‘let the people vote.’ Now he’s staying ‘stop the people from voting.’”
He quipped, to cheers and jeers: “It’s the first time in the history of the opposition he’s voted to show confidence in Her Majesty’s government.”
MORE: Greg Sheridan: Boris sticks with the people | PM’s men purge Remainers | Comment: It’s a choice between no-deal and Corbyn
Lionel Barber, the editor of the Financial Times, tweeted that Tory MPs felt purging the Conservative party of rebel MPs was a huge mistake. “Am hearing many Tory MPs, including majority of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet, believe expelling two former Chancellors, moderates and long serving Tories was huge error,” he wrote.
Am hearing many Tory MPs, including majority of Boris Johnsonâs Cabinet, believe expelling two former Chancellors, moderates and long serving Tories like @NSoames was huge error. âWeâve got to bring them back if we want to win the coming electionâ said one. Watch this space
— Lionel Barber (@lionelbarber) September 4, 2019
Tory MPs are also hitting back at the decision to expel the 21 rebels. According to The Times, in a letter signed by 100 Conservative ‘One Nation’ MPs Damian Green said the mass expulsion was “wrong in principle and bad practical politics.”
It is uncertain what will now happen. If the bill to delay Brexit passes the Lords later on Thursday (AEST) and gets Royal assent, Labour would be likely to back a general election. However, a large number of Labour MPs say they wouldn’t support a poll until Mr Johnson had been forced to ask the EU to delay Brexit past October 31.
If they have their way, an election could not be held until after October 31.
Alternatively, Mr Johnson could put the Fixed Term Parliamentary Act aside and introduce a Short Bill declaring a General Election. This would have to pass both the Commons and the Lords but MPs could add amendments, giving it more chance of passing.
The chaos in Westminster is causing dismay in Brussels, where EU leaders believe that, with a government that now has a minority of 43, there is little point in continuing negotiations.
“He has lost his majority and lost control, there is no evidence an election would fix it. It seems futile to continue discussions,” a European diplomatic source told The Times.
“We can’t be sure that whatever were to come out of any talks will ever get anywhere. If we were prepared to give up the backstop altogether he is powerless to get it ratified.”
However the EU is also reluctant to allow another long delay to Brexit, with UK media reporting it was more likely to insist on a six to nine week extension rather than the three month long delay demanded by Commons rebels.
Brexit delay bill passes Commons
Earlier on Thursday (AEST) rebel Tories helped the bill, to delay Brexit beyond October 31, pass the House on its third reading by 327 to 299 votes, a majority of 28. It will now go to the House of Lords, where it will face a tougher battle. Although the Lords is overwhelmingly Remainers, there are fears Brexiteers will filibuster the process. If they succeed in dragging the process out until parliament is suspended on Monday, the bill will automatically fail.
The British Prime Minister immediately tabled a motion for an October 15 election.
“There must be an election on Tuesday, 15th October,” Mr Johnson told the Commons. “I think it’s very sad that MPs have voted like this.”
The bill forces Mr Johnson to seek a three month extension to Article 50 if he fails to reach a new deal with the EU by October 19, but Mr Johnson said it effectively ended any negotiation with Brussels.
“The House has voted repeatedly to leave the EU and also voted repeatedly to actually delay leaving,” he said.
“Today it has voted to stop, to scupper, serious negotiations.”
Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the PM of “offering the poison of a no-deal,” before reiterating his earlier statement that he would only support an election after the delay bill was passed.
“A general election isn’t a plaything for a Prime Minister to avoid his obligations, to avoid scrutiny and renege on commitments,” he said.
“I repeat what I said last night, let this bill pass and gain royal assent, then we will join an election so we do not crash out with a no deal Brexit from the European Union.”
Earlier, at an ill-tempered first session of Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson accused Mr Corbyn of being “frit” for refusing to vote for a general election on October 15.
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act the government requires a two-thirds majority to call an election, but last night (AEST) Labour said it would abstain on holding an early poll.
It comes amid divisions over Labour over the issue, with a large number of MPs saying they did not want an election until the Prime Minister had been forced to ask the EU for a Brexit delay beyond October 31. If they have their way, an election could not be held until after October 31.
MPs were palpably angry as they debated Mr Johnson’s motion to call an election. Labour backbencher Jess Phillips accused the PM of playing some “bully boy game, of some bully boy, public school, that I probably won’t understand anymore than I understand Parliamentary procedures”.
“The reality is we have a game where we aren’t told what the rules are,” she said.
Former chancellor Ken Clarke, one of the most respected MPs across all the parties, was withering about Mr Johnson, telling MPs: “The Prime Minister has a great skill of keeping a straight face while he is being so disingenuous.
“The fact is he is now desperate to have an election in order to bring this house’s proceedings to an end and to have the election clearly before October 31.”
The mood in Westminster was so bad tempered that a Downing Street spokesman was forced to reject suggestions the Prime Minister would resign over yesterday’s humiliating defeat, when 21 Tory rebels united with a coalition of opposition MPs to take the first step at forcing Mr Johnson to ask for a delay.
The rebel Tories had the whip withdrawn and were told they would be barred from selection in future elections, leaving the Tories officially in a minority government. The government now has 298 MPs who can vote compared with 340 opposition MPs.