Analysis

Brexiters’ chicanery shows they aren’t winning argument

by Nick Kent | 25.10.2018
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The government is trying to fiddle parliamentary procedure to stop MPs from replacing May’s bad Brexit deal with an alternative.  This is political chicanery all too typical of the whole squalid Brexit process – a reminder of the fancy franchise, dodgy question and corrupt practices of the 2016 referendum.

From the beginning of Brexit, ministers have tried to sideline Parliament.  The Gina Miller court case was only necessary because, outrageously, the prime minister claimed that Parliament did not need to consent to the UK issuing its withdrawal notice to the EU.  The Brexiters then labelled the judges who forced the government to concede as “enemies of the people”.

Now ministers are at it again.  Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has proposed to the House of Commons procedure committee (seven out of eight of whose Tory members apparently voted Leave in 2016) a cunning way to prevent MPs from debating the alternatives to May’s Brexit deal.  This is all about the hard fought for “meaningful vote” that was only written into law after a Conservative rebellion last December.

As Dominic Grieve, the author of that provision in the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018, pointed out to the committee yesterday, at the time of the debates on his clause ministers promised that any motion would be amendable.  Raab’s proposals mean that amendments to the motion approving May’s agreement with the EU would not be voted on until after Parliament has decided whether or not to accept the deal – a reversal of the usual procedure.  

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It would be pointless to vote on amendments after the Commons has either accepted or rejected the deal.  If parliament wanted, for example, the UK to stay in the European Economic Area – a position supported by a number of backbench MPs – that would be impossible if it had already approved the deal.

This is precisely the sort of machiavellian behaviour that undermines trust in politics and politicians.  It is also a huge mistake in political terms as it is all too obvious what ministers are up to – trying to silence those who have a different view.  And as Grieve said yesterday, the government’s approach to the vote on the deal is more likely to ensure that it is defeated.

The culture of the Brexiters is that the ends justify the means: that any action that ensures Brexit is justified, no matter the price in terms of law, decency or democratic principles.  This latest example of political chicanery over the voting procedure is of a piece with their dishonest campaign in 2016, their breaches of electoral law and their willingness to use race to win the referendum.  Because they can’t win the argument for ripping the UK out of the EU, they resort to trickery and subterfuge to get their way.  

It is time for MPs to stand up to their bullying, reject Raab’s procedural device and insist that there is a proper opportunity for the Commons to express its view about the most important decision this country has taken since the war.

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Edited by Luke Lythgoe

6 Responses to “Brexiters’ chicanery shows they aren’t winning argument”

  • So, apparently, a “meaningful vote” includes those votes which would be pointless, as voting on amendments after the Commons has either accepted or rejected the deal? This is well in-line with the previous trickery and lies which distinguished the Brexit campaign. If this is accepted then the idea of bringing the country together becomes just another item to kick down the road. After all, the country will respond exactly as you would expect, after being asked to be fooled twice.

  • Clearly, Dominic Raab’s proposal is ridiculous and must be rejected. It is incredible that he could even make such a proposal which is an insult to Parliament itself.

    ” Brexit at any price ” is the policy of this government, whatever the consequences.
    Has there been any precedent for this kind of behaviour by a UK government in the past ?

  • Dominic Raab is trying to engineer a situation where any amendment could only be after the meaningful vote. So an amendment for a Peoples Vote, for example, could only happen after a prior vote that we were leaving anyway (with a Government Deal or No Deal). In which case the ‘meaningful vote’ would be meaningless. Raab is quoted as saying “‘the meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal could not be allowed to prevent or delay the UK’s departure from the EU.” So what would its point be? It just typifies the manipulative and underhand methods used by certain ministers, of which Dominic Raab appears to be a prime example.

    Lets not forget that in the original Commons motion, the pro EU Tory Grieve got a promise from the Government that the meaningful vote could be amended. On that basis the Government were not defeated in that motion. It now appears, the Government spokesmen just lied to Grieve to ensure they were not defeated, and are now going back on their promise.
    I hope that Grieve and enough other MPs stay alert to this outrage, and ensure that Raab and his cohorts are prevented from just trampling over the parliamentary process. This may be the last chance to get a Peoples Vote.

  • Nick Kent is absolutely right that “they can’t win the argument for ripping the UK out of the EU” and so cheat. This is the lesson we ought to have learnt from the referendum campaign. Remain saw it as a debate. For Leave, it was total war. We won the debate. They won the war.

    -A.

  • This clearly specifies the anti-democratic, autocratic and tyrannical methods and objectives of the Brexiteers. Forget the people, forget Parliament and destroy both democracy and the rule of law. Long live the revolution!

  • This government is a total disgrace! In every single respect! The transparent dishonesty is becoming more noticeable by the day, as is the decision to subvert democracy , firstly by invoking Henry V111, the refusal to allow the police to investigate the cheating ,monetary or otherwise, of the Brexit vote, and it’s obvious oblivion to the fact Brexit will irreparably damage the nation as a whole! Tearing families apart, ruining businesses,causing loss of jobs, and ruining the whole country so they can stash more money in tax havens! The EU directive on tax crackdowns were nicely timed for the Brexit vote, and the EU directive to bring British pensions in line with their European equivalents, equally so!
    This government has completely abandoned it’s responsibility to look after its citizens interects, in favour of their own personal interests ! It’s a complete disgrace !