Brexit Indictive Voting Week Commencing 25th March 2019

Last night we voted in Parliament on a number of “indicative” proposals that could have been put in place should the Government’s Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration not be approved before Monday.

The Speaker chose the following proposals for debate and vote.

I have indicated at the end of each proposal how I voted and why.

B) No deal
Mr John Baron
Sir David Amess
Martin Vickers
Stephen Metcalfe

That this House agrees that the UK shall leave the EU on 12 April 2019 without a deal.

This set out the current legal default position so I voted YES

(D) Common market 2.0
Nick Boles
Stephen Kinnock
Lucy Powell
Andrew Percy
Robert Halfon
Diana Johnson
George FreemanJustin MaddersAntoinette SandbachSeema MalhotraMr Jonathan DjanoglyMr Edward VaizeySir Nicholas SoamesJohn StevensonSir Oliver LetwinSir Mark HendrickHelen JonesMr Ivan LewisRichard BenyonMatt WesternJack DromeySimon HartPaul MastertonJess PhillipsRichard BurdenSteve McCabeNorman LambGraham P JonesChris BryantStephen TwiggLiz McInnesDavid HansonRuth GeorgeRushanara AliShabana Mahmood

That this House –
(1) directs Her Majesty’s Government to –
renegotiate the framework for the future relationship laid before the House on Monday 11 March 2019 with the title ‘Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom’ to provide that, on the conclusion of the Implementation Period and no later than 31 December 2020, the United Kingdom shall –

(a) accede to the European Free Trade Association (Efta) having negotiated a derogation from Article 56(3) of the Efta Agreement to allow UK participation in a comprehensive customs arrangement with the European Union,

(b) enter the Efta Pillar of the European Economic Area and thereby render operational the United Kingdom’s continuing status as a party to the European Economic Area Agreement and continuing participation in the Single Market,

(c) enter a comprehensive customs arrangement including a common external tariff at least until alternative arrangements that maintain frictionless trade with the European Union and no hard border on the island of Ireland have been agreed with the European Union,

(d) conclude an agreement with the European Union, which in accordance with Article 2 of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland of the Withdrawal Agreement supersedes the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland in full;

(e) develop and bring to this House proposals for full and fair enforcement of the rule that EEA migrants must be “genuinely seeking work” and have “sufficient resources not to become a burden on the UK’s social assistance system”, in accordance with the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006;

(2) resolves to make support for the forthcoming European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill conditional upon the inclusion of provisions for a Political Declaration revised in accordance with the provisions of this motion to be the legally binding negotiating mandate for Her Majesty’s Government in the forthcoming negotiation of the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Although this proposal was similar in some ways to the next proposal, which I supported, it does not recognise the 2016 Referendum result and would have kept us in a closer relationship with the EU than I would have preferred, therefore I voted NO.

(H) EFTA and EEA
George Eustice
Julian Sturdy
Jeremy Lefroy
John Stevenson
Nicky Morgan
Gordon Henderson
Simon HartPeter AldousRobert CourtsNeil ParishScott MannRobert HalfonAndrew PercyGeorge FreemanPaul Masterton

That this House recognises the democratic duty of Parliament to respect the result of the 2016 referendum whilst securing an orderly departure from the EU that preserves the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; notes that the UK is a signatory to the treaty establishing the European Economic Area and has not given notice to leave the EEA as is required under Article 127 of that agreement; further notes that the UK was a founding member of the European Free Trade Association in 1960 and therefore call on the Government to

(a) assert its existing rights as a signatory to the EEA,

(b) take necessary steps to make our rights and obligations as an EEA member operable on an emergency basis through the domestic courts,

(c) apply to re-join EFTA at the earliest opportunity to make the EEA agreement operable on a sustainable basis and

(d) decline to enter a customs union with the EU but seek agreement on new protocols relating to the Northern Ireland border and agri-food trade.

This proposal would have seen us leave the European Union, but at the same time have a trading relationship with the EU similar to that enjoyed by Norway and Switzerland. I voted YES

(J) Customs union
Mr Kenneth Clarke
Hilary Benn
Helen Goodman
Sir Oliver Letwin
Sarah Newton
Yvette Cooper
Jack DromeySir Nicholas SoamesSeema MalhotraRichard BenyonIan MurrayMartin WhitfieldRichard BurdenSteve McCabePaul FarrellyToby PerkinsDavid HansonRuth GeorgeClive EffordRushanara Ali

That this House instructs the Government to:

(1) ensure that any Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration negotiated with the EU must include, as a minimum, a commitment to negotiate a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU;

2) enshrine this objective in primary legislation.

This would not have honoured the Referendum vote so I voted NO

(K) Labour’s alternative plan
Jeremy Corbyn
Keir Starmer
Tom Watson
Emily Thornberry
Valerie Vaz
Mr Nicholas Brown
Seema MalhotraRichard BurdenJack DromeyGareth SnellHelen GoodmanToby PerkinsDavid HansonRuth GeorgeClive Efford

That this House requires Ministers to:

(a) negotiate changes to the draft Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration so as to secure:
(i) a permanent customs union with the EU;
(ii) close alignment with the single market underpinned by shared institutions and obligations;
(iii) dynamic alignment on rights and protections;
(iv) commitments on participation in EU agencies and funding programmes, including in areas such as the environment, education, and industrial regulation;
(v) agreement on the detail of future security arrangements, including access to the European Arrest Warrant and vital shared databases; and

(b) introduce primary legislation to give statutory status to the objectives set out in paragraph (a).

This Labour Party proposal would have kept us in the EU in all but name, so I voted NO

(L) Revocation to avoid no deal
Joanna Cherry
Mr Dominic Grieve
Sir Vince Cable
Liz Saville Roberts
Dr Sarah Wollaston
Mr Ben Bradshaw
Stephen GethinsMr Alistair CarmichaelTommy SheppardDeidre BrockKirsty BlackmanHywel WilliamsChris StephensDouglas ChapmanDr Philippa WhitfordHannah BardellTom BrakeJo SwinsonJamie StoneWera HobhouseLayla MoranTim FarronAnna SoubryMr Chris LeslieChuka UmunnaHeidi AllenMike GapesAnn CoffeyLuciana BergerMr Gavin ShukerAngela SmithJoan RyanMartin WhitfieldIan MurrayPaul FarrellyAnna McMorrinGed KillenRushanara Ali

If, on the day before the end of the penultimate House of Commons sitting day before exit day, no Act of Parliament has been passed for the purposes of section 13(1)(d) of the Withdrawal Act, Her Majesty’s Government must immediately put a motion to the House asking it to approve ‘No Deal’ and, if the House does not give its approval, Her Majesty’s Government must ensure that the notice given to the European Council under Article 50, of the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the European Union, is revoked in accordance with United Kingdom and European Union law.

This proposal would have kept us in the EU so I voted NO

(M) Confirmatory public vote
Margaret Beckett
Peter Kyle
Phil Wilson
Dr Philippa Whitford
Caroline Lucas
Justine Greening
Mr Dominic GrieveSir Vince CableDr Phillip LeeRushanara AliLiz Saville RobertsJohn CryerHilary BennRachel ReevesMeg HillierMary CreaghLilian GreenwoodKate GreenMr George HowarthMr Sam GyimahJoanna CherryIan MurrayGuto BebbMr Paul SweeneyMartin WhitfieldDebbie AbrahamsHeidi AllenDr Rosena Allin-KhanTonia AntoniazziLuciana BergerDr Roberta Blackman-WoodsMr Ben BradshawGraham P JonesMs Angela EagleTom BrakeChris BryantMs Karen BuckRuth CadburyMr Alistair CarmichaelAnn CoffeyAlex CunninghamSir Edward DaveyGeraint DaviesMarsha De CordovaAnneliese DoddsStephen DoughtyRosie DuffieldMaria EagleJonathan EdwardsJulie ElliottTim FarronJames FrithMike GapesPreet Kaur GillJohn GroganWera HobhouseDame Margaret HodgeDr Rupa HuqChristine JardineDarren JonesSarah JonesSusan Elan JonesLiz KendallGed KillenBen LakeNorman LambMr Chris LeslieClive LewisHolly LynchKerry McCarthyMr Pat McFaddenAlison McGovernCatherine McKinnellAnna McMorrinSeema MalhotraSandy MartinRachael MaskellChristian MathesonMrs Madeleine MoonLayla MoranJess PhillipsBridget PhillipsonEllie ReevesLloyd Russell-MoyleJoan RyanMr Virendra SharmaMr Barry SheermanMr Gavin ShukerTulip SiddiqAndy SlaughterAngela SmithOwen SmithAlex SobelAnna SoubryJo StevensJamie StoneWes StreetingJo SwinsonStephen TimmsAnna TurleyChuka UmunnaCatherine WestMatt WesternHywel WilliamsDr Paul WilliamsDr Sarah WollastonDame Louise EllmanDavid HansonDaniel ZeichnerRuth GeorgeNeil CoyleConor McGinnSteve McCabeMr David LammyStella CreasyAntoinette SandbachRichard BurdenHelen Hayes

That this House will not allow in this Parliament the implementation and ratification of any withdrawal agreement and any framework for the future relationship unless and until they have been approved by the people of the United Kingdom in a confirmatory public vote.

This proposal called for a "Peoples Vote" that they hoped would keep us in the EU, so I voted NO.

(O) Contingent preferential arrangements
Mr Marcus Fysh
Mr Steve Baker
Priti Patel
Dr Julian Lewis
Richard Drax
Mr William Wragg
Julia LopezSir David AmessLee RowleyMr Richard BaconAndrew BridgenSir Bernard JenkinMrs Sheryll MurrayMr Owen PatersonMr Simon ClarkeMr David JonesSir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Robert Courts

That this House directs that in case the UK is unable to implement a Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, Her Majesty’s Government shall seek to agree immediately and preferentially with the EU:

(a) a trade agreement and/or joint notification of trade preference covering 100 per cent of goods traded between the UK and EU under which no tariffs or quantitative restrictions will be applied between the parties and full cumulation of rules of origin which shall apply for a period of up to two years after the UK leaves the EU notwithstanding that these arrangements may be superseded or extended by further mutual agreement;

(b) a standstill period of mutual recognition of standards and conformity assessment for up to two years in which the UK will ensure compliance in the UK with the EU legislative acquis as adopted in Retained EU law under the EU Withdrawal Act on the day the UK leaves the EU notwithstanding that these arrangements may be superseded or extended by further mutual agreement;

(c) a customs arrangement consisting of advanced trade facilitation measures that enables and makes full and widespread use of simplified and subsidised procedures to perform customs and regulatory declarations and associated control processes away from UK/EU borders; and

(d) make provision for the payment of sums to the European Union in amounts equivalent to the UK’s current net annual financial contribution to the EU for up to two years in respect of the above agreements and arrangements.

This proposal honoured the Referendum result, but at the same time offered a sensible alternative withdrawal agreement and future trade relationship, so I voted YES.