Caroline Lucas slams MPs voting down their own say over Brexit negotiations

Caroline Lucas pointed out the irony of MPs voting to have less say in the Brexit negotiations after her new clause to the WAB was not passed. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire/PA Images - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

MPs have voted down an amendment to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) which would have given them basic oversight on the process of Brexit negotiations.

And in further #NewsFromTheChamber:

Tory MPs vote to give themselves *less* say on our future relationship with EU

What did they enter parliament for? Don't they want a say?

Thanks to the 251 MPs who backed my amendment - sorry it wasn't enough to ensure democratic oversight
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) January 8, 2020

New Clause 6, proposed by Caroline Lucas, was designed to enshrine elements of parliamentary scrutiny over the process of securing a Brexit deal, and aimed to replace an earlier clause with similar goals that the government scrapped after its overwhelming election victory.

However Lucas’ New Clause 6 was yesterday voted down by 347 votes to 251, effectively vetoing any vote for MPs on the final deal.

Arguing in favour of her amendment in the Independent, Lucas said that without it, “The House of Commons will have no oversight on the government’s negotiating objectives, no right to be kept updated on the progress of negotiations, and no vote on the final deal with Brussels”.

Not having this basic oversight, she argued, would be a “new low”.

“Parliamentarians are being refused their right to scrutinise the government on one of the most important issues facing our country,” wrote Lucas.

Admitting that the clause had little chance of success without Conservative support, Lucas said that Boris Johnson aimed to “turn off the lights” of democratic scrutiny.

Reacting to the amendment’s rejection in parliament, the Brighton Pavilion MP tweeted: “Tory MPs vote to give themselves *less* say on our future relationship with EU.

“What did they enter parliament for? Don’t they want a say?”

She thanked the 251 MPs who backed her amendment.