Dozens of Labour MPs have backed a rebel backbench motion that would keep Britain in the EU were Theresa May fail to negotiate a deal.
The amendment to the Queen’s Speech, proposed by MP Chuka Umunna, is at odds with Labour’s front bench, which says leaving the EU is settled as an issue.
49 Labour MPs voted for the backbench motion, which also says the UK should stay in the single market and Customs Union. The amendment was defeated by 101 votes to 322, with 34 SNP, 12 Lib Dem, 4 Plaid Cymru, 1 Green and 1 Independent MP also backing the motion.
The result of the vote emphasises the split in the opposition party about how to deal with Britain leaving the EU.
Labour’s manifesto says the party “accepts the referendum result and will put the national interest first”.
It says it would “prioritise jobs and living standards, build a close new relationship with the EU, protect workers’ rights and environmental standards, provide certainty to EU nationals and give a meaningful role to Parliament throughout the negotiations”.
The party’s leadership wants Parliament to be given a “meaningful vote” on the final Brexit deal and says Britain should negotiate a deal that provides exactly the same benefits of staying in the single market.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna proposed the amendment, which was defeated with 101 votes (Getty)
However the backbench amendment proposed by Mr Umunna goes further and wants the Government to “rule out withdrawal from the EU without a deal”, and “set out proposals to remain within the Customs Union and Single Market”.
The full text of the amendment suggests that the House of Commons “respectfully regret that the Gracious Speech does not rule out withdrawal from the EU without a deal, guarantee a Parliamentary vote on any final outcome to negotiations, set out transitional arrangements to maintain jobs, trade and certainty for business, set out proposals to remain within the Customs Union and Single Market, set out clear measures to respect the competencies of the devolved administrations, and include clear protections for EU nationals living in the UK now, including retaining their right to remain in the UK, and reciprocal rights for UK citizens”.
Brexit Concerns
Theresa May: UK to leave single market
Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". GettyLead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs
Brexit will put British patients at the “back of the queue” for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned – forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA – because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty ImagesLondon to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks
One of Germany’s top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as “gateway to Europe” for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the Bundesbank—Germany’s central bank—told a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were “equivalent” between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still “miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market”, the BBC reports. Jason HawkesExodus
The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union ShutterstockBrexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer
Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEO’s performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterling’s fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. RexThe motion was backed by Labour MPs including John Woodcock, Luciana Berder, Ben Bradshaw, and Mike Gapes.
Liberal Democrats including Sir Vince Cable and Tim Farron signed the motion, as well as SNP and Plaid Cymru MPs support it.
Theresa May said at the start of the year in her Lancaster House speech that Britain will be leaving the single market and customs union.