MPs pass 'Brexit betrayal' vote on rejoining customs union after crunch Commons debate

The vote was evenly split with 100 MPs supporting calls to bind Britain to Brussels's rule-taking trade arrangement and 100 MPs voting against.

Deputy Speaker Caroline Nokes, who had the whip removed by Boris Johnson after rebelling against Brexit in September 2019, was called to cast the deciding vote.

However, Ms Nokes pointed out that her casting vote was merely following parliamentary precedent.

"In accordance with precedent, I will cast the casting vote aye to allow further debate," Ms Nokes said.

Despite narrowly receiving support from MPs at this stage, the Ten Minute Rule Bill is unlikely to become law unless it receives the support of Sir Keir Starmer's Government.

The proposed legislation to rejoin the customs union will return to the House of Commons for its second reading on January 16 next year.

Liberal Democrat MPs spearheaded today's vote in favour of negotiating a customs arrangement with the European Union, with 65 voting for the proposed bill.

Meanwhile, 13 Labour MPs made the manifesto-breaking decision to also vote in favour of closer customs ties with the Brussels bloc.

However, 89 Tory MPs, four Reform UK MPs and three Labour MPs were joined by Unionist MPs from Northern Ireland opposing the move.

Brexiteers have warned that rejoining the EU's customs union would mark a betrayal of the democratic vote to leave the European Union in 2016.

The British public voted by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to leave the Brussels bloc.

Rejoining the customs union would severely restrict the UK's ability to strike its own free trade agreements, including its deals with the US and India.

The Prime Minister, who over the weekend refused to rule out rejoining the EU, remains committed to his manifesto commitment to keep the UK outside of the single market and customs union.

A No10 spokesman instead insisted: “Our focus is on strengthening our relationship with EU and reducing friction with our EU partners”.

However, Sir Keir is facing pressure from Labour MPs to break his manifesto commitment, with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy breaking ranks to call for the UK to rejoin the customs union.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and ex-Labour leader Lord Kinnock have also suggested the UK should consider rejoining the EU in recent months.

Sir Keir's Government is considering loosening migration rules between the UK and EU by pursuing a youth mobility scheme with the 27-member bloc.

Such an arrangement could send Britain's migration figures soaring, with analysis conducted by GB News suggesting a youth mobility programme would likely lead to hundreds of thousands flooding into Britain every year.

During today's Ten Minute Rule Bill, Dr Pinkerton told MPs his customs union bill would "cut red tape, unlock investment and restore certainty to British business".

The Surrey Heath MP warned Brexit had been "an abject economic failure" which had "choked business investment, shattered economic resilience, strangled trade, stifled the economy and left everyone of us poorer".

Despite having voted against Brexit in 2016, Tory MP Simon Hoare urged his colleagues against backing the proposed legislation.

Mr Hoare argued that joining a customs union would go against the wishes of the public who backed Brexit in the referendum and would create uncertainty for businesses.

"There is neither interest in it nor appetite for it," he added.

Following today's vote, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “Today was a historic victory for the Liberal Democrats – winning a vote in Parliament to finally end the economic nightmare of the Conservatives' broken Brexit deal.

“Across the country, people are crying out for real change and a solution to the cost-of-living crisis.

"A customs union with the EU is the single biggest step the Government could take to grow our economy, put money back into people's pockets and generate billions for our public services.

“The Prime Minister must now listen to Parliament and the public, drop his self-imposed red lines and finally go for proper growth through an ambitious trade deal with the EU."