The Tories’ ERG backbenchers will vote for Brexit deal tomorrow
The Tories’ group of hardline Brexiteers will vote for Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal tomorrow in the House of Commons.
The European Research Group’s (ERG) “star chamber”, which is its legal committee, met today and decided that the deal is “consistent with the restoration of UK sovereignty”.
The meeting was led by Eurosceptic Conservative MP Bill Cash and took place at 2pm this afternoon.
The ERG’s deputy leader David Jones tweeted: “The European Research Group’s legal advisory committee (“star chamber”) has delivered its opinion on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and has concluded that it is consistent the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.”
Legislation to enshrine the post-Brexit trade deal into law will come before the House of Commons at 9.30am tomorrow, with a vote expected around 2.30pm.
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The bill will then be brought to the House of Lords shortly after, with Downing Street expecting it to get Royal Assent late on Wednesday night.
The ERG’s backing of the bill is another sure sign that it will pass through the House of Commons tomorrow, however it likely would not have mattered either way as Sir Keir Starmer has instructed Labour to also vote it through.
Starmer’s decision has caused consternation among some remainer Labour MPs, with a swathe of backbenchers expected to abstain or vote against the trade deal.
There has also been speculation that some shadow cabinet members could also rebel against Starmer, which would put their positions in jeopardy.
Starmer said the deal was “thin”, but that it was in the national interest to vote for it.
“It is about being a serious, responsible opposition,” he said.
“At a moment of such national significance, it is not credible for Labour to be on the sidelines.”
The Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party (SNP) will vote against the bill.