A cross-party group of MPs has forced through an emergency bill in less than six hours to instruct Theresa May to seek an extension to article 50 and avoid a no-deal Brexit, despite government opposition.
The bill, spearheaded by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and the Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin, passed late into the night, with MPs defeating a number of obstructive amendments from both Brexiters and the government.
It finally passed its third reading about half an hour before midnight by just one vote – 313 ayes to 312 noes – and must now pass the House of Lords.
The bill was almost scuppered during a frenzied day in parliament after MPs initially voted by a majority of just one – 312 to 311 – to let the snap bill proceed.
Cooper and Letwin then had six hours to pass the bill’s second reading, committee stage and third reading through the House of Commons.
Minutes before the narrow first vote, an amendment from Labour’s Hilary Benn to grant more time was blocked in extraordinary circumstances, as the Speaker, John Bercow, was forced to make the casting vote after a tied result in the Commons.
Benn’s amendment, which would have given MPs control over the order paper on Monday to hold further indicative votes, fell after MPs’ votes were tied with 310 each way.
Bercow said it was precedent for the Speaker to vote with the government, which…
