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Bristol West MP defends decision to abstain from Brexit single market vote
Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire has defended her decision to abstain from voting on an amendment for Britain to remain in the single market after Brexit.
Her failure to defy the party whip on Thursday night came under fire from constituents – the majority of whom voted to remain in the EU – and opponents, including former parliamentary rival Green MEP Molly Scott Cato.
In a tweet, Scott Cato said: “After everything you said, I genuinely don’t understand why you didn’t vote for single market amendment. It’s vital for Bristol’s economy.”
The amendment, tabled by the Labour MP Chuka Umunna explicitly stated that the UK should remain in the single market and the customs union, and was defeated by 322 votes to 101.
Debbonaire, who retained her seat with a huge majority in the General Election, has responded to criticism, saying: “I am absolutely clear now, as I was last year when I campaigned for it, that the best possible relationship for the UK to have with the EU is to remain a full member of the EU.”
The MP made headlines last year with her criticism of Jeremy Corbyn, but argued that she while wants to see Britain retain access to the single market and customs union, she did not feel that, in this instance, defying the Labour whip and voting for this amendment was the way to achieve this.
“This referendum result is a mess of the Tory government’s making and it should be for them to clear it up,” said Debbonaire on Friday.
“I place the responsibility for that on them. Our job as the opposition is to hold them to account. Which we are doing.
“If, as looks very likely, the government is not able to fulfil their commitment to negotiating ‘the exact same benefits’ as being members of the single market and customs union, we will vote against the deal.”
Labour tabled an amendment to the Queen’s Speech on Thursday, amendment L.
This included a call for the Government to deliver the exact same benefits the UK currently has as an EU member, including remaining a member of the single market, ensuring there is no weakening in security and policing and protecting the rights of EU nationals living in the UK, and vice versa.
Debbonaire said she voted for amendment L, which was narrowly defeated, as it covered everything and more of Umunna’s motion, which is why she abstained from the latter.
She was also one of the signatories to an open letter from Labour MPs asking for membership of the Single European Market to remain on the table and said her commitment to representing the people of Bristol West remains the same, adding: “I will do everything I can to stop the UK from leaving the EU.”
The new MP for Bristol North West, Darren Jones, who has put Brexit front and centre of his agenda, joined Labour colleague Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) in defying Corbyn’s orders and voting for the amendment.
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