Labour MPs To Rebel Against Corbyn’s Three-Line Whip
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Jeremy Corbyn has stated he will impose a three-line whip on labour MPs to vote in favour of triggering Article 50 next week, and several frontbenchers including Tulip Siddiq (shadow minister for early years) are expected to carry out a rebellion. Siddiq stated that in any Article 50 bill she would vote with her strongly remain-leaning North London constituency, and she is among a group calling for free votes on the bill. A significant number of backbenchers have also said they will not vote for the bill, including Owen Smith, Ben Bradshaw, and David Lammy.
Shadow secretary for business, Clive Lewis, had also been expected to take part in a rebellion, but has since stated that he will “vote with his colleagues.” However he has also stated that he expects Theresa May to “listen to the British public,” and that Labour would seek to make amendments to the bill to prevent the government “using Brexit to trash our rights, public services, jobs and living standards while cutting taxes for the wealthiest.”
Other members of the shadow cabinet have also been reported to be against a three-line whip, but are not necessarily expected to rebel or resign. Shadow home sectary Diane Abbott, who has been vocal about her feelings on leaving the EU, is expected to vote in favour of the bill, alongside other anti-Brexit frontbenchers Debbie Abrahams and Dawn Butler.
Around 60 MPs are expected to rebel, however it has not yet become obvious whether they will be forced to resign to do so. Corbyn has expressed understanding at the difficult decision, stating Labour was in a “unique position,” of having constituencies that were very strongly pro-remain and some which were very strongly pro-Brexit.
“I say to everyone, unite around the important issues of jobs, economy, security, rights, justice, those issues, and we will frame that relationship with Europe in the future, outside Europe but in concert with friends, whether those countries are in the EU or outside the EU. That’s the message we’re putting out. And I’m asking all of our MPs not to block article 50 but to make sure it goes through next week.”