This morning the Daily Express had a shouty headline:
DEMOCRACY BETRAYED: Did YOUR MP ignore your Brexit vote? Find out here
I had a look myself. At first I thought 8 MPs had played hooky, but not so...The 634 MPs who did part in the vote are listed here by They Work For You:
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2019-01-15a.1020.0#g1121.0
That leaves 16 who didn't:
The Speaker, John Bercow, who is expected to remain neutral
Four Deputy Speakers, who are also expected to remain neutral:
Paul Flynn (Lab)
Sir Lindsay Hoyle (Lab)
Dame Eleanor Laing (Con)
Dame Rosie Winterton (Lab)
Four Tellers for the division (two from each of the major two parties, for balance, so not counted):
Iain Stewart (Con)
Wendy Morton (Con)
Vicky Foxcroft (Lab)
Nick Smith (Lab)
And seven Sinn Fein MPs who do not take their seats in Parliament, on principle:
Órfhlaith Begley
Mickey Brady
Michelle Gildernew
Chris Hazzard
Elisha McCallion
Paul Maskey
Francie Molloy
... so nobody failed to vote without good reason.
It's not often the whole House participates in a division.
Hi Sack
ReplyDeleteI'm on the other side of the pond, I don't understand what you mean by "DEMOCRACY BETRAYED"
I thought that exiting BRETIX gave your country control of their government and told the EU to get lost.
Hi Jim - I think the paper was implying that some MPs had neglected their duty to vote. As it turns out, not so.
ReplyDeleteFacebook makes one think twice about direct democracy, but with literally the future of the nation at stake, having a referendum was essential.
The black humour in 'they work for you'.
ReplyDeleteJim in San Marcos. Yes, we, the public were asked did we want to stay or leave, parliament agreed it was our decision and they would honour it, so we voted to leave. The tossers in our government are now determined to prevent us leaving. That's betraying democracy is it not?
ReplyDeleteSo why bother with the Fenians? They doest not their jobs they’re bleedin’ well being paid for.
ReplyDeleteA cursory check confirms that they are paid MPs salaries even though they don't take their seats. Perhaps there's a consistency issue here?
ReplyDelete