Rory Stewart MP has tonight made history and become the first non Conservative MP since 1950 to represent the “safe” Tory seat of Penrith and the Border.
Rory Stewart is tonight being stripped of the Conservative whip after voting against the government to give power to rebel MPs to block a no-deal Brexit.
A spokesman for Number 10 has tonight confirmed that the 21 Tory rebels are being stripped of the Tory whip.
I will be voting today against a no-deal Brexit pic.twitter.com/ELmBfNBMjq
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) September 3, 2019
After the result was announced PM Boris Johnson said: “Let there be no doubt about the consequences of this vote tonight.
“It means that parliament is on the brink of wrecking any deal we might be able to strike in Brussels.
“Because tomorrow’s bill would hand control of the negotiations to the EU.
“And that would mean more dither, more delay, more confusion.
“And it would mean that the EU themselves would be able decide how long to keep this country in the EU.
“And since I refuse to go along with that plan we are going to have to make a choice. I don’t want an election. The public don’t want an election. But if the House votes for this bill tomorrow, the public will have to choose who goes to Brussels on October 17 to sort this out and take this country forward.
“Everyone will know if the Rt Hon Gentleman is the prime minister, he will go to Brussels, he will beg for an extension, you will accept whatever Brussels demands and we’ll have years more arguments over Brexit.
“And by contrast, everyone will know that if I am prime minister, I will go to Brussels, I will go for a deal and get a deal but if they won’t do a deal we will leave anyway on 31 October.
“The people of this country will have to choose.
“The leader of the Opposition has been begging for an election for two years.
“I don’t want an election but if MPs vote tomorrow to stop the negotiations and to compel another pointless delay of Brexit, potentially for years, then that will be the only way to resolve this.
“I can confirm that tonight we will are tabling a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.”
Strange that a decision has been made to remove the whip from so many colleagues who were ministers so recently. Particularly when we voted repeatedly for a Brexit deal. I can’t think of a historical precedent. But I am not stepping down as an MP.
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) September 3, 2019
The 21 Tory MPs who voted with opposition for bill to rule out no deal
Rory Stewart’s constituency, Penrith and the Border voted to leave the EU, many now say Rory has failed to represent his constituents wishes and honour the will of the voters that put him in power.
Rory has not confirmed if he will now call a by-election and let the people of Penrith and the Border decide if they still want him to be their MP.
