Burnham-On-Sea’s MP James Heappey was among the politicians who failed to back any of the proposals for the next steps of Brexit during a Parliament debate on Monday evening (April 1st).
The Commons voted on four motions for leaving the EU, including a customs union and a Norway-style arrangement – keeping the UK in the single market – but none gained a majority.
Mr Heappey said that he had “Voted no to all four options. Can’t see how any of them are a better outcome than PM’s deal. And I must honour manifesto on which I was elected – to deliver Brexit. CU & Common Market 2.0 is not Brexit, no matter how you dress it up. There is a route forward, but it’s not these.”
Burnham’s MP has voted for Theresa May’s plan that she negotiated with the EU twice, but it has been rejected twice by historic margins in Parliament. Mr Heappey also voted for the withdrawal agreement section of her deal last Friday, but it was voted down again by MPs.
Mrs May now has until 12th April to either seek a longer extension from the EU to take a different course or decide to leave the EU without a deal.
How James Heappey voted on Brexit indicative plans:
- AGAINST:Â Customs union: Seeking a UK-wide customs union with the EU (Ken Clarke’s proposal – 273 votes for, 276 against)
- AGAINST:Â Common Market 2.0: Remaining in the European single market and seeking a temporary customs union with the EU (Nick Boles’s proposal – 261 votes for, 282 against)
- AGAINST:Â Confirmatory referendum: Holding a public vote to confirm any withdrawal agreement agreed by Parliament (Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson’s proposal – 280 votes for, 292 against)
- AGAINST:Parliamentary supremacy: Power for MPs to block leaving with no-deal by cancelling Brexit if EU won’t grant a further extension beyond 12 April (Joanna Cherry’s proposal – 191 votes for, 292 against)
