British MPs have fired a warning shot across the government’s bows as they backed an amendment intended to limit ministers’ tax raising powers in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The Commons voted by 303 to 296 – a majority of seven – in favor of the cross-party amendment to the Finance Bill tabled by senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Conservative former Cabinet minister Nicky Morgan.
Very glad that the Commons has voted to support #Amendment7 Shows the determination in Parliament to come together to prevent a chaotic & damaging #NoDeal that would hit manufacturing, policing & security
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) January 8, 2019
Twenty Tory rebels MPs defied the whips to back the change – including former ministers Kenneth Clarke, Michael Fallon, Justine Greening, Dominic Grieve and Sam Gyimah.
Ahead of the division, ministers sought to play down the significance of the amendment, insisting it made only the “most minor and technical changes” to the legislation.
Downing Street described it as an “inconvenience” which would not prevent the government collecting taxes.
“That is why we are taking every opportunity possible in Parliament to prevent no deal. Theresa May must now rule out no deal once and for all.”
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