The Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, and his predecessor, Tim Farron, have been criticised for missing the votes on two government-backed amendments tabled by hardline Brexiters after they passed with a majority of just three.
Cable and Farron, who have positioned the Lib Dems as the stop-Brexit party, were away from the Commons on Monday night during the vote on amendments tabled by Jacob Rees-Mogg’s hardline European Research Group (ERG).
Farron was giving a talk in Sherborne on how he squares his controversial views as an evangelical Christian with being a liberal politician. Cable was attending a meeting away from parliament.
Downing Street claimed the amendments were “consistent with the Brexit white paper”, a decision that so incensed Tory remainers that 14, including a junior minister, voted against the government.
After the government won two of the votes with a majority of just three remain-backing Labour MPs turned on Cable and Farron – although three Labour MPs, and a former Labour MP, also backed the government.
Stephen Kinnock (@SKinnock)
Last night two Brextremist-driven amendments were carried by a whisker – 3 and 4 votes, respectively. 14 Tories rebelled. Tim Farron and Vince Cable (those doughty, fearless crusaders against a hard Brexit) didn’t vote. This was how Tim spent his evening: https://t.co/Iz5dHz9RHL
