Relief for Theresa May as Commons votes to defeat Brexit wrecking amendment by 319 votes to 303
The EU Withdrawal Bill is finally set to become law after Theresa May won a crunch Commons vote
THERESA May has won her final battle over the crucial Brexit bill - after Tory rebels backed down from their bid to inflict a humiliating Commons defeat.
Ringleader Dominic Grieve announced he would switch sides and back the Government after being told Parliament COULD get a say on what ministers do if talks with Brussels break down.
His U-turn, which came after a last-minute appeal from Mrs May, saw the Commons oppose the House of Lords' final wrecking amendment by 319 votes to 303 as just six Tories ended up rebelling against the PM.
Now the EU Withdrawal Bill - key to enacting the result of the Brexit referendum - can finally become law, nearly a year after it was first tabled.
Mr Grieve announced in the Commons that he was abandoning his revolt in response to an admission by ministers that if they fail to strike a Brexit deal with the EU, Parliament may get the chance to tell the Government what to do next.
David Davis issued a statement saying it will be up to the Commons Speaker John Bercow to rule on whether or not MPs can give specific instructions to ministers in the event of No Deal, rather than simply having a yes-or-no vote on the Government's strategy.
John Mann, a key Labour Brexiteer, said: “This amendment is dangerous and unacceptable - it makes a No Deal more likely.”
He was one of four Labour MPs to back the Government - but a number of other defied Jeremy Corbyn to abstain on the amendment.
In a sign of their desperation to win, the Government scrapped usual procedures designed to ensure MPs who are ill can still register a vote in the Commons.
Labour's Naz Shah, who is currently unwell, had to be pushed in to the chamber in a wheelchair with a sick bucket attached.
Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson also turned up to back the "meaningful vote" clause even though she is so heavily pregnant she is already past her due date.
This morning the Government was accused of playing procedural tricks after tabling a vote which would have stopped MPs getting a vote on Mr Grieve's amendment - forcing the backbencher to propose his motion afresh.
Labour's Chris Bryant said: "Normally when the Government gets too clever by half procedurally it ends in disaster."
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