How did Bedfordshire’s MPs vote on last night’s Brexit options

Politicians were asked to vote on eight possible options for Britain’s Brexit future in Parliament on Wednesday night - and just like the rest of the country, Bedfordshire’s MPs were divided on their opinions.
Bedfordshire's MPsBedfordshire's MPs
Bedfordshire's MPs

Here is how they directed their support.

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries (Mid Beds) was true to her track record as the most hardline Brexiteer. She only supported the options of a No Deal Brexit, and the optiion of immediately leaving the EU whilst continuing to pay money to the EU for two years in exchange for a free trade agreement.

Fellow Tory Andrew Selous (South West Beds) did not support any of the proposals. He abstained on the two options that Ms Dorries supported, and voted against the other six.

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Alistair Burt (North East Beds) resigned from the government earlier this week. Long seen as a pro-European Conservative, he supported three different options which would have variations on remaining in the European single market and/or a customs union with the EU. He abstained on the proposals for a second referendum or cancelling Brexit.

The county’s only Labour MP, Mohammad Yasin (Bedford and Kempston), supported five of the eight options. These were remaining in the single market and seeking a temporary customs union with the EU; a customs union with the EU; Labour’s alternative plan to change the withdrawal agreement; cancelling Brexit; and a second referendum.

Gavin Shuker (Luton South), who recently quit Labour for the The Independent Group, supported both cancelling Brexit and a second referendum.

Independent MP Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) did not vote.

Each option listed:

No-deal: Leaving the EU on 12 April without a deal

Supporters - Nadine Dorries.

Common Market 2.0: Remaining in the European single market and seeking a temporary customs union with the EU

Supporters - Alistair Burt, Mohammad Yasin.

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EFTA and EEA: Remaining in the European single market but not forming a customs union with the EU

Supporters - Alistair Burt.

Customs union: Seeking a UK-wide customs union with the EU

Supporters - Alistair Burt, Mohammad Yasin.

Labour’s alternative plan: Negotiating changes to the withdrawal agreement so that it includes protections to workers’ rights, a permanent customs union, and close alignment to the single market

Supporters - Mohammad Yasin.

Revoke Article 50: Cancelling Brexit if the UK gets within days of leaving the EU without a deal

Supporters - Mohammad Yasin, Gavin Shuker.

Second referendum: Holding another public vote to confirm any withdrawal agreement agreed by Parliament

Supporters - Mohammad Yasin, Gavin Shuker.

Standstill arrangement: Seeking a tariff-free trade agreement with the EU that will last for two years, during which time Britain will contribute to the EU budget

Supporters - Nadine Dorries.