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Secret Brexit Impact Papers MUST Be Published By Government, Commons Decides
Ministers are to be forced to publish secret papers on the impact of Brexit on the UK economy after a landmark Commons defeat for the Government.
Labour hailed a major “victory for Parliament and democracy” as MPs passed an Opposition Day motion demanding that the confidential documents be handed over to a select committee.
Commons Speaker John Bercow ruled that the vote was binding on ministers and insisted that they had to respond as soon as possible.
He said that ministers could find themselves in contempt of Parliament if they refused the expressed will of the Commons.
After hours of passionate debate, Brexit minister Steve Baker decided against putting the motion to a vote amid fears that Tory rebels were set to side with Labour to demand publication.
On Monday the government published the list of 58 sectors that have been looked at, ranging from aerospace and aviation to tourism and legal services.
But it has argued that releasing them would undermine its negotiating position with the EU.
Labour used an archaic Parliamentary tactic, called ‘an Humble Address’, to force a binding vote to demand the hand-over of the confidential papers.
During the debate, Tory MPs Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and even Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg called for the documents to be sent to the Brexit Select Committee.
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