WATCH: MPs 'being reduced to tears' by stress of constant Commons votes on Brexit
2 min read
MPs have been reduced to tears over the relentless Brexit voting process and they should be given "protection" against the strain, it has been claimed.
Tory MP Julian Lewis told the Commons he saw two colleagues at breaking point yesterday and appealed to Speaker John Bercow to find a way to stop the same question coming back to the House.
The Commons has already rejected Theresa May's Brexit deal on two occasions, and ministers are planning to bring it back again on Friday.
Dr Lewis said: “Yesterday I was quite shocked when attending a meeting of colleagues to find at least two, one male one female, in tears at the prospect of having yet again - having twice taken the difficult decision to vote against a three-line whip - of yet again of being put into the position of having to decide whether to do this again or not.
"I just wonder will there be some protection, particularly for younger members, not to be put in that sort of situation of being asked to come back again and again and again and again to vote on the same proposition?"
Mr Bercow backed the New Forest East MP’s sentiment, saying it reinforced the case for his decision to rule out a third meaningful vote unless it was "substantially" different from the last one.
The Speaker said: "I think many people will feel it is a powerful observation there are a number of reasons for the long-established convention the House is not asked to decide the same question more than once in the same session.
“In my own view it is a powerful reinforcement of the continuing case for the convention. I think he’s made an extremely important point and something of which colleagues of all levels need to reflect."
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