These are the Labour MPs who voted against the EEA last night:
Sir Kevin Barron (Rother Valley)
Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley)
Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire)
Frank Field (Birkenhead)
Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse)
Caroline Flint (Don Valley)
Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North)
Mike Hill (Hartlepool)
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall)
Kevan Jones (North Durham)
John Mann (Bassetlaw)
Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)
Laura Smith (Crewe and Nantwich)
Gareth Snell (Stoke-on-Trent Central)
John Spellar (Warley)
Graham Stringer (Blackley and Broughton)
I never thought that I would see the day when I commended some of them, and in at least one case I only hope that my Campaign Patrons can forgive me. But here we are.
As for the other side, one name on that list is downright bizarre, but none of the rest has any meaningful channel of communication to the Leadership, to put it politely. Whereas this Roll of Honour includes the first MP to nominate Jeremy Corbyn for Leader, as well as the man who will be greeted like a rock star by a six-figure crowd when he speaks alongside Corbyn at next month's Durham Miners' Gala.
None of the pro-EEA lot runs any risk of losing their seat, because the only people who vote based on Brexit are the 3.5 million people who voted Remain and then voted Conservative. 1.8 million of those are in the South, where they are now on course to flip between 10 and 20 seats, if not more, to the Liberal Democrats.
The Conservatives are going full headless chicken about this barely reported threat. Be in no doubt that Theresa May, whose own constituency voted Remain and who has no political or personal ties to anyone who did not, will bring back a deal that involved staying in the Single Market and the Customs Union. She will then put that to a referendum at which the only other option will be to remain in the EU altogether. There will be no Third Way.
It is notable that, while five Parliamentary Private Secretaries resigned in order to vote in favour of the EEA, only Laura Smith resigned as a Shadow Minister, and she did so in order to vote against it. Another of the 2017 intake, also sitting for a Leave constituency, is the MP for North West Durham.
She, however, did not resign her front bench position, Shadowing a Ministry that does not exist, in order to vote against the EEA. My crowdfunding page has been taken down without my knowledge or consent. But you can still email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com instead, and that address accepts PayPal.
None of the pro-EEA lot runs any risk of losing their seat, because the only people who vote based on Brexit are the 3.5 million people who voted Remain and then voted Conservative. 1.8 million of those are in the South, where they are now on course to flip between 10 and 20 seats, if not more, to the Liberal Democrats.
The Conservatives are going full headless chicken about this barely reported threat. Be in no doubt that Theresa May, whose own constituency voted Remain and who has no political or personal ties to anyone who did not, will bring back a deal that involved staying in the Single Market and the Customs Union. She will then put that to a referendum at which the only other option will be to remain in the EU altogether. There will be no Third Way.
It is notable that, while five Parliamentary Private Secretaries resigned in order to vote in favour of the EEA, only Laura Smith resigned as a Shadow Minister, and she did so in order to vote against it. Another of the 2017 intake, also sitting for a Leave constituency, is the MP for North West Durham.
She, however, did not resign her front bench position, Shadowing a Ministry that does not exist, in order to vote against the EEA. My crowdfunding page has been taken down without my knowledge or consent. But you can still email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com instead, and that address accepts PayPal.
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