As the United Kingdom continues to navigate its way through the aftermath of the Brexit vote, the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) has become a focal point of political tension. The WAB was designed to put the provisions of the Brexit deal into UK law, but it has proven to be a contentious issue, with parties on both sides of the Brexit debate voicing their objections. The most recent vote on the WAB came on October 22, 2019, and it resulted in a breakdown that was both revealing and surprising.
The vote was held in the House of Commons, with 329 MPs voting in favor of the WAB and 299 voting against. This was a positive result for the government, as it gave them a majority of 30, but it was still a relatively close call. The breakdown of the vote was the real story, with a number of interesting observations that highlight the complexities of the Brexit issue.
Firstly, it`s worth noting that not all MPs voted along party lines. The Conservative party, which is currently in power, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the WAB, with 283 out of 298 MPs voting yes. However, there were also 19 Conservative MPs who voted against the bill, including former Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond. On the other side of the aisle, the Labour party voted nearly unanimously against the WAB, with only six Labour MPs voting in favor. Interestingly, independent MPs and members of other parties were more likely to vote in favor of the WAB than Labour members.
Another interesting pattern in the vote breakdown was geographic. MPs from England and Wales voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, with 332 out of 354 MPs voting yes. In contrast, MPs from Scotland and Northern Ireland voted overwhelmingly against, with only one MP from Northern Ireland voting in favor. This reflects the ongoing tensions between these regions and Westminster, with many Scottish and Northern Irish MPs arguing that the WAB does not represent the interests of their constituents.
The vote breakdown also highlights the generational divide that has emerged in the Brexit debate. Younger MPs were much more likely to vote against the bill, while older MPs were more likely to vote in favor. This reflects the broader generational divide in British society, with younger people more likely to be in favor of remaining in the EU and older people more likely to support leaving.
Overall, the breakdown of the WAB vote reveals a complex set of factors at play in the Brexit debate. While it`s clear that the Conservative government has the support of a majority of MPs, there are still significant divisions within both parties on this issue. As Brexit continues to dominate British politics, it`s likely that these divisions will only become more pronounced.