Theresa May refuses to vote with ‘reckless and irresponsible’ Boris Johnson

The controversial UK Internal Market Bill – which gives ministers the power to break international law – completed its passage through the Commons with a majority of 84 and now goes to the Lords, John Rentoul writes

Theresa May last week savaged her successor for breaking international law (BBC)

Boris Johnson got his controversial bill through the House of Commons last night, but without the support of his predecessor. Theresa May agrees with all four other living former prime ministers – John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron – in opposing Johnson’s policy. As the only one still in the Commons, she had the chance to vote on the matter.

The question on which MPs voted last night was the prime minister’s willingness to tear up the EU withdrawal agreement. The UK Internal Market Bill takes powers for ministers to “disapply” the terms of the withdrawal agreement – that is, to repudiate an international treaty. Many Tory MPs were unhappy about the damage that this would do to Britain’s reputation, but most of them were bought off by a clause written into the bill guaranteeing parliament a further vote before those powers are actually invoked.

But not May. She decided to abstain, having last week made her view absolutely clear that Johnson was acting “recklessly and irresponsibly”.