REMAINER REVOLT
Fury as senior Commons official ‘secretly plots with Tory rebels to derail Brexit’
Dominic Grieve has been working with one of Parliament's top officials on a bill to delay Article 50
PRO-EU rebels have teamed up with a top Commons official to try and block Brexit, it emerged today.
Tory MP Dominic Grieve has been working with one of Parliament's senior clerks to draw up a bill which would delay our EU departure.
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The revelation sparked fury among Brexiteers who fear an Establishment stitch-up will keep the UK tied to Brussels.
Mr Grieve, a keen second referendum campaigner, is set to table a bill grabbing control of Brexit from the Government.
Under the terms of the bill, Article 50 - the formal mechanism taking us out of the EU - could be suspended on the say-so of 300 MPs.
That means Parliament could suspend Brexit without the support of a majority of Parliament's 650 MPs.
Now it's emerged Mr Grieve drew up the bill with the help of Colin Lee, clerk of bills at the House of Commons.
The pair communicated in secret emails .
Mr Lee proposed the idea of suspending Article 50 without having to pass a law, telling Mr Grieve: "We have been thinking that legislation is needed, but it occurs to me that the substantive motion, say calling for Article 50 extension, could be made."
He added: "What follows is just for you and you will understand the terms."
BREXITEERS BLAST
Critics claimed the clerk had gone beyond the usual duty of helping MPs avoid mistakes in drafting bills.
Brexiteer shop steward Steve Baker said: "Of course clerks are there to assist members but Dominic is now working to overturn the normal procedures of Parliament and to overturn them in the cause of overturning a referendum result. I’m appalled."
But Labour's Hilary Benn defended Mr Grieve and Mr Lee.
He told the BBC: "MPs doing their job are not plotters, they are trying to sort out the mess the Prime Minister has created.
"To attack House of Commons clerks and suggest they're part of a conspiracy is a disgrace - our clerks are resolutely impartial, their integrity is absolute."
A spokesman for the Commons told The Sun: "Clerks of the House of Commons provide advice to all Members of Parliament, of all viewpoints, on the drafting of many items of Parliamentary business, such as bills, motions and amendments. This advice is done on a rigorously impartial basis."
Downing Street hit out at the attempt to take Brexit out of the Government's hands.
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A spokesman said: "Any attempt to remove the Government's power to meet the legal conditions of an orderly exit at this moment of historic significance is extremely concerning."
Leave campaigners are now gearing up for a possible second referendum as Brexit uncertainty continues.
Donors are funding a new campaign headquarters to allow Brexiteers to fight in any re-run of the 2016 poll.
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