Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya votes against government in EU Withdrawal Bill

The Labour MP backed negotiations for a continued customs union and access to the EU internal market.

She also supported transferring the EU’s charter of fundamental rights into domestic law and guaranteeing the right of challenge to a domestic law if it fails to comply with the general principles of EU law.

Other amendments the MP supported included:

. Maintaining EU environmental protections in domestic law, with a body to enforce compliance

. Preventing EU law on areas such as work, health and safety, and environmental standards, being modified by secondary legislation without the approval of Parliament

. Making any date to leave the EU subject to parliamentary approval

. Limiting the scope of ministers to amend retained EU law under secondary legislation

. Allowing MPs to have a “meaningful vote” on the final deal.

Ms Onasanya did, however, follow the wishes of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn by abstaining on a vote to oblige the Government to prioritise staying in the European Economic Area.

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara, a government minister, continually voted against Ms Onasanya (and with the Government).

Mr Vara yesterday angrily denied a national newspaper report which claimed he was considering resigning as a minister over Brexit.

The main purposes of the bill are to end the supremacy of EU law in the UK, and to transfer existing EU law into UK law so the same rules and regulations apply on the day after Brexit.

Speaking before voting began, Ms Onasanya said: “I have been looking at the legislation quite carefully. Labour’s priority is to respect the outcome of the referendum and ensure we get a deal that protects jobs and the economy.

“We believe that the Tories have been far too rigid in their approach and this is diminishing Britain’s chances of achieving a positive outcome. We will continue to argue that protecting people’s livelihoods should be a priority, not ideology.”

The MP also tweeted yesterday that she was going to be voting for “a strong new relationship with the Single Market, a new comprehensive UK-EU customs union, no hard border between Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland.”

Nearly 61 per cent of Peterborough voted to Leave the EU.

Deputy leader of Peterborough City Council Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald, a Conservative councillor, tweeted last night: “Despite calling for @FionaOnasanyaMP to respect the referendum result and the clear wishes of most residents in P’Boro she ignored the majority and voted to frustrate and block the Brexit vote over the last 2 days. You should let her know if you are unhappy about her decision.”