Sinn Fein MPs were the only real abstentions in key Brexit vote

Sinn Fein’s seven MPs were the only voluntary abstentions in Tuesday’s key vote on the Withdrawal Agreement, and were among the only voluntary abstentions the following day, in the confidence motion.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Jan 2019, 11:14 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2019, 17:34 BST
MPs in the House of Commons, London after they rejected Labour's motion of no confidence in Theresa May's Government by 325 votes to 306. Sinn Fein were among the only voluntary abstentions in that division, and the previous day they were the only fully voluntary abstentions on the Withdrawal Agreement. Photo: House of Commons/PA WireMPs in the House of Commons, London after they rejected Labour's motion of no confidence in Theresa May's Government by 325 votes to 306. Sinn Fein were among the only voluntary abstentions in that division, and the previous day they were the only fully voluntary abstentions on the Withdrawal Agreement. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire
MPs in the House of Commons, London after they rejected Labour's motion of no confidence in Theresa May's Government by 325 votes to 306. Sinn Fein were among the only voluntary abstentions in that division, and the previous day they were the only fully voluntary abstentions on the Withdrawal Agreement. Photo: House of Commons/PA Wire

A total of 634 MPs voted in the crucial Withdrawal Agreement division on January 15 (202 backed it, 432 opposed it).

That means that 16 of the 650 MPs did not vote. However, this is a misleading figure, because eight of those MPs cannot vote: the speaker and his three deputies, and the four tellers (two for the ayes, two for the nos).

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That leaves eight MPs who could have voted but did not. But one of the eight, Paul Flynn, (Labour, Newport West) is gravely ill and could not realistically vote.

Thus only the seven SF MPs chose not to attend.

In the confidence motion on Wednesday, which the government won by 325 votes to 306. Nineteen MPs did not vote, but again eight of them were not permitted to do and Paul Flynn again was unable to vote for health reasons, leaving 10 MPs who chose to abstain.

They were the seven SF MPs, who this time were joined by three independents.

Sinn Fein do not take their seats at Westminster so there was no real prospect of them attending, because the party leadership is adamant that its abstentionist policy will not change.

Related topics:Sinn FeinMPsBrexitLabour