Greg Hands blasted John Bercow after the Speaker of the House announced he would allow Parliament to cast a vote on forming a new customs union as part of a series of Brexit indicative votes. Mr Hands questioned the decision to bring back the option despite MPs having rejected the plan last week as he pointed out the Speaker had rejected demands from Theresa May to have her proposed Brexit deal brought back to the chamber for a third time before March 29. Addressing Mr Bercow after announcing the motions for the indicative vote, Mr Hands said: "Perhaps you could clarify why it is that we’ve just selected a motion for debate, in this case letter C in the name of my Right Honourable Friends, the member for Rashly, when exactly the same motion with exactly the same words was debated and rejected by this House only three sitting days ago?
"Perhaps you could explain for the benefit of those watching why it is that this can be brought back three days later but the 585-page withdrawal agreement cannot?"
Motion C would grant the British Government a mandate to negotiate with the European Union the creation of a new customs union to maintain trade relations without major disruption after Brexit. The option was put forward by Conservative MP Ken Clarke.
Mr Bercow however insisted his decision was justified as he responded to the claim of double standards: "The short answer is that the House agreed to the process which has unfolded and therefore it is entirely procedurally proper for the judgment I have made to be made.
"That is the judgment that I have made. The Right Honourable Gentleman will have noted the view that was expressed in the debates last week."
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