The party whip should have been relaxed for Brexit vote – reader survey results

Jeremy Corbyn should relax the party whip for occasional votes of huge national significance, such as article 50, readers have said.

Just over 65 per cent of respondents think the three line whip should not have been imposed for the vote, with 27 per cent agreeing with Corbyn’s decision to back a three-line whip. Eight per cent were unsure.

Corbyn saw four members of his shadow cabinet resign to vote against the bill in Rachael Maskell, Clive Lewis, Dawn Butler and Jo Stevens. All represented remain-backing constituencies. Tulip Siddiq also resigned her position as a junior shadow education minister and was one of 52 Labour MPs who voted against the bill. Others who rebelled without resigning have been allowed to keep their jobs.

Readers have given the speaker of the House of Commons strong backing in his decision to unilaterally ban the new US president Donald Trump from addressing parliament. Some 85 per cent agree with John Bercow’s decision, with 13 per cent against it. Only two per cent of people are unsure.

A vote of no confidence in the speaker has since been tabled by a Tory MP.

Readers are split on whether Labour’s campaigning on the NHS is getting through to swing voters, with 41 per cent fearing that it is not and 22 per cent believing it has made an impact. Some 36 per cent are not sure.

Corbyn had a strong performance at last week’s PMQs where he hammered the prime minister of social care failings. He had received leaked text messages which suggested a Tory council had received a “sweetheart deal”, suggesting extra funding from central government for social care, so as to avert a referendum to raise council tax.

2,478 people voted in last week’s survey. Thanks to everyone who took part.