MPs vote to force government release of communications on suspension and no deal

MPs have voted to force the government to release all communications regarding the suspension of parliament and no deal.

The House of Commons voted in favour of Dominic Grieve’s ‘humble address’ by nine votes, with 311 in favour and 302 against.

Just one Labour MP – John Mann, the Corbynsceptic who is stepping down soon – defied the whip to vote against the motion.

Boris Johnson’s administration has now lost every Commons vote, and has been defeated for a fifth time tonight.

Following the result, Jeremy Corbyn said he looked forward to seeing the government “abiding by and accepting” the vote.

To comply with the result, the government would have to publish all relevant communications – including via messaging apps such as WhatsApp – by Wednesday, September 11th.

The Prime Minister did not join MPs in the chamber for the result, nor to respond to the Labour leader who immediately afterwards opened the emergency debate on the government complying with the law.

Below is the full text of the humble address.

That a Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to direct Ministers to lay before this House, not later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September, all correspondence and other communications (whether formal or informal, in both written and electronic form, including but not limited to messaging services including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook messenger, private email accounts both encrypted and unencrypted, text messaging and iMessage and the use of both official and personal mobiles) to, from or within the present administration, since 23 July 2019 relating to the prorogation of Parliament sent or received by one or more of the following individuals: Hugh Bennett, Simon Burton, Dominic Cummings, Nikki da Costa, Tom Irven, Sir Roy Stone, Christopher James, Lee Cain or Beatrice Timpson; and that Ministers be further directed to lay before this House no later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September all the documents prepared within Her Majesty’s government since 23 July 2019 relating to operation Yellowhammer and submitted to the Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee.