Lib Dem Bill to get a better trade deal with UK-EU customs union passes despite Plymouth's Labour MPs failing to turn up and the city's Conservative MP voting against

A House of Commons Bill brought forward by Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesperson Al Pinkerton MP has passed in a "historic victory for the Liberal Democrats." However, President of Plymouth Lib Dems Hugh Janes has said he's deeply disappointed in the city's Labour MPs Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas for not supporting the Bill and in the local Conservative MP Rebecca Smith for voting against.

The Bill, tabled by the Liberal Democrats in Parliament, aimed to pave the way for the UK to start negotiations with the EU on a new customs union.

Estimates, reported in The Guardian, suggest that a UK-EU customs union could be worth an economic boost of more than £25 billion per year by reducing red tape and reducing trade barriers for British businesses.

The Liberal Democrats have argued that a new UK-EU customs union would lower trade barriers, cut red tape for Plymouth businesses, and put money back into local people's pockets.

The Bill passed by a majority of just one vote. The vote breakdown was 100 in favour, 100 against, with the Deputy Speaker casting the deciding vote in favour.

Thirteen Labour backbenchers voted with the Liberal Democrats in favour of negotiating a customs union with the EU. Our city's Labour MPs Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas didn't turn up to vote on the Bill, and one of the 100 votes against came from Plympton and Plymstock's Conservative MP Rebecca Smith.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said the vote sets a crucial Parliamentary precedent for movement on a deeper trading relationship with Europe.

President of Plymouth Lib Dems Hugh Janes said:

"It is deeply disappointing that our local MPs have failed to back a plan that would help people with this country's cost of living crisis.

"However, I am delighted to see Liberal Democrat MPs, including South Devon MP Caroline Voaden, win this vote. A closer relationship with Europe will boost our economy nationally and help with the cost of living crisis that's getting worse.

"People in this city continue to be hit hard by the cost of living crisis. Luke Pollard, Fred Thomas and Rebecca Smith had a chance to fix that problem, but they flunked it.

"Only the Liberal Democrats are fighting to tackle the issues our economy faces, while Labour just keep letting us down -- and the Conservatives are a lost cause."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP added:

"This was a historic victory for the Liberal Democrats -- winning a vote in Parliament to finally end the economic nightmare of the Conservatives' broken Brexit deal.

"Across the country, people are crying out for real change and a solution to the cost of living crisis. A customs union with the EU is the single biggest step the government could take to grow our economy, put money back into people's pockets and generate billions for our public services.

"The Prime Minister must now listen to Parliament and the public, drop his self-imposed red lines and finally go for proper growth through an ambitious trade deal with the EU."