MPs have supported controversial changes to parliamentary committees amid warnings the government’s proposals were a fresh “power grab” after the election.



A motion allowing the Tories to have a majority on crucial legislative committees that drive the Commons agenda was approved by 320 votes to 301, majority 19.

The change will have an impact on public bill committees, which scrutinise legislation line by line and will no longer mirror the make-up of the Commons but have an inbuilt Conservative majority instead.

If Tory committee members remain loyal, this would allow the prime minister, Theresa May, to ensure legislation is passed without fear of opposition.

Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons, argued that the Conservative minority administration should be allowed to make progress on getting legislation through parliament as it had secured a working majority by its confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP.

But opposition MPs accused the government of a “constitutional outrage,” saying its working majority in the Commons did not apply to the parliamentary committees.

Leadsom said: “If the government has a working majority to pass legislation on the floor of the House, then the government should also be able to make progress with legislation in committees. We’re getting on with the task set for us by voters, honouring the result of both the EU referendum and the general election.”

Leadsom added that a Labour government in the 1970s had taken similar steps.

The shadow leader of the Commons, Valerie Vaz, accused the government of a “power grab” over the changes. She said the executive was “overreaching and overbearing” and insisted the motion was not based on precedent, standing orders, the constitution or democracy.

Vaz sparked jeers from the government benches when she claimed Leadsom was “sent out in a bright outfit like that television presenter from North Korean TV, Ri Chun-hee” to “tell us everything is well when actually something really bad and dramatic is happening – and it is to our democracy”.

Charles Walker MP, a Conservative and frequent critic of the government over procedural matters, said he was not wound up by the proposal.

A division list analysis of the vote showed 310 Tory MPs were joined by all 10 DUP MPs in supporting the motion.

Labour led the lopposition with 250 of their MPs voting against, along with 34 SNP, four Plaid Cymru, 11 Liberal Democrats, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Lady Hermon, an Independent.

The Liberal Democrat chief whip, Alistair Carmichael, said: “This is a sinister power grab by an increasingly authoritarian prime minister. The Tories didn’t win a majority at the election but are now hijacking parliament to try and impose their extreme Brexit on the country. It is a bitter irony that Brexiteers who spent their careers championing parliamentary sovereignty have now chosen to sell it down the river.”