Diane Abbott gives Article 50 a miss

Last night, 47 Labour MPs rebelled against a three-line whip and voted against the triggering of Article 50. Embarrassingly for Jeremy Corbyn, three Labour whips — meant to enforce discipline — were among the rebels. But on the bright-side, he can still count on his comrades… right?

Perhaps not. Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, was notably absent from the vote. Her office have since explained that she had taken ‘ill’ and so couldn’t be in the Commons to support Corbyn, her dear friend and close ally. While Mr S would never doubt Abbott’s word, Steerpike notes that Abbott spoke at a debate in Westminster Hall just three hours prior to the vote.

Still, Mr S suspects those in her Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency — which voted heavily to Remain — won’t lose too much sleep over her failure to back Brexit in the Chamber.