This evening the government accepted an amendment to ensure the EU citizens’ rights package in the Withdrawal Agreement still stands if the U.K. leaves without a deal. The amendment tabled by Tory MP Alberto Costa won widespread support in the Commons – an endorsement from the Home Secretary and was eventually taken on by No 10.
Despite this, Costa will head home this evening having left his role as a Parliamentary Private Secretary for the Scotland Office. Costa tended his resignation earlier today as PPSs are not supposed to put down amendments. I understand Costa was asked whether he still wanted the amendment to be in his name – he said he did and thereby resigned.
On a procedural level this is all above board. However, the incident has still managed to rile many Tory MPs. Friends of Costa say that he was effectively forced to resign over a position the bulk of the party agrees with and the government has now accepted.
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