Measures taken against Julie Girling and Richard Ashworth after resolution on 3 October on whether enough progress had been made to advance to next stageTwo rebel Conservative MEPs who voted to block moves towards trade talks between the UK and European Union have been stripped of the party whip. The prime minister’s attempt to assert her authority comes after a mishap-strewn conference speech and the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, setting out his own “red lines” for the Brexit talks. The whip was removed from the two senior MEPs after consultation between the party’s European parliament chief whip, Dan Dalton, and Downing Street. “The resolution by the European parliament sought to delay progress in the negotiations between the UK and the EU by holding back talks on the future relationship. The source said: “Regardless of how you voted in the referendum, it is surely in everyone’s interests – both in Britain and in Europe – that talks can progress on trade and our future relationship.”

Source: The Guardian October 07, 2017 22:14 UTC