Labour to hold further EAW debate after Commons voting farce

The Labour Party will use one of its allocated days in the House of Commons next week for a debate and vote on the European Arrest Warrant.

The move comes after angry scenes in the Commons last night when the Government was accused of breaking a promise to give MPs a separate vote on the measure, which allows expedited extradition to and from EU member states.

MPs – and, he declared, the Speaker, John Bercow, had understood that a separate vote would take place on the EAW at the end of a debate on 35 EU criminal justice measures to which ministers wish to opt back in, having decided to withdraw from 133 such instruments with effect from 1 December.

However Home Secretary Theresa May maintained that a vote was only technically required on 11 of the measures, though approval would be taken as approval of the whole package of 35.

A procedural move by Labour to require the Government to come back with a motion that specifically included the EAW was defeated by a majority of just 43, in a vote for which the Prime Minister had to rush back from the Lord Mayor's Banquet. The Government then won the vote on the package by 464 to 38, defeating a Conservative backbench rebellion.

Labour's debate will be held on 19 November, the day before the Rochester and Strood by-election.

After last night's votes, Government and opposition sides continued to accused each other of underhand political tactics. 

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claimed that a separate vote was necessary to put the UK's continued use of the warrant "beyond legal doubt", but the outcome will not affect the continued adoption of the EAW.