Govt embarrassed by Commons defeat
By politics.co.uk staff
Just weeks after the humiliating defeat over the Gurkhas issue the government suffered only its second defeat in the Commons ever yesterday.
MPs were voting on a series of motions creating ‘regional grand committees’ when the unusual event occurred.
The government was defeated by 104 votes to 98 on a minor proposal relating to a meeting of the East Midlands grand committee.
It is being viewed more as an embarrassment than a symbol of the government’s eroding power over its backbenchers.
Leader of the House Harriet Harman was said to be “disappointed at the outcome”, the Telegraph reported.
