Labour Lord keeps job despite voting for second referendum

A Labour frontbencher has kept his job despite defying the party's whip by voting in favour of a second referendum last night.

Shadow health minister Lord Hunt of Kings Heath yesterday backed a cross-party amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill that could pave the way for a public vote on the final EU deal. It was one of three major upsets inflicted by the upper house on the government.

Hunt, who was one of 51 Labour peers to go against his party, was hauled in for a "b*llocking" with Baroness Smith of Basildon, who leads the party in the Lords, and shadow chief whip Lord McAvoy, according to HuffPo.

However, he has kept his job – unlike former Northern Ireland shadow minister Owen Smith, who was sacked for writing an article in favour of a second referendum last month.

Smith, who challenged Jeremy Corbyn during last year's leadership campaign, called for a vote on the final deal warning that Brexit could cause huge economic and security issues.

His treatment was slammed by those within the party. Labour peer Lord Hain called it a "Stalinist purge", while arch Remainer Chuka Umunna said it was "extraordinary" that Smith should be sacked for voicing an opinion which has "overwhelming" support from other Labour MPs, members and voters.

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