Commons Deadlock Revives Brexit Customs Union Debate

In a rare and dramatic turn at Westminster, the UK’s House of Commons on December 9, 2025, found itself deadlocked over a proposal to open negotiations for a new customs union with the European Union—a move that, if realized, would mark the most significant shift in Britain’s post-Brexit trade stance since its formal exit from the bloc in 2020. The tie, broken only by Deputy Speaker Caroline Noakes’ casting vote, has thrust the customs union debate back into the political spotlight and exposed deep divisions across and within parties.

The motion, tabled as a 10-minute rule bill by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, called on the government to begin talks with Brussels for a bespoke UK-EU customs union. The vote was as close as they come: 100 MPs in favor, 100 against. In accordance with parliamentary convention, Deputy Speaker Noakes voted ‘aye’ to allow the matter to proceed to further debate. “In accordance with precedent, I will cast the casting vote 'aye' to allow further debate,” she announced, as reported by Sky News.

While the bill itself is unlikely to become law—these 10-minute rule bills rarely progress past initial readings—the vote’s symbolic weight is undeniable. It marks the first time since 2019 that a Commons division has ended in a tie and has reignited a conversation many believed settled in the wake of the 2016 referendum, when the British public voted 52%-48% to leave the EU.

Thirteen Labour backbenchers, including senior figures like Dame Meg Hillier, defied party lines to support the Liberal Democrat motion. Notably, only three Labour MPs voted against, with the vast majority abstaining. This unusual alignment has increased pressure on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, whose party’s 2024 manifesto explicitly pledged “no return to the single market, the customs union, or freedom of movement.” Yet, the rebellion signals lingering unease within Labour’s ranks about the economic and social consequences of Brexit.

Pinkerton, introducing the bill, did not mince words about Britain’s post-Brexit fortunes. “Up and down the country, businesses know it, the public feel it and it’s time that this House find the courage to lift our whispered voices and admit it – Brexit has been an abject economic failure. It’s choked business investment, shattered economic resilience, strangled trade, shrunk the economy and left every single one of us poorer,” he declared, according to The Guardian.

For Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, the outcome was cause for celebration—if not for legislative victory, then at least for what he called a “historic victory” in the battle of ideas. “A customs union with the EU is the single biggest step the government could take to grow our economy, put money back into people’s pockets and generate billions for our public services,” Davey said in a statement. He urged the prime minister to “listen to parliament and the public, drop his self-imposed red lines and finally go for proper growth through an ambitious trade deal with the EU.”

But the government and its Conservative supporters were quick to dampen expectations. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden pointed to the UK’s recent success in negotiating trade deals with the United States, India, and the EU itself as evidence that a customs union would be a step backward. “We just conducted three trade deals this year, and that's a pretty big difficulty if you're going to join a customs union. And they were really important,” he told Sky News.

Conservative MP Simon Hoare, who notably campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum, was chosen by Tory whips to argue against the motion. “As somebody who voted to remain part of the European Union in the referendum, and campaigned strongly to do so, I accepted the result of the referendum … [This motion] would fundamentally undermine the welcome and energetic efforts of His Majesty’s government to continue to grow that iterative process of a relationship with the European Union without being part of it. That endeavour deserves the united support of all members,” Hoare told MPs, as reported by The Guardian. He added, “I have spoken to EU officials about this idea, and there is neither interest in it nor appetite for it.”

Labour’s leadership, meanwhile, found itself walking a tightrope. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, in comments made the previous week, appeared to break ranks by suggesting a customs union could benefit the UK, citing Turkey’s economic growth as an example. “It's self-evident that leaving the European Union badly damaged our economy, took us out of an important marketplace and created serious friction, that untruths were being peddled by those that thought exiting the EU would be a good thing,” Lammy remarked on the News Agents podcast. Pressed on whether he supported a customs union, Lammy clarified, “That is not currently our policy. That's not currently where we are. But you can see countries like Turkey with a customs union seemingly benefiting and seeing growth in their economy, and, again, that's self-evident.”

Starmer swiftly reiterated Labour’s official stance, telling reporters, “The position that we are taking has been clearly set out in the manifesto and then we've been following it.” Nevertheless, the rebellion by 13 Labour MPs, including prominent figures like Richard Burgon and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, has exposed cracks in party unity and left Starmer facing renewed scrutiny from both pro-EU and pro-Brexit wings of his party.

The Conservative response was unequivocal. Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel branded the move a “complete betrayal of the 2016 referendum result,” warning that “the Liberal Democrats would rather try to turn the clock back, than focus on the difficult decisions needed to tackle welfare spending so we can live within our means.” A government spokesperson echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the UK’s progress in resetting relations with the EU and negotiating new trade agreements. “We have made good progress since then, including starting negotiations in the last month on a food and drink deal to slash red tape for businesses and bring down prices. Throughout this process we're putting the national interest first, building a closer trading relationship with the EU while at the same time securing trade agreements with the US and India,” the spokesperson said.

The symbolic nature of the vote was not lost on observers. As The Guardian noted, the bill is unlikely to be debated again, and the outcome will have no immediate practical impact. Yet, the debate allowed MPs to air deeply held views on Brexit, the customs union, and Britain’s economic future. For the Liberal Democrats, it was a modest but clear PR victory, highlighting their commitment to closer EU ties. For Labour, it was a warning shot—proof that the party’s internal divisions on Europe have not fully healed. And for the Conservatives, it was an opportunity to reaffirm their Brexit credentials while warning against reopening old wounds.

As the UK prepares for the next stage of debate on January 16, 2026, the customs union question lingers—less as a legislative reality and more as a barometer of the nation’s evolving attitudes toward Europe, trade, and the legacy of Brexit. The Commons may have voted only to keep the conversation alive, but the political reverberations will be felt for some time to come.