Jeremy Corbyn suffered a huge rebellion tonight as six MPs resigned from the Labour front bench over a call for Soft Brexit .

The junior frontbenchers were among 90 Labour MPs who defied their leader in a vote about staying in the European Economic Area (EEA).

The so-called 'Norway model', which would keep benefits of the EU single market, is backed by pro-EU Labour MPs who say it soften the blow of Brexit.

But it is opposed by Jeremy Corbyn because it would leave Britain shackled to EU rules with little to no power to stop free movement.

Jeremy Corbyn had ordered his MPs to abstain in the crucial House of Commons vote - in other words, not to vote one way or the other.

The junior frontbenchers were among 90 Labour MPs who defied their leader (
Image:
Chris J Ratcliffe)

But 75 Labour MPs rebelled to vote for staying in the EEA. They included Ged Killen, Ellie Reeves, Tonia Antoniazzi, Rosie Duffield and Anna McMorrin, who all had to resign as aides to the shadow cabinet.

A further 15 Labour MPs rebelled to vote against staying in the EEA. They included junior shadow Cabinet Office minister Laura Smith, who also resigned.

That means 90 Labour MPs rebelled against Jeremy Corbyn in total.

A source said the six frontbenchers were "all told to resign" by the leader's office.

A source said the six frontbenchers were "all told to resign" by the leader's office (
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

The resignations were announced by Labour minutes before the result of a crunch vote in the Commons.

Despite the Labour rebellion, the call to stay in the EEA was defeated easily (327-126) because most Tories voted against it.

Only three Tory rebels backed staying in the EEA - die-hard Remainers Ken Clarke, Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve.

Theresa May also won a separate vote about staying in an EU Customs Union 325-298 after she offered a compromise to Tory Remainers - effectively kicking the can down the road.

What is the Norway model?

The Norway model refers to countries being members of the European Economic Area (EEA), but not the European Union.

Remaining in the EEA would grant Britain all the freedoms of the EU’s internal market - including the free movement of goods and people.

Norway is an EEA member, which is why it's called the Norway model.

It means the country is bound by all the EU regulations for those areas, as well as policies on employment, the environment and consumer protection.

But, like Norway, it means the country does not have a say in how those policies are formulated.

Jeremy Corbyn said he "understood the difficulties" his MPs were facing but said the Norway model would "leave us with next to no say over rules we have to follow".

He added: "It does not allow us to negotiate a new comprehensive UK-EU customs union and it fails to resolve the Irish border issue."

He said Labour had decided not to vote one way or the other because the Tories "offer no plan" for how Britain should engage with the single market in future.

The five frontbench MPs who resigned are from both wings of the party, but said they could no longer sit on the fence about Brexit.

Laura Smith, who voted against the EEA, tweeted: “I am tired of being told that I am ‘blocking Brexit’ by criticising the government’s approach to negotiations.

“I respect the referendum and have demonstrated that today."

Jeremy Corbyn said the Norway model would "leave us with next to no say over rules we have to follow" (
Image:
PA)

Anna McMorrin, who voted for the EEA, said: "I am a passionate European.

"I promised to put the needs of my constituents first and therefore cannot in good faith abstain on a vote that I believe to be in their best inerests."

The revolt came on the second day of crucial Commons votes on the Government’s flagship EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

It happened 24 hours after Theresa May avoided a revolt of her own by compromising with Tory rebels to give them more of a say on her Brexit deal.

Earlier in the day, rebel Tories warned Mrs May to honour the commitments she issued to them after there was confusion about what she actually promised.

A Government amendment to the flagship EU (Withdrawal) Bill will be published tomorrow clearing up the confusion, and setting out ministers’ compromise on a “meaningful vote”.

Peers debate it on Monday.

It happened 24 hours after Theresa May avoided a revolt of her own (
Image:
Parliament Live)

But in a harder stance, speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs May insisted: “I cannot countenance Parliament being able to overturn the will of the British people.

“Parliament gave the decision to the British people, the British people voted to leave the European Union and as Prime Minister I’m determined to deliver that.”

Forty-seven per cent of voters do not want MPs given a vote on the final Brexit deal, according to a poll of 2,078 people by BritainThinks.

Some 53% want voters to have a say at the ballot box on the package.

No 10 sources made clear the PM still believes “no deal is a better than a bad ideal”.

Remain-backing Conservative former Cabinet Minister Nicky Morgan threatened to defy the Government if she was unhappy with the new amendment.

“Parliament must have a real say in all circumstances,” she told the BBC.

Remain-backing Nicky Morgan said she could still defy the government in future (
Image:
AFP)

Mrs May was left speechless and stony-faced during Prime Minister’s Questions today after Jeremy Corbyn taunted her over a Boris Johnson jibe.

The Foreign Secretary was caught on tape claiming Donald Trump would be a better Brexit negotiator than the Tory chief.

Grilling the PM about her G7 talks with the US President, the Labour leader asked: “Did you do as the Foreign Secretary suggested and ask him (Mr Trump) to take over the Brexit negotiations?”

And Scottish nationalist MPs staged a mass Commons walkout after the party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford was kicked out by Speaker John Bercow in a row over parliamentary procedure.

The 15 crunch Brexit votes that will make or break Theresa May

MPs are holding a marathon two-day voting session on June 12-13 on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill - the law that enacts Brexit.

Theresa May wants MPs to overturn 15 amendments, passed by the House of Lords, that would push Britain towards a much softer Brexit.

It could make or break her premiership so she's been pleading for Tory Remain-backers not to vote against the government.

But it's going to be massively confusing. To help you follow the drama, here's a summary of the original 15 Lords amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill - and what they would achieve if they pass.

  1. Meaningful vote*: Would give MPs a 'meaningful vote' in Autumn 2018 on Theresa May's Brexit deal. This would give Parliament a specific power to decide what happens next if her deal is rejected. MPs could force her back to the negotiating table, for example, instead of crashing out with no deal. Backers insist they wouldn't use it to 'stop Brexit' - but that's exactly what Leavers fear will happen. (49, 19)
  2. Customs Union: Would force Tory ministers to take steps towards staying in an EU Customs Union - by making a statement on how they'd do it. This could stop Britain from striking trade deals around the world - but would prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland and keep free trade with the EU. (1, 1)

  3. Single market: Would force the Tory government to keep Britain in the European Economic Area (EEA) - which practically means keeping membership of the single market, and following nearly all its rules. This would likely continue free movement between Britain and the EU - almost as we see it today. (110A, 51)

  4. Brexit Day: Would remove the legal date of Brexit - 29 March 2019 - to let ministers change the date at the last minute if they don't have a deal. Leavers also fear this could be a tool to delay Brexit indefinitely. (95, 37)

  5. Northern Ireland*: Would give added protection to the Northern Ireland border - forcing ministers to obey the Good Friday Agreement, and keep the province in an EU customs union if it stops a hard border. (88, 25)

  6. Henry VIII powers 1: Would block Tory ministers from changing EU laws on several issues - employment, equality, health and safety, environmental or consumer rights - without enhanced scrutiny by MPs. (11, 4)

  7. Henry VIII powers 2: Would block ministers having a wide-ranging power to decide when EU laws can be challenged after Brexit. (18, 52)

  8. Henry VIII powers 3: Limits ministers' power to change law without a vote - they'd only be able to do it "if necessary", instead of "if appropriate". (31, 10)

  9. Henry VIII powers 4: Would give a 'sifting committee' of MPs the power to insist Parliament gets a vote on legal changes. (70, 110)

  10. Refugees' rights*: Would continue refugees' rights to be reunited with their families in the UK under the EU's Dublin Regulation. (59, 24)

  11. Citizens' EU legal rights*: People could continue suing the government in UK courts for breaching "general principles" of EU law. (19, 53)

  12. Charter of Fundamental Rights: Would ensure the vast majority of the EU's Charter stays in UK law. (15, 5)

  13. Theresa May's mandate: Would force the PM to get MPs' approval for her 'mandate' for Britain's future relationship with the EU. (51, 20)

  14. Future EU laws: Would let ministers "copy and paste" new EU laws into UK law after Brexit, and carry on taking part in EU agencies. (93, 32)

  15. Protecting the environment: Would block ministers from using Brexit to water down any protections for the environment. (1, 3)

For geeks, each amendment's 'number' is in brackets. As if it wasn't confusing enough, each one gets 'renumbered' so we've included both numbers - the old number, followed by the new number.

Some of the above will be overturned, some could pass if there's a Tory rebellion. Four we've marked with asterixes (*) - these are ones where the government has offered a compromise to get them through.