The Brexit saga took a major step forward last night as MPs voted to back Boris Johnson’s deal - but Cumbria’s Parliamentarians remain divided.

However, a second vote to reject the government’s proposal to shorten Parliament’s timetable has thrown doubt on the feasibility of the October 31 deadline.

The Prime Minister hoped MPs would bring the next vote on his deal forward, voting again in just days. This would, he hoped, allow for time to get the Withdrawal Agreement Bill through Parliament in time for October 31.

But critics of this proposal said it was not enough time to properly discuss Boris Johnson’s new deal - with their argument winning the day in the Commons.

This casts into doubt the future of the Brexit bill, as the Prime Minister announced a “pause” to the progress of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill through Parliament, instead waiting on the EU’s decision as to whether the UK could be given another extension

Cumbria’s MPs were split in how they voted last night. Carlisle’s Conservative MP John Stevenson voted for the Prime Minister’s deal and for a shortening of the timetable.

Copeland’s Conservative MP Trudy Harrison voted in the same way.

However Sue Hayman, Workington’s Labour Party MP, voted against both the Brexit Bill and the timetable.

Independent MP for Penrith and the Border Rory Stewart voted for the deal but against the shortening of the timetable.

Addressing the Commons in a speech before the votes, he said: “In this whole debate, I believe there have essentially been two principles.

“One of them is the principle of how to honour the result of that referendum, and the second is the principle of how to take a deal safely and responsibly through Parliament.

“My big beg to the House—here I am speaking to colleagues who voted for Brexit—is let us, please, in these very final stages, do it properly.

“This is their great founding moment.

“This document is an opportunity for them to create an enormous constitutional change that can last for the next 40 years, so please do it properly—do it properly through the House of Commons. I know that is a very difficult thing to say, but this is possible to do.”