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Commons passes Government's fiscal charter

The Government's Charter for Budget Responsibility has passed the Commons 320 to 258, majority 62, following days of bitter rows in Labour's ranks over whether to oppose the plan.

A total of 20 Labour MPs abstained from the vote.

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Vote was 'elephant trap' for Labour, says abstainer

One of the 20 Labour MPs who abstained in the fiscal charter vote said that he went against the party line because the policy was a "gimmick"

Mike Gapes, Labour MP for Ilford South, said that the Charter for Budget Responsibility, which passed through parliament with 320 votes to 258, was an "elephant trap" for the Labour party.

We walked into it (the elephant trap) last week and then we walked out of it over the weekend and then we walked back into it today because the shadow Chancellor changed his position.

– Mike Gapes

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