EAST Lancashire's MPs split down party lines in last night's key House of Commons votes on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's new Brexit deal.

Conservatives Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen), Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley) and Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) all supported both the Second Reading approving the agreement in principle and the timetable motion trying to get it through Parliament in days..

But Blackburn's Kate Hollern, Hyndburn's Graham Jones and Burnley's Julie Cooper voted against both.

The Second Reading was approved by 329 votes to 299 and the timetable motion defeated by 322 votes to 308.

Mr Evans said: "The Second Reading was hugely important. It represents the first occasion in which Parliament has voted in favour of a Brexit agreement – which cannot be understated.

" I think it represents a shift in the opinion of MPs, who are realising their constituents want them get the deal done and break the stalemate.

" I was disappointed the Brexit timetable was rejected which guarantees that Brexit is delayed even further."

Mr Jones said: "Boris Johnson is trying to bounce MPs into backing a poor deal.

"I am acutely aware my constituency and the country as a whole voted to leave. I will not support a deal leading to a repeat of the devastation to manufacturing industry that caused such misery across the country in the Thatcher years."

Mrs Hollern said: "The longer the scrutiny goes on, the more this deal will be shown to be rotten to the core."

Mr Stephenson: "Every Conservative MP voted to deliver Brexit by October 31,. Yet again Labour MPs voted to delay. I will continue to fight for Brexit and ensure we leave the EU."