British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday that her chief enforcer in parliament had made an honest mistake by breaking a so-called pairing agreement at a crucial vote and that he and the party's chairman had apologised.
Julian Smith, known as the government's chief whip, told some Conservative lawmakers to break a pairing arrangement with rival parties that ensures genuine absences do not skew votes in parliament.
Conservative Chairman Brandon Lewis followed the advice and voted with the government at a key Brexit vote on Tuesday even though his "pair", Liberal Democrat lawmaker Jo Swinson, was away as she had just given birth.
When asked by a reporter if she could be trusted, May said: "There was an honest mistake made for which the chief whip and indeed Brandon Lewis have both apologised to the member concerned."
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