Curiouser and curiouser

The Conservative Government motion requesting the said Government to ask the EU to allow a delayed Brexit passed the House of Commons by a large majority last night, because of Labour support. Most Conservative MPs voted against it in a free vote, along with some Labour MPs who defied their whip.  

Stranger things than that happen when you allow MPs a free vote, but very rarely things as strange as the behaviour of the Rt. Hon. Stephen Barclay, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. He made a speech summing up in favour of the motion, telling MPs 

“It is time for this House to act in the national interest, it’s time to put forward an extension that is realistic” 

and then voted against it.