UK Lawmakers Clash Over PM May’s Brexit Plan
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government and its lawmakers clashed Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May brought her little-loved Brexit deal back to Parliament, a month after postponing a vote on the agreement to stave off near-certain defeat.
The House of Commons opened five days of debate on an agreement with the European Union setting out the terms of Britain’s departure from the bloc on March 29.
A vote, initially slated for mid-December, is now scheduled for Jan. 15 — and the government still looks likely to lose.
May insisted that her agreement was the only one available, and the only way to prevent a disruptive "no-deal” Brexit in just over 10 weeks.
"The only way to avoid no deal is to vote for the deal,” May told lawmakers in the House of Commons.
May called off the December vote at the last minute when it became clear that a majority of lawmakers — from the governing Conservatives as well as opposition parties — opposed the deal, a compromise that has left both pro-European and pro-Brexit politicians unhappy.
May promised to seek reassurances from the EU on the most contentious issue, the status of the Northern Ireland-Ireland border. But the bloc refuses to reopen the agreement, and opposition to the negotiated deal remains strong among British lawmakers.
May told lawmakers that "further clarification” from the EU was possible, "and those talks will continue over the next few days.”
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labor Party, said that "not one single dot or comma has changed” since December’s aborted vote.
"Isn’t the prime minister bringing back exactly the same deal she admitted would be defeated four weeks ago?” he asked.
Amid the political stalemate, pro-Brexit members of Parliament are urging the government to ramp up preparations for leaving the EU without a deal. But many lawmakers, and businesses, say that would cause economic turmoil, as goods moving between Britain and the EU suddenly faced customs checks, tariffs and other barriers.
On Tuesday, legislators determined to prevent a "no-deal” Brexit handed the government a symbolic defeat by backing an amendment to the Finance Bill that puts roadblocks in the way of government spending on preparations for leaving the EU without a divorce agreement.
The vote, which saw 20 legislators from May’s Conservative Party rebel and side with the opposition, indicates that a majority in Parliament opposes leaving the EU without an agreement and will try to stop it happening.
The House of Commons opened five days of debate on an agreement with the European Union setting out the terms of Britain’s departure from the bloc on March 29.
A vote, initially slated for mid-December, is now scheduled for Jan. 15 — and the government still looks likely to lose.
May insisted that her agreement was the only one available, and the only way to prevent a disruptive "no-deal” Brexit in just over 10 weeks.
"The only way to avoid no deal is to vote for the deal,” May told lawmakers in the House of Commons.
May called off the December vote at the last minute when it became clear that a majority of lawmakers — from the governing Conservatives as well as opposition parties — opposed the deal, a compromise that has left both pro-European and pro-Brexit politicians unhappy.
May promised to seek reassurances from the EU on the most contentious issue, the status of the Northern Ireland-Ireland border. But the bloc refuses to reopen the agreement, and opposition to the negotiated deal remains strong among British lawmakers.
May told lawmakers that "further clarification” from the EU was possible, "and those talks will continue over the next few days.”
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labor Party, said that "not one single dot or comma has changed” since December’s aborted vote.
"Isn’t the prime minister bringing back exactly the same deal she admitted would be defeated four weeks ago?” he asked.
Amid the political stalemate, pro-Brexit members of Parliament are urging the government to ramp up preparations for leaving the EU without a deal. But many lawmakers, and businesses, say that would cause economic turmoil, as goods moving between Britain and the EU suddenly faced customs checks, tariffs and other barriers.
On Tuesday, legislators determined to prevent a "no-deal” Brexit handed the government a symbolic defeat by backing an amendment to the Finance Bill that puts roadblocks in the way of government spending on preparations for leaving the EU without a divorce agreement.
The vote, which saw 20 legislators from May’s Conservative Party rebel and side with the opposition, indicates that a majority in Parliament opposes leaving the EU without an agreement and will try to stop it happening.