Davis offers new vote on any Brexit deal
‘I can now confirm that once we’ve reached an agreement we will bring forward a specific piece of primary legislation to implement that agreement,’ Brexit minister tells parliament
LONDON: British Brexit minister David Davis said on Monday the government would allow parliament the opportunity to debate, scrutinise and vote on any inal Brexit agreement, offering a concession to Conservative Party rebels.
Prime Minister Theresa May is under pressure to offer a “meaningful vote” on any deal for Britain’s departure from the European Union.
Members of her own party are willing to vote against the government to stymie a bill which she says is needed to sever ties with the bloc.
“I can now conirm that once we’ve reached an agreement we will bring forward a speciic piece of primary legislation to implement that agreement,” Davis told parliament.
“This also means that parliament will be given time to debate, scrutinise and vote on the inal agreement we strike with the European Union. This agreement will only hold if parliament approves it.”
May’s blueprint for Britain’s exit from the EU faces a crucial test starting on Tuesday, when lawmakers will debate the EU withdrawal bill that she says is crucial to give companies conidence that the rules will not change after Brexit.
Lawmakers have proposed 186 pages of amendments to the bill, which largely “copy and paste” EU rules and regulations into British law but also, critics say, hand the government wideranging powers and cut parliament out of some Brexit planning.
Davis said the government would allow parliament the chance to vote on a “withdrawal agreement and implementation bill” once it has secured a Brexit deal with the European Union, which both sides aim to do by late next year.