National Post (National Edition)
The House and Brexit
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May pledged Tuesday to give both houses of Parliament a vote on the Brexit deal she strikes with the EU. But does the vote change anything? Emma Ross-Thomas and David Goodman report.
Q What will Parliament be voting on?
A By the time the deal gets to Parliament, Britain will already be in the two-year countdown phase triggered when Article 50 is invoked. Lawmakers will either accept the deal or force Britain to leave the EU without an agreement.
Q What happens if Parliament votes against it?
A If Parliament votes against it, then with no time to negotiate a new deal, the default arrangement is WTO rules. That means tariffs for exporters. It would also mean that any transitional arrangements agreed to would be void. “We will be leaving the EU. We’re going to be having a negotiation. Members of Parliament will be having a vote on the outcome. Whatever happens, we will be leaving the EU,” May’s spokeswoman told reporters.
Q Does it help May politically?
A Opponents have called for a vote on the final deal and this allows her to say she’s respecting parliamentary sovereignty. “It’s a clever move,” says Wyn Grant, professor at Warwick University. “It’s respecting the Parliament but in practice they’re not there to veto Brexit.”
Q Where could her gamble go wrong?
A If two years from now the economy is struggling, then lawmakers could decide the view of the public has shifted and it’s worth voting down without being accused of defying the will of 2016 voters. That could mean the end of her government.