UK PM told to quit if her Brexit deal fails
LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May was told by some party MPS and opponents to quit if her EU divorce deal is defeated in the House of Commons.
As a large number of pro and anti-brexit demonstrators gathered outside Parliament, MPS participated in the last day of the debate before May delivered a closing statement and the 599page Brexit deal was put to vote on Tuesday. May’s allies insisted that if the vote is defeated, she would continue in her post and try to put it to vote again. The European Union has ruled out renegotiating the pact.
Despite appeals by May over the past week, there was little sign of any shift in MPS’ positions during the debate, as they repeated their strong objections, including on the controversial provision to avoid a border along Ireland and Northern Ireland after Britain exits the EU.
A loss by over 100 votes will add pressure on May to resign. A series of events are likely to follow: Labour tabling a no-confidence motion, May being forced to reveal a Plan B, return to Brussels for further talks, another election or even a referendum.
Conservative MP Bill Cash was among ruling party MPS who want May to resign if the vote is lost, while Indian-origin Conservative MP Suella Braverman believed the margin did not matter since a loss by even one vote would amount to a defeat for May.
Labour MPS insisted that the only way out of the impasse is a mid-term election. If that is not possible, the party is likely to campaign for another referendum. In any case, the party is expected to table a no-confidence motion if she loses the vote.
The oft-repeated suggestion that the government should revoke Article 50 to allow more time to reach a consensus was dismissed in the House by attorney-general Geoffrey Cox, who said it can be revoked only if the UK decides not to leave the EU. An extension of the article would need the concurrence of all 27 member-states of the EU.
Currency markets, industry bodies and others are keenly watching developments.