May has back to wall over Brexit

FOCUS IS TO GET PARLIAMENT TO OKAY DEAL British prime minister says it’s in the interests of MPs constituents as it protects jobs and livelihoods.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday she was focused on persuading lawmakers to back her Brexit deal at a vote in parliament on December 11 rather than preparing a plan B.

May secured an agreement with European Union (EU) leaders on Sunday that will see Britain leave the bloc in March next year with continued close trade ties. But the odds look stacked against her getting it through a deeply divided British parliament.

The deal has been criticised by both eurosceptics and europhiles among her own Conservative Party lawmakers. Opposition parties and the small Northern Irish party, which props up May’s minority government, have all said they planned to vote against it.

“We will be explaining to members of parliament why we believe this is a good deal for the UK,” May told reporters on the plane to the G20 summit in Argentina when asked if she had a plan B.

“I ask every member of parliament to think about delivering on the Brexit vote and doing it in a way that is in the national interest and is in the interests of their constituents because it protects jobs and livelihoods.”

May has said that if lawmakers reject the agreement, it could see the world’s fifth-largest economy leaving the bloc without a deal, or even not leaving at all. On Wednesday, the Bank of England warned Britain risked suffering an even bigger hit to its economy than during the global financial crisis 10 years ago if it leaves the EU with no deal.

Parliament will begin five days of debate on Tuesday. Many lawmakers hope that if the deal is rejected, May will seek further concessions from the EU, but it has been clear there is very little appetite to reopen negotiations.

May has said that if the agreement is rejected by parliament it will lead to greater divisions.

“I believe that as a country we could really prosper outside the EU, I believe there will be opportunities that there aren’t as an EU member, but a divided country does not prosper. It is important to bring the country together and look to our future outside the EU.”

May was to push the case for reform of the World Trade Organisation at the summit of industrialised nations yesterday and today, including increasing transparency, updating dispute settlement processes and promoting trade in services and digital. –