May wins crucial Brexit deal vote
Prime Minister Theresa May won a crucial Brexit vote in parliament yesterday, keeping her divided government’s plans to end more than 40 years of British partnership with the European Union on track.
After pro-EU Conservative legislator Dominic Grieve said he would support the government’s proposal for a meaningful vote in parliament on any Brexit deal, a potential rebellion was averted.
May adopted a high-risk strategy by facing off with rebels in her Conservative Party, and it paid off.
One legislator said May had no option but to take them on, or risk their rebellion growing as she cuts ties with the EU.
But the battle over her Brexit blueprint, or EU withdrawal bill, may be a taste of things to come. May needs to get several other bills through parliament to prepare Britain for life outside the EU, a momentous change to its trading and political relationships.
Some of her opponents on Brexit may simply have decided to keep their powder dry for later fights on issues such as future trading ties and customs arrangements with the bloc before Britain’s scheduled departure in March.
Six Conservatives still voted against the government.
But for now, May will be relieved to have overcome another potential crisis over her proposal for the role of parliament if she fails to negotiate an exit agreement with the EU or if legislators reject any deal she returns with from Brussels.
“It’s a good result. We can negotiate on the basis there can be a ‘no deal’,” one Conservative politician said. “It strengthens our hand.”