Vote on revised Brexit agreement may not take place till March
A CRUNCH vote on a revised Brexit deal may be pushed back until days before Britain leaves the European Union, it emerged last night.
Labour has accused Theresa May of trying to run down the clock and wants a decisive Commons showdown by February 26.
Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer wants to use a series of votes on Thursday to impose a new deadline for MPs to vote on whether her revised deal is acceptable.
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire offered MPs a further say on February 27, but refused to commit to a binding vote on the exit agreement before March.
He said: “I think that gives that sense of timetable, clarity and purpose on what we are doing with the EU – taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal – but equally knowing the role that Parliament very firmly has.”
The Government is stepping up efforts to persuade Brussels to accept changes to the Irish border backstop.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay is meeting EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier today and will meet MEPs in Strasbourg tomorrow.
Theresa May yesterday told Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn it was “good to see” they agreed Britain should leave with a deal. Responding to a letter he sent setting out Labour’s demands, Mrs May said she was “not clear” about his call for a customs union, saying the declaration that sets out goals for future relations “explicitly provides for the benefits of a customs union” as well as allowing an independent trade policy.
She also questioned whether Labour’s call for “frictionless” trade would mean reneging on its 2017 general election manifesto commitment to end free movement.
Mr Corbyn had set out five demands, including a permanent customs union and close alignment with the single market.
Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson said if those conditions were not met then his party could support a second referendum.
“It seems we’re now at the point where we can have meaningful talks to get a deal between the main political party leaders,” he said.
“Or the only way to break the impasse is to have a public vote, and that remains our policy.”
Meanwhile, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said the UK’s £32billion-a-year trade relationship with Switzerland will continue after Brexit under an agreement signed by both governments.