PM ‘pauses’ Brexit deal after MPS reject fast-track
●Commons vote against attempt to push through 110-page bill quickly
Boris Johnson’s pledge to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October was in tatters last night after MPS backed a proposed Brexit deal for the first time, but rejected the government’s breakneck parliamentary timetable.
The Prime Minister was forced to “pause” passage of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) after a programme motion that would have sped it through the Commons in two days was voted down by 322 to 308.
The UK’S exit date is now in the hands of EU leaders, who are considering a formal request for an extension of the Article 50 deadline sent by Mr Johnson under duress.
MPS defied Mr Johnson’s threat ahead of last night’s vote to “pull” the legislation and seek a general election if parliament forced a delay, saying he “will in no way allow months more of this”. Under the terms of the Benn Act, any delay must run until at least 31 January, although the UK could be given the flexibility to leave earlier if a Brexit deal is ratified.
European Council president Donald Tusk indicated yesterday that an extension would be granted by the 27 other heads of government in the bloc to avoid a no-deal Brexit, and
confirmed following the vote that he would “recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension”.
The Prime Minister previously claimed he would “rather die in a ditch” than allow the UK to stay in the EU beyond 31 October. The vote increases the likelihood that the government will have to go to the polls as the only option to break years of deadlock.
Mr Johnson told MPS immediately after the result that it was “joyful that for the first time in this long saga, this House has actually accepted its responsibilities together, come together, and embraced a deal”.
But he admitted the UK now faces “further uncertainty” and said it was up to the EU to “make up their minds over how to answer Parliament’s request for a delay”.
The Prime Minister said the government would accelerate preparations for a no-deal exit, insisting: “Our policy remains that we should not delay, that we should leave the EU on 31 October.” And he insisted: “One way or another we will leave the EU with this deal to which this House has just given its assent.”
The SNP’S Westminster leader Ian Blackford said that MPS had “instructed, instructed the Prime Minister to seek an extension” and that a Brexit delay was “the law of the land”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Johnson was “the author of his own misfortune” and offered to work with Mr Johnson to set a “reasonable” timetable for passage of the WAB.
He said MPS had “refused to be bounced into debating a hugely significant piece of legislation in just two days with barely any notice and analysis of the economic impact of this Bill”.
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson insisted that Brexit was “not a done deal” and pledged: “I won’t stop fighting for our place in the European Union.”
Downing Street refused to comment on whether it would move to follow through on Mr Johnson’s threat of a general election, saying the government would wait for the response of EU leaders.
At the start of debate on the WAB, Mr Johnson told MPS: “If Parliament refuses to allow Brexit to happen and instead… decides to delay everything until January or possibly longer in no circumstances can the Government continue with this.
“And with great regret I must say that the Bill will have to be pulled and we will have to go forward to a general election and I will argue at that election, let’s get Brexit done.”
Earlier,thecommonsgaveits backing to Mr Johnson’s deal at its second reading by 329 votes to 299, with 19 Labour MPS including two members of the shadow cabinet breaking the whip to vote in favour. Another five abstained.
Several Labour MPS said they backed the government in order to allow the legislation to progress so it could be amended, to add further guarantees on workplace rights and environmental protections.
But Mr Blackford claimed Labour MPS “shamefully became the handmaidens of Boris Johnson’s toxic Tory Brexit deal by voting in favour of the legislation”.
After condemning the Prime Minister’s deal for allowing customs checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea, the DUP voted against both the WAB and the programme motion.
The vote only took place after the government’s attempt to hold a “meaningful vote” on the Brexit deal on Saturday was hijacked by an amendment from former Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin – who voted with the government last night.
MPS will now return to debating the Queen’s Speech over the next two days, which had been set aside for passage of the WAB.
Leader of the House Jacob Rees-mogg told MPS it is “very hard to see how it is possible” for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to pass through the Commons and the Lords before the 31 October deadline.
The pound dropped by nearly one and a half pence against the euro following the announcement that Brexit legislation would be paused.
Responding to the votes, EU Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva appeared to reject Mr Johnson’s attempt to put the ball in Brussels’ court, saying the bloc “takes note of tonight’s result and expects the UK government to inform us about the next steps”.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar welcomed MPS backing for the deal.
“It’s welcome that the House of Commons voted by a clear majority in favour of legislation needed to enact Withdrawal Agreement,” he said last night.
“We will now await further developments from London and Brussels about next steps including timetable for the legislation and the need for an extension.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will respond to last night’s events when she gives a press conference in London this morning alongside the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford.
The pair issued a joint demand for a delay to allow a second EU referendum, and for any Brexit deal to be subject to approval from the Scottish and Welsh assemblies.