tweaked Brexit deal headed for vote

In an attempt to clarify the latest Brexit manoeuvrings, the BBC on Thursday asked Conservative lawmaker Nigel Evans for an opinion.

“All we know about tomorrow,” he sighed, “is it’s called Friday.”

The British parliament will vote Friday on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement from the Eu for a third time. In order to avoid a ruling from Speaker John Bercow that he would reject putting the same deal to parliament, the government has made some alterations.

Lawmakers will vote on the same Withdrawal Agreement (a 585-page document that discusses how much money Britain will pay the Eu on leaving, the transition period, how to treat each other’s citizens). But the Political Declaration (which had been part of the deal and involves possible future trading relationships) has been deleted from the agreement.

What is not known is whether this will make any difference to the outcome.

There are believed to be about 50 Tory Brexiteers who will not vote for the deal — despite May agreeing to step down as prime minister in an attempt to secure their support. The Democratic unionist Party (which props up May’s government) has also rejected it.

And while May can rely on the support of some opposition Labour members, it is not known if she has enough votes to carry the day.

If May’s deal is approved then Britain will leave the Eu on May 22.

If the deal is rejected then Britain has until April 12 to come up with an alternative.

This week, lawmakers voted on eight different alternatives — involving such things as leaving without a deal, leaving but maintaining close ties with Europe, and a second referendum — but none commanded a majority.

David Cameron, May’s predecessor, said she had to compromise to break the Brexit impasse.

Members of parliament were “stuck” in four groups: supporters of May’s deal, nodeal, second referendum and a soft Brexit (leaving the Eu but maintaining close trading ties).

Cameron said the government “has to try and find a way of getting at least two of those groups to work together, to combine their options, to compromise”.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom suggested Thursday that if the deal did not pass then Britain would likely crash out of the Eu on April 12 without a deal.

Another alternative would be that if the deal was rejected, lawmakers might try to seize control of the process and force through a softer Brexit. However, some government ministers have pledged that under such a scenario they would sooner call a general election.