British PM agrees to extend transition time, riles MPs
LONDON: Despair and ennui were evident in pro- and anti-Brexit camps on Thursday after PM Theresa May agreed in Brussels to an extension of the transition period for implementing the deal to withdraw from the European Union to finalise key issues.
MPs and others expressed anger and worse at the seemingly never-ending negotiations, with little progress on key issues, such as the fate of Northern Ireland after Brexit. Some revived the idea that May needs to step aside for talks to progress.
The transition period to embed new arrangements between the UK and the EU after the formal exit on March 29, 2019 is supposed to conclude at the end of 2020. But extending it will cost the UK billions more in contributions to the EU budget, critics pointed out. Leading Brexiteers Boris Johnson and David Davis warned May her government will not be forgiven by the British if Brexit is reduced to a “choreographed show of resistance followed by surrender”.
In their first joint intervention since quitting May’s cabinet, Davis and Johnson wrote an open letter to her with three former cabinet ministers, calling on her to abandon her Chequers plan. Other MPs used stronger language.
Following talks with EU leaders in Luxembourg, May said: “A further idea that has emerged and it is an idea at this stage - is to create an option to extend the implementation period for a matter of months — and it would only be for a matter of months.
“But the point is this is not expected to be used, because we are working to ensure we have that future relationship in place by the end of December 2020.”
Conservative MP Nick Boles said May “is losing the confidence of colleagues of all shades of opinion”, who are “close to despair” at the state of Brexit negotiations. He said “there is a fear that the government and EU are trying to run out the clock”.
Adding to the ennui was a statement from the government that Parliament may not be allowed to put forth amendments to the final withdrawal bill, and will have to pass it unchanged on a “take it or leave it” basis. Labour said it did not accept the choice facing Parliament will be between the deal May cobbles together or no deal, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said. “That is not a meaningful vote and ministers can’t be allowed to silence Parliament. MPs must be given the opportunity to scrutinise, consider and, where appropriate, amend any resolution the government puts forward.”