MAY HEADS TO BRUSSELS AFTER EU VOTE LOSS
LONDON: British PM Theresa May headed to Brussels on Thursday, hours after Conservative Party rebels defeated the government in a key Brexit vote. On Wednesday, MPs backed an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill by 309 to 305, giving them a legal guarantee of a vote on the final Brexit deal struck with Brussels, reported the BBC. Stephen Hammond, was sacked by May as Conservative vice chairman in the aftermath of the vote.
LONDON: Conservative rebels inflicted a humiliating defeat on Theresa May in the House of Commons as they backed an amendment to her flagship European Union withdrawal bill over parliament’s right to a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal.
As the prime minister prepared to meet her fellow EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, a series of last minute concessions by ministers and intense pressure from Tory whips failed to deter 11 of the government’s MPs from voting against the leadership.
Backers of amendment seven, tabled by former attorney-general Dominic Grieve, included former education secretary Nicky Morgan, former business minister Anna Soubry, and Cambridge MP Heidi Allen.
MPs cheered and waved their order papers as the result of the crucial vote was read out, revealing the government had lost by 309 votes to 305: May’s first Commons defeat over Brexit.
Grieve’s amendment had the effect of limiting ministers’ power to make sweeping changes to the law before parliament has approved the Brexit deal.
The victory heartened proponents of a soft Brexit, who hope that over time they can use May’s narrow working majority in the Commons to shift government policy towards a closer ongoing relationship with the EU.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described the result as “a humiliating loss of authority for the government on the eve of the European Council meeting”.
“Her refusal to listen means she will now have to accept parliament taking back control.”