After two defeats, British PM May to try again to pass Brexit agreement
LONDON: After suffering two defeats in the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to bring the EU withdrawal pact again before the parliament next week, hoping it will be passed before the European Council meeting on March 21.
Failure to pass it again would mean a Brexit delay beyond March 29 and the UK needing to participate in the May elections to the European Parliament. The house on Thursday night voted convincingly to delay Brexit beyond March 29, but it is up to the EU to agree to it.
Holding the prospect of Brexit not happening, or delaying it for a long time, there were renewed efforts to win over rebels in the Conservative party and the Democratic Unionist Party, which is propping up the minority government of May. If the EU agreement is passed, she is likely to seek a short extension beyond March 29, but if it fails again, the extension is likely to be longer, which would mean continuing uncertainty and running commentary on the cut-and-thrust of Brexit-related politics for a longer time.
Both votes on Wednesday and Thursday - on not leaving with- out an agreement, and seeking extension - are not legally binding, which means London will have to seek an extension and the EU needs to agree to it, before March 29, the deadline enshrined in law.
The agreement was defeated on Tuesday by a margin of 149, which was less than the defeat margin when it was first introduced in January: 220. May is hoping that the option of voting against it and its implications will focus MPS’ minds the third time it is introduced.
Politically, May has suffered a loss of some stature due to the two defeats, with Conservative leaders such as former chancellor George Osborne insisting that she is now “in office but not in power”.
Several cabinet ministers also voted against the government motion on Thursday.
David Lidlington, effectively the deputy prime minister, urged MPS on Friday to reflect on the way forward, informing them that unless the house passed the agreement, the EU is likely to seek a delay of more than a year.
He told BBC: “There is some real impatience among the British public, and frankly among other EU governments, with this inability to agree in Westminster on the way forward.”
‘NO PLANET B’