Delay ‘common sense’, but UK on a knife edge

Business chiefs have backed MPS’ “common sense” decision to call for a delay to Brexit, but warned the future of the UK remained on a “knife edge”.

The Commons voted by a majority of 210 to authorise Theresa May to request an extension to the two-year Article 50 negotiation process, pushing Brexit back from its 29 March date as long as the 27 other European Union states agree. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said Westminster now needed to adopt a “radically new approach” to find a consensus.

But the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said while the prospect of a delay offered a

By ANGUS HOWARTH “glimmer of hope”, the risk of a no-deal Brexit remained.

The British Chambers of Commerce said firms still had “no real clarity” on the future.

CBI deputy director-general Josh Hardie said: “Parliament’s rejection of no deal and desire for an extension shows there is still some common sense in Westminster.

“But without a radically new approach, business fears this is simply a stay of execution.

“MPS have an urgent duty to put in place a process that can determine what deal Parliament does want. “

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Without definitive action by MPS in the next six days, we will see the UK crashing out of the EU on 29 March without a deal.”