May sees her Brexit strategy rejected by MPs
PM vows to continue talks after latest Commons loss
THERESA MAY has suffered yet another humiliating defeat in the latest Commons showdown over Brexit.
Eurosceptic Conservative MPs refused to support the Government last night as it sought Parliament’s backing to go back to Brussels and renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement that was rejected last month.
The latest plan, which called on MPs to rubber stamp previous votes ordering the Government to win concessions from EU leaders on the Irish backstop and to avoid a no-deal Brexit, was defeated by 258-303.
Members of the backbench European Research Group had earlier threatened to vote down the motion as they said it effectively blocked a no-deal Brexit, undermining Britain’s negotiating position.
But the group’s deputy chairman Steve Baker later said there had been a “collective decision” to abstain.
Speaking afterwards, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Tonight’s vote shows there is no majority for the Prime Minister’s course of action in dealing with Brexit... She cannot keep on just running down the clock and hoping that something will turn up.”
In a statement, Downing Street hit back, blaming Mr Corbyn for the defeat and insisting Mrs May will pursue talks with the EU to win concessions on the backstop.
A spokesman accused him of putting “partisan considerations ahead of the national interest – and yet again, by voting against the Government’s motion, he is in effect voting to make no-deal more likely.”
The Commons drama came as the Bank of England issued its latest Brexit warning, declaring that Britain’s decision to leave the
EU had cost the country at least £80bn since the referendum. Bank of England policy-maker Gertjan Vlieghe said that since the 2016 vote, two per cent had been shaved off GDP, adding that the shock of a no-deal divorce could see interest rates slashed.
At the same time, leading charities including the York-based Joseph Rowntree Foundation called on the Government to take urgent action to prevent struggling families from falling into poverty after the UK leaves the EU.
During a five-hour Commons debate yesterday, Ministers urged MPs to swing behind the latest Brexit strategy, warning that a defeat for the Prime Minister would send the “wrong signal” to Brussels. The loss will come as a fresh blow to Mrs May as she prepares to relaunch efforts to win compromises on the Withdrawal Agreement from EU leaders.
LABOUR FAILED in its latest attempt to stop Theresa May “running down the clock” to a no-deal Brexit last night, after MPs voted down the party’s demand for the Prime Minister to bring her Withdrawal Agreement back to the Commons by February 27.
However, the party’s MPs gave their clearest signal yet that they could delay Brexit beyond March 29, with dozens backing an SNP plan to extend Article 50.
The SNP’s amendment to prolong the Brexit process by three months in order to avoid no-deal failed to win a majority in the Commons but did get the backing of 41 Labour MPs, despite the leadership whipping against the proposal.
The plan also secured the support of pro-EU Tory backbenchers Ken Clarke and Sarah Wollaston.
Speaking after the vote, the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford took a swipe at Mr Corbyn for his failure to support the proposal. He said: “Can I thank those members that had the courage to vote with us tonight to extend Article 50, members of all parties. But I would ask the question: where was the frontbench of the Labour party on extending Article 50?”
Labour’s own amendment, requiring the Government to stage a second “meaningful vote” on its Brexit deal by February 27 or give Parliament control over the next steps, was defeated by 322 to 306.
In a day of passionate debate in the Commons, Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer told MPs that “deep down” he did not believe Mrs May was ready to take the UK out of Europe without a deal on March 29.
He maintained she was tak- ing the Brexit debate to the wire in order to be able to confront MPs with a last-minute choice between her deal or no-deal.
He also confirmed Labour will back a cross-party plan from West Yorkshire backbencher Yvette Cooper – expected to go to a vote on February 27 – which would force the Government to conclude its deal by March 13 or allow MPs to vote on no-deal or a second referendum.
“It is obvious what the Prime Minister is up to – she is pretending to make progress while running down the clock,” said Sir Keir.
“A non-update every other week to buy another two weeks of process, inching ever closer to the March 29 deadline in 43 days. We should not be fooled.”
Speaking about her proposal, Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Ms Cooper said: “If we don’t do something sensible like this it’s like we’re just all living in a fantasy world in which we talk about alternative arrangements... We say something is going to come along and sort it out and it just doesn’t.
“It’s as if we’re all standing around admiring the finery of the Emperor’s new clothes and actually the Emperor is running around stark naked and everyone is laughing at us – or at least they would be if it wasn’t so sad.
“So I really hope the Government will show some responsibility. I hope they will end up supporting this Bill and I hope they will end up frankly sorting it out even before we get to that point, before it is too late.”
During the Commons drama, Labour backbencher Chris Leslie attacked his own party’s position on Brexit, telling colleagues “we are being played for fools by the leadership of the Labour Party”.
He said: “The idea that the Labour Party is not together and arguing against this tragedy, against this disaster is... entirely heartbreaking.” The People’s Vote-supporting MP added: “I believe that it is a moment we needed leadership but what we are seeing sadly is party political calculations, party political advantage tragically putting themselves ahead of the national interest.”
From: John Turley, Dronfield Woodhouse.
DICK Lindley (The Yorkshire Post, February 12) chooses to deliberately distort the facts when he states the Donald Tusk in his recent speech, was referring to the 17.4 million that voted to leave the EU.
Donald Tusk in fact never mentioned those who voted Leave, and was referring only to the politicians who promoted Brexit, but lacked any credible plan as to what our future relationship should look like.
Although the language he used was completely inappropriate, the gist of his argument was in fact correct. Furthermore before and during the referendum campaign, there were no consistent messages from the leading Brexiteer politicians, some favouring a Norwegian or Swissstyle arrangement with the EU, including retaining membership of the Single Market and/or Customs Union, others thought that we should leave both.
It was only after their unexpected victory that most started singing from the same hymn sheet then claiming that the electorate had in fact voted to leave both. Many now want to go further, and are advocating no deal (I don’t recall this being written on the side of any red bus), but whatever the Brexit flavour of the month, they will invariably claim that this was what people voted for, and that they knew exactly what they were voting for.
From: Ken Cooke, Ilkley.
YOUR correspondents Dick Lindley and Andrew Mercer (The Yorkshire Post, February 12) chose to selectively hear what Donald Tusk said. He specifically referred only to those Brexit leaders who promoted Leave “without even a sketch of a plan of how to do it safely”
Two years on and endless wrangling only proves him right. The Brexit leaders still have absolutely no base of a plan beyond ‘having our cake and eating it’: retain the benefits of the EU without being members and ‘play away’ with the rest of the world. A recipe for smuggling and tax escapes for the wealthy. Tusk and Guy Verhofstadt are admirers of Britain and good friends to us. Over 16 million Remainers recognise Tusk’s frustration and commend him for speaking the truth.
From: Henry Cobden, Ilkley.
I’M enjoying the regular updates on the racehorse Brexitmeansbrexit (Tom Richmond, The Yorkshire Post, February 9). Now the horse is close to getting its nose in front, let’s hope its training is not entrusted to Jeremy Corbyn.