With the original Brexit 29 March 2019 being delayed, by just 2 weeks it looks like the government is no closer to getting a withdraw agreement plan completed and agreed by parliament and then the EU in time.
Yesterday(25 March) MPs voted in favour of Conservative backbencher Sir Oliver Letwin’s cross-party amendment, which will allow MPs to put forward motions relating to Brexit.
This will mean MPs will be able to vote on a number of options such as a “softer Brexit”, a customs union with the EU and another referendum this process is designed to test the will of Parliament to see what, if anything, commands a majority.
Theresa May has said: “This amendment instead upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future.
“While it is now up to parliament to set out next steps in respect of this amendment, the government will continue to call for realism – any options considered must be deliverable in negotiations with the EU.
“Parliament should take account of how long these negotiations would take and if they’d require a longer extension which would mean holding European Parliamentary elections.”
Richard Harrington, Alistair Burt and Steve Brine have resigned as a result of the vote.
Mr Harrington has accused the government of “playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods” of Britons.
Serious questions arise over how Brexit will now be handled, with a number of MPs calling for a second referendum or a general election, with just 10 days left until the new deadline it is still unclear if a withdrawal agreement plan will be ready in time for 12 April 2019.
There are currently a number of options been given as a possible outcome:
- No-Deal Brexit
- ‘Softer’ Brexit (Norway-style)
- PM’s deal
- PM’s deal with customs union
- PM’s deal with customs union and single market membership
- Standard free trade agreement (Canada-style)
- Second referendum
- Revoke Article 50
What happens next?
On Wednesday 27 the government will stop its normal programme and MPs will consider a backbench motion setting out the future Commons business, including the arrangements for staging indicative votes on the various options put forward.
If more than one business motion is tabled, it will be up to the Speaker John Bercow to decide which one is selected.
It is unclear just how long this process will take to complete.
Do you have any questions?
The government website has set up a ‘Preparing to leave the EU’ page which looks as specify issues the UK faces, here you can find answers to questions you may have from; travel, work, business, legal and more. It also gives explanations of what is to happen in a specific event such as No-Deal. https://www.gov.uk/prepare-eu-exit