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May faces down pro-EU rebel lawmakers to win Brexit vote

By Elizabeth Piper and William James

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at the Royal Free Hospital, London June 18, 2018. Stefan Rousseau/Pool via Reuters

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May won a crucial Brexit vote in parliament on Wednesday, keeping her divided government's plans to end more than 40 years of British partnership with the European Union on track.

 

After pro-EU Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve said he would support the government's proposal for a "meaningful vote" in parliament on Britain's exit, a potential rebellion that could have undermined May's authority was averted.

 

May adopted a high-risk strategy by facing off with rebels in her Conservative Party, and it paid off. The upper house of parliament later approved the bill, paving the way for it to become law after gaining formal "Royal Assent" from the Queen.

 

May said in a statement that the bill's passage was a crucial step in delivering Brexit, and more details of proposed future links with the EU would be published in the coming weeks.

 

But the battle over the EU withdrawal bill, her Brexit blueprint, may be a taste of things to come. May needs to get several other bills through parliament to prepare Britain for life outside the EU, a momentous change to its trading and political relationships after decades in the bloc.

 

Some of her opponents on Brexit may simply have decided to keep their powder dry for later fights on issues such as future trading ties and customs arrangements with the bloc before Britain's scheduled departure in March next year.

 

Six Conservatives still voted against the government. But for now, May will be relieved to have overcome another potential crisis over her proposal for the role of parliament, should she fail to negotiate an exit agreement with the EU or if lawmakers reject any deal she returns with from Brussels.

 

"There was a great point of principle here, which was that the government has to be able to be free to negotiate and we have to be able to hold out in our negotiations the prospect of no deal, otherwise all the advantage would have been with the EU side," trade minister Liam Fox told the BBC.

 

Other Conservatives agreed. "It strengthens our hand," said one, while opposition lawmakers described the vote as disappointing.

 

Sterling rose to a session high against the euro and climbed against the dollar after May won the rare victory, one which will give the weakened prime minister a firmer footing when she travels to Brussels next week for an EU summit.

 

Talks with the bloc have all but stalled, with May's top team of ministers at odds over plans for future trading relations with the EU, which businesses complain makes them unable to plan their investment decisions.

 

ABOUT-TURN

Before his about-turn, Grieve had argued that government promises did not hand parliament enough control to prevent the "chaos" that could follow Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal.

 

Grieve seemed to have won over several fellow Conservatives but after days of lobbying by party officials, he seemed to have put his concerns aside.

 

Grieve told the House of Commons he now saw the need to take account of May's concerns over the state of the negotiations. He also said he had been reassured by a statement saying it was up to the parliamentary speaker to grant lawmakers greater influence over ministers in the event of no deal.

 

"And in the circumstances that might follow a no deal, which would undoubtedly be one of the biggest political crises in modern British history, if the house wishes to speak ... the house has the power to do it," Grieve said.

 

With his words, May was able to enjoy victory in a parliament that is stacked against her since she lost her majority at an ill-judged election last year.

 

But businesses are still seeking more certainty. "My biggest worry about Brexit is that I don't know what we are planning for," Juergen Maier, the UK CEO of German engineering giant Siemens told Reuters in an interview.

 

"We need to put something in place quickly that works and if that is not possible, and until that point, then we have to just default to staying in the customs union."

 

(Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Alistair Smout; Editing by Kevin Liffey and David Stamp)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-06-21

[terryw]

This article restates the myth that business is pro Europe and wants the UK to remain in the/a Customs unit.

 

The fact is that this only applies to big business and those smaller companies that export to the EU. The truth is that the vast majority of UK companies do not trade with the EU, and they want to be free from its beauraucratic laws and regulations.

[stevenl]

51 minutes ago, terryw said:

This article restates the myth that business is pro Europe and wants the UK to remain in the/a Customs unit.

 

The fact is that this only applies to big business and those smaller companies that export to the EU. The truth is that the vast majority of UK companies do not trade with the EU, and they want to be free from its beauraucratic laws and regulations.

"This article restates the myth that business is pro Europe and wants the UK to remain in the/a Customs unit."

 

Looks like a different article from the one I read. Businesses just want to know what they're facing, so " But businesses are still seeking more certainty. "My biggest worry about Brexit is that I don't know what we are planning for," Juergen Maier, the UK CEO of German engineering giant Siemens told Reuters in an interview. ".

[Guest]

1 hour ago, terryw said:

This article restates the myth that business is pro Europe and wants the UK to remain in the/a Customs unit.

 

The fact is that this only applies to big business and those smaller companies that export to the EU. The truth is that the vast majority of UK companies do not trade with the EU, and they want to be free from its beauraucratic laws and regulations.

It's funny how the macro economics work.

 

Big businesses, which export product to other countries enjoy the possibilities EU provides to them. 

 

These big businesses hire local people to work for them. Local people get paid salaries. 

 

Local people visit the shops and buy local manufactured products with their salaries, which benefits the small businesses, which doesn't export to EU. 

 

What happens, when the big businesses start to suffer due export taxes, difficulties to transfer their products to EU countries, like customs inspections? 

 

I know for sure, in EU side, local people will select the products, which are cheaper and does not include extra hassle, like customs. 

 

The EU bureaucracy is there to make same rules for everyone, who is in the game. That way there is no need to do customs inspections etc. The stupid paperwork actually makes it easier to export products from one country to another. It also make the products safer and better quality for the consumers. I personally hate the paperwork and am quite happy that it's not me who has to do it.  I can just consume products and let the lawyers do their boring work. 

[dick dasterdly]

32 minutes ago, stevenl said:

"This article restates the myth that business is pro Europe and wants the UK to remain in the/a Customs unit."

 

Looks like a different article from the one I read. Businesses just want to know what they're facing, so " But businesses are still seeking more certainty. "My biggest worry about Brexit is that I don't know what we are planning for," Juergen Maier, the UK CEO of German engineering giant Siemens told Reuters in an interview. ".

Yes!

 

It's the uncertainty that is so damaging.

 

Time for uk negotiators to tell eu negotiators that the uk is leaving under wto trade conditions - if they continue to ignore the most sensible option (for both sides) - to negotiate on a free trade agreement.

 

Edit - Sadly, neither the uk or eu are showing any signs of negotiating about a FTA....  It's all about everything and anything else ?.

Edited June 21, 2018 by dick dasterdly

[stevenl]

24 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

Yes!

 

It's the uncertainty that is so damaging.

 

Time for uk negotiators to tell eu negotiators that the uk is leaving under wto trade conditions - if they continue to ignore the most sensible option (for both sides) - to negotiate on a free trade agreement.

 

Edit - Sadly, neither the uk or eu are showing any signs of negotiating about a FTA....  It's all about everything and anything else ?.

I place this squarly on the UK: they don't know what they want, and the political haggling about that is not helping. The EU on the other hand do know what they want.

[Jip99]

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I place this squarly on the UK: they don't know what they want, and the political haggling about that is not helping. The EU on the other hand do know what they want.

 

Your knowledge must mean that you mixing with EU officials at the highest...

 

 

 

...or is it just more BS.

 

 

 

[stevenl]

4 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

Your knowledge must mean that you mixing with EU officials at the highest...

 

 

 

...or is it just more BS.

 

 

 

Glad you agree that it is obvious the UK doesn't know what it wants, good start.

[dick dasterdly]

39 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I place this squarly on the UK: they don't know what they want, and the political haggling about that is not helping. The EU on the other hand do know what they want.

And therein lies the problem....

 

UK politicians wish to remain part of the eu - which is why for some obscure (?) reason, they agreed to the eu's 'negotiating list'.  

Even though negotiating trade terms, was at the bottom of the list....

 

Edit - Agree entirely that the eu bureacracy know exactly what they want - the uk to continue paying large sums of money into the eu....

Edited June 21, 2018 by dick dasterdly

[Aupee]

1 hour ago, oilinki said:

It's funny how the macro economics work.

 

Big businesses, which export product to other countries enjoy the possibilities EU provides to them. 

 

These big businesses hire local people to work for them. Local people get paid salaries. 

 

Local people visit the shops and buy local manufactured products with their salaries, which benefits the small businesses, which doesn't export to EU. 

 

What happens, when the big businesses start to suffer due export taxes, difficulties to transfer their products to EU countries, like customs inspections? 

 

I know for sure, in EU side, local people will select the products, which are cheaper and does not include extra hassle, like customs. 

 

The EU bureaucracy is there to make same rules for everyone, who is in the game. That way there is no need to do customs inspections etc. The stupid paperwork actually makes it easier to export products from one country to another. It also make the products safer and better quality for the consumers. I personally hate the paperwork and am quite happy that it's not me who has to do it.  I can just consume products and let the lawyers do their boring work. 

I have been under the distinct belief that the uk paid in a lot more than several in the union so how does this same rules work.

[dunroaming]

It was close call yesterday for the May.  The government were facing a serious defeat and Labour were chomping at the bit, bringing in members (some in wheelchairs) to maximise their votes.  So Dominic Grieve had a tough choice to make.  Bring about that defeat and weaken the government even further or capitulate.  He chose to step back and encouraged the other rebels to do the same.  So May scraped through.

 

Is it time to stop using the term "remainer" (remoaner).  I think it is acknowledged that most people know that remaining is not going to happen and that ship has sailed. The "remainers" are therefore now the people trying to limit the damage that is inevitably going to hit home soon.  Maybe they should be called the "realists" in future.  Of course that leaves us what to call the Brexiteers as we are all Brexiteers now.  Can't wait to hear the suggestions ?

[rosst]

4 hours ago, dunroaming said:

It was close call yesterday for the May.  The government were facing a serious defeat and Labour were chomping at the bit, bringing in members (some in wheelchairs) to maximise their votes.  So Dominic Grieve had a tough choice to make.  Bring about that defeat and weaken the government even further or capitulate.  He chose to step back and encouraged the other rebels to do the same.  So May scraped through.

 

Is it time to stop using the term "remainer" (remoaner).  I think it is acknowledged that most people know that remaining is not going to happen and that ship has sailed. The "remainers" are therefore now the people trying to limit the damage that is inevitably going to hit home soon.  Maybe they should be called the "realists" in future.  Of course that leaves us what to call the Brexiteers as we are all Brexiteers now.  Can't wait to hear the suggestions ?

I am not a Pom and it seems to me that the best deal with the EU can be negotiated from a united front so it is time to get behind the negotiators and give them some clout. 

[nontabury]

9 hours ago, stevenl said:

I place this squarly on the UK: they don't know what they want, and the political haggling about that is not helping. The EU on the other hand do know what they want.

Correct, the E.U. wants and intends to keep receiving those billion of £’s of charity contributions from the British people. And at the same time to erode our sovereignty in their quest for a United States of Europe.

 

 

[nontabury]

5 hours ago, dunroaming said:

It was close call yesterday for the May.  The government were facing a serious defeat and Labour were chomping at the bit, bringing in members (some in wheelchairs) to maximise their votes.  So Dominic Grieve had a tough choice to make.  Bring about that defeat and weaken the government even further or capitulate.  He chose to step back and encouraged the other rebels to do the same.  So May scraped through.

 

Is it time to stop using the term "remainer" (remoaner).  I think it is acknowledged that most people know that remaining is not going to happen and that ship has sailed. The "remainers" are therefore now the people trying to limit the damage that is inevitably going to hit home soon.  Maybe they should be called the "realists" in future.  Of course that leaves us what to call the Brexiteers as we are all Brexiteers now.  Can't wait to hear the suggestions ?

Unfortunately the people who have caused the most damage to the  U.K. negotiations, are those very same remainers(remoaners).

Who can fight a battle, while your brother is continuously stabbing you in the back.

 

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by nontabury

[Grouse]

8 hours ago, dunroaming said:

It was close call yesterday for the May.  The government were facing a serious defeat and Labour were chomping at the bit, bringing in members (some in wheelchairs) to maximise their votes.  So Dominic Grieve had a tough choice to make.  Bring about that defeat and weaken the government even further or capitulate.  He chose to step back and encouraged the other rebels to do the same.  So May scraped through.

 

Is it time to stop using the term "remainer" (remoaner).  I think it is acknowledged that most people know that remaining is not going to happen and that ship has sailed. The "remainers" are therefore now the people trying to limit the damage that is inevitably going to hit home soon.  Maybe they should be called the "realists" in future.  Of course that leaves us what to call the Brexiteers as we are all Brexiteers now.  Can't wait to hear the suggestions ?

I've run out of polite words so I just call them populists.

[natway09]

Uncertainty for business ? of course there is & will remain for a long time 

You cannot always have the chicken & the egg & lack of any forward planning will add 5 years