May fights for control as lawmakers aim to seize Brexit process

[webfact]

May fights for control as lawmakers aim to seize Brexit process

By Elizabeth Piper, Kylie MacLellan and Andrew MacAskill

 

British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a statement in the Parliament in London, Britain March 25, 2019, in this still image taken from video. Reuters TV/via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May admitted on Monday she did not have enough support to pass her EU withdrawal deal as some in her party called on her to quit and parliament plotted to wrest the Brexit process away from her government.

 

At one of the most important junctures for the country in at least a generation, British politics was at fever pitch and, nearly three years after the 2016 EU membership referendum, it was still unclear how, when or if Brexit will take place.

 

With May weakened, ministers lined up to insist she was still in charge and to deny any part in, or knowledge of, a weekend plot to demand that she name a date to leave office.

 

Amid the chaos, it was unclear if or when May would bring the divorce deal she agreed with the European Union back to parliament. The deal was defeated by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on Jan. 15.

 

"It is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand there is still not sufficient support in the House (of Commons) to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote," May told members of parliament (MPs).

 

With speculation swirling around her future, parliament prepared to try to seize control of the Brexit process from the government in a series of votes due from 10 p.m. (2200 GMT).

 

One proposal, put forward by Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker in May's Conservative Party, seeks to change the rules of parliament on Wednesday so that lawmakers can express support for different Brexit options, such as remaining in the EU single market or in a customs union, in so-called indicative votes.

 

NO MAJORITY

May said such a move would set an unwelcome precedent and the government would oppose it. However, a government source said a majority of MPs were likely to back Letwin's plan.

 

Last week, the EU agreed to delay Britain's original March 29 departure date because of the deadlock. Now, it will leave the EU on May 22 if May's deal is approved by parliament this week. If not, it will have until April 12 to outline its plans.

 

May refused to give up on her deal passing this week, noting that the alternatives were unpalatable to her and that there was no evidence of a majority in parliament for anything except the principle of avoiding an abrupt "no-deal" exit.

 

"Unless this House agrees to it, 'no deal' will not happen. 'No Brexit' must not happen," May said.

 

She said another referendum, a new agreement, or not leaving the EU at all were among the alternatives that had no majority.

 

The bottom line remained that if her deal and no deal were rejected, Britain would have to seek a longer delay to Brexit.

 

"And a 'slow Brexit', which extends Article 50 beyond May 22 May, forces the British people to take part in European Elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade, is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together," May said.

 

The EU believes a 'no-deal' Brexit is increasingly likely.

 

"We don't want a 'no-deal' Brexit, we'd much rather have the Withdrawal Agreement, but if it is to be a 'no deal', let's do it quickly," an EU official said. Sterling fell as the chances of May's deal passing slipped. [GBP/]

 

'NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT'

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said May's approach to Brexit had become "a national embarrassment" that risked allowing Britain to crash out of the EU without a deal.

 

Earlier, May's divided cabinet of senior ministers met to discuss a way forward with some reports saying ministers had "war-gamed" a parliamentary election. Some Conservative MPs openly said she should quit.

 

"The prime minister does not have the confidence of the parliamentary party," said Andrew Bridgen, a lawmaker who supports Brexit. "She clearly doesn't have the confidence of the cabinet and she certainly doesn't have the confidence of our members out there in the country."

 

To get her deal passed, May must win over at least 75 MPs who voted against her on March 12 - dozens of rebels in her Conservative Party, some opposition Labour Party MPs and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her minority government but has voted against the deal so far.

 

"Why would the prime minister ever expect us to give support to an agreement which is based on a lie?" DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson told BBC television.

 

(Additional reporting by Kate Holton, William Schomberg, David Milliken, Kylie MacLellan and Andrew MacAskill; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden; Editing by David Clarke and Kevin Liffey)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-26

[Laughing Gravy]

Resign now. You are an embarrassment.

[Laughing Gravy]

The best news so far. I hope it is happens.

 

Theresa May humiliated as MPs seize control of Brexit

Prime minister tells cabinet to prepare for snap election

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/theresa-may-humiliated-as-mps-seize-control-of-brexit-3c6lfrm99

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Resign now. You are an embarrassment.

well,

you can say a lot about TM, but she appears to be a stayer, does not give up easily

 

[malagateddy]

No doubt coming to a place near you in the near future.

Brexit the movie..with a star cast including John Cleese and the Monty Python Flying Circus ensemble..Benny Hill..Leonard Rossiter etc etc.

Any comedians from Thaivisa posters please apply to House of Commons..London.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Chomper Higgot]

10 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

well,

you can say a lot about TM, but she appears to be a stayer, does not give up easily

 

She has to stay, all the Brexiteers are making like they are not there hoping nobody will call them to deal with the mess they created.

[Laughing Gravy]

13 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

well,

you can say a lot about TM, but she appears to be a stayer, does not give up easily

 

Of course she is a stayer. She is a remainer and playing a blinder for the EU. They will be very worried indeed about a new PM who isn't a remainer. That will be the game changer.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Of course she is a stayer. She is a remainer and playing a blinder for the EU. They will be very worried indeed about a new PM who isn't a remainer. That will be the game changer.

 

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

 

Come on give your best guess - Which Brexiteer do you think will be the next PM?

(Corbyn is a permitted answer).

[sammieuk1]

Shot down by a Junker????

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, sammieuk1 said:

Shot down by a Junker????

Wandering around, lost and without a plan.

[vogie]

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

 

Come on give your best guess - Which Brexiteer do you think will be the next PM?

(Corbyn is a permitted answer).

You have more meaningful posts than Mrs May has meaningful votes, where is Bercow when you need him.????

[SheungWan]

Parliament now an Enemy Of The People for the Brexiteers.

[SheungWan]

1 hour ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Resign now. You are an embarrassment.

Yeah. Hand it to Corbyn. Brexiteers dense?

[Spidey]

28 minutes ago, malagateddy said:

No doubt coming to a place near you in the near future.

Brexit the movie..with a star cast including John Cleese and the Monty Python Flying Circus ensemble..Benny Hill..Leonard Rossiter etc etc.

Any comedians from Thaivisa posters please apply to House of Commons..London.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Yourself, @Laughing Gravy and @Loiner being the stars of the show. Comedy gold.

[sammieuk1]

As she said Brexit means Brexit no deal is better than a bad deal and we are leaving on the 29th 108 times has she mislead the country or just taking advice from a general in a far off land of how to win when you have lost????

[SantiSuk]

Constitutionally now is the time for the monarch to step in. Unfortunately she's well past her sell-by-date due to fear of tree-hugging succession.

[Spidey]

Labour back benchers have tabled a motion that they will support May's deal in Parliament, pursuant to it then being put to a referendum, May's deal or remain.

 

Sound's like a plan to me.

[vogie]

6 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Yeah. Hand it to Corbyn. Brexiteers dense?

Gove 4/1. Lidington 4/1. Boris 7/1. Corbyn 8/1.

 

No deal brexit odds keep shortening by the hour, in the last 12 hours 10/3, 11/4, and this morning 12/5.

[Loiner]

Remain MPs who are traitors to their own constituents, refusing to accept the democratic referendum result, now taking over the duties of the elected government. Political revolution.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, SantiSuk said:

Constitutionally now is the time for the monarch to step in. Unfortunately she's well past her sell-by-date due to fear of tree-hugging succession.

You seriously underestimate her, others have said that she is a Brexiteer but I have confidence that she would put personal feelings aside and do what's best for her people, tear the stupid referendum to shreds and tell all noisy Brexiteers to sit down and shut up. As for Moggy, off with his head, treacherous barsteward.

[OneMoreFarang]

Her deal was two times rejected with a huge majority. And now she wants to bring it up a third time but probably she won't do it because she knows she will lose again - the third time.

 

And at the same time she is against a referendum were the people would be asked to confirm if they really want a Brexit like this. In 2016 people voted for the Brexit fantasy and now they could give their vote to the Brexit reality. What would be wrong with that? Nothing!

 

But May doesn't like a second vote of the people. She only likes a third and maybe fourth vote of her bad deal - pathetic!

[malagateddy]

But of course..5 star people only need apply
Yourself and other remoaners can audition to be " extras "[emoji23]

Yourself, [mention=13661]Laughing Gravy[/mention] and [mention=157612]Loiner[/mention] being the stars of the show. Comedy gold.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[malagateddy]

The bookies normally win/ are fairly good judges

Gove 4/1. Lidington 4/1. Boris 7/1. Corbyn 8/1.
 
No deal brexit odds keep shortening by the hour, in the last 12 hours 10/3, 11/4, and this morning 12/5.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, SheungWan said:

Parliament now an Enemy Of The People for the Brexiteers.

and everybody is a traitor.

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, SantiSuk said:

Constitutionally now is the time for the monarch to step in. Unfortunately she's well past her sell-by-date due to fear of tree-hugging succession.

and the monarch should do what?

[soalbundy]

51 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Remain MPs who are traitors to their own constituents, refusing to accept the democratic referendum result, now taking over the duties of the elected government. Political revolution.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

May wasn't elected and a lot of her cabinet are jumping ship anyway so there isn't really a government in place. If you think a referendum should be binding then considering the present chaos a second referendum may bring some clarity into what the British people really want, they have had enough time now to see the pros and cons, no more buses plastered with lies, stop the emotions and look at the facts.

[sammieuk1]

5 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

and the monarch should do what?

Check the Caymans first make sure the Euros are stocked up and then put up Brighthouse interest rates accordingly ???? 

[Basil B]

1 hour ago, malagateddy said:

No doubt coming to a place near you in the near future.

Brexit the movie..with a star cast including John Cleese and the Monty Python Flying Circus ensemble..Benny Hill..Leonard Rossiter etc etc.

Any comedians from Thaivisa posters please apply to House of Commons..London.

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

I bet there will be some TV Drama based on it.

[malagateddy]

Well Stephen Speilburg if that's the correct spelling is shooting a movie soon in Glasgow..maybe send him a script to look at??[emoji23]

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Basil B]

1 hour ago, SantiSuk said:

Constitutionally now is the time for the monarch to step in. Unfortunately she's well past her sell-by-date due to fear of tree-hugging succession.

We do not have a constitution...

 

I am sure you would be up in arms if she organised a Coup d'état and returned the UK to absolute monarchical rule, co not be worse than what we have now.

 

Though I would draw the line at "Hubby" driving a Chieftain tank down Whitehall.