Rebels hope to kill off May's Brexit deal in 'last-chance' vote

By Kylie MacLellan and Andrew MacAskill

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is seen outside Downing Street, as uncertainty over Brexit continues, in London, Britain May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Brexit-supporting rebels in British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party said on Wednesday they would vote down her European Union divorce deal when she brings it back to parliament next month.

 

Britain had been due to leave the EU on March 29 but parliament has three times rejected the withdrawal agreement May struck with Brussels. The United Kingdom is now scheduled to leave, with or without a deal to smooth the exit, by Oct. 31.

 

Defeat in the vote would likely spell the end of May's divorce deal and probably her premiership.

 

May will bring a Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB), which implements the departure terms, to parliament for a vote in the week beginning June 3, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said, just as U.S. President Donald Trump begins a divisive state visit to Britain.

 

"I have talked to colleagues, some of whom voted for it last time, and they think it is dead and they will vote against it this time," Peter Bone, a Conservative lawmaker and Brexit supporter, told Talk Radio. "It seems absurd to bring it back. It is the same thing again, again and again."

 

May, who became prime minister in the chaos that followed the 2016 referendum in which Britons voted 52% to 48% to leave the EU, is under pressure from some of her own lawmakers to set a date for her departure.

 

As well as the Brexit deadlock, the Conservative Party suffered major losses in local elections this month and is trailing in opinion polls ahead of the May 23 European Parliament elections.

 

Asked if she would resign if the bill was defeated, May told reporters she was sure Members of Parliament (MPs) would remember to respect the referendum result.

 

"When MPs come to look at that (bill), they will recognise that we have a duty in parliament to deliver on the result of the referendum and deliver Brexit," she said.

 

Lawmakers from the upper house of parliament had earlier asked Barclay if this was "the last chance saloon" for May's divorce deal.

 

"If the House of Commons does not approve the WAB, then the Barnier deal is dead in that form," Barclay told them, referring to the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

 

Barclay said that would leave parliament with the choice of revoking the decision to leave the EU or exiting without a deal, the default position if no divorce agreement can be reached.

 

"If the House (of Commons) has not passed the Withdrawal Agreement Bill then there are growing voices in Europe, not least the French, who want to move on to other issues," he said.

 

"WHAT HAS CHANGED?"

Nearly three years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU, politicians still disagree about when, how or even if the divorce will take place.

 

Brexit supporters fear May's deal will keep the United Kingdom trapped within the EU's orbit for years and that it could ultimately pull the British province of Northern Ireland towards the bloc.

 

Before her deal was defeated the last time, by 344 votes to 286 on March 29, May had promised to resign if it was passed. It was voted down first in January and again in mid-March.

 

A sticking point has been the Irish backstop, an insurance policy aimed at avoiding post-Brexit controls on the border between Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.

 

"If the prime minister brings the withdrawal bill to the Commons for a vote, the question will be 'what has changed'?" asked Nigel Dodds, parliamentary leader of the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up May's minority government.

 

"Unless she can demonstrate something new that addresses the problem of the backstop then it is highly likely her deal will go down to defeat once again," Dodds said.

 

A majority of members of the European Research Group, a large Brexit-supporting faction in the Conservative Party, will vote against May's deal, said Owen Paterson, a former minister.

 

As positions harden in parliament, with many wanting to either leave the EU without a deal or to stopBrexit altogether, May has turned to the opposition Labour Party, led by veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn, to negotiate a way out of the impasse.

 

But after more than four weeks of talks, the two party leaders appear no closer to agreeing a common position, with Labour saying May had not shifted her position and warning a future Conservative leader could rip up any deal they struck.

 

"We have serious concerns about negotiating with a government that is in the process of disintegration and what has been said about what might happen if a new Tory (Conservative) leadership is in charge," a Labour spokesman said.

 

However, the spokesman said while the party could not back May's deal as it stood, he did not rule out abstaining in the vote, which might allow it to muster enough support to pass.

 

(Additional reporting by John Irish in PARIS; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

 



-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-16

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Good. It will then be choice between leaving with no deal, or revoke and re-think. The second option is almost certain to prevail.

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Moves are afoot for the 1922 committee to oust her in June if Peston etc are to be believed.

Moves are afoot for the 1922 committee to oust her in June if Peston etc are to be believed.

The sooner terreeeesa the appeeeesa gets her p45..the better
A disgrace as a home secy..and an utter sick remoaning joke as pm.

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Very Star Warsy, that headline.

1 minute ago, Morch said:

Very Star Warsy, that headline.

Like Star Wars, Brexit is a work of fiction.

Let's imagine for a moment the UK will leave the EU without a deal. And then?

Will they never make any deals with the EU anymore?

Or will they have to make some deals? Or do they have to make many deals with the EU?

It's obvious that with the EU and UK so near to each other there will be a lot going on and they will need many agreements.

Now what is better? Thinking about these agreements up front or first leaving and pretending there is nothing to agree?

No points for the obvious answer.

3 minutes ago, Morch said:

Very Star Warsy, that headline.

Star Wars made more sense.

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

Let's imagine for a moment the UK will leave the EU without a deal. And then?

Will they never make any deals with the EU anymore?

Or will they have to make some deals? Or do they have to make many deals with the EU?

It's obvious that with the EU and UK so near to each other there will be a lot going on and they will need many agreements.

Now what is better? Thinking about these agreements up front or first leaving and pretending there is nothing to agree?

No points for the obvious answer.

Appeasement never works.

You have to start a war before negotiation becomes an effective tool.

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Like Star Wars, Brexit is a work of fiction.

Like most of your Brexit posts.....????

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Appeasement never works.

You have to start a war before negotiation becomes an effective tool.

War is an extension of diplomacy not diplomacy an extension of war.

 

Back to reading Clausewitz you go.

 

40 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Let's imagine for a moment the UK will leave the EU without a deal. And then?
Will they never make any deals with the EU anymore?
Or will they have to make some deals? Or do they have to make many deals with the EU?
It's obvious that with the EU and UK so near to each other there will be a lot going on and they will need many agreements.
Now what is better? Thinking about these agreements up front or first leaving and pretending there is nothing to agree?
No points for the obvious answer.

 

No Deal is the ANSWER..then it is a big blank sheet of paper .. then BREXITEERS will properly " do the wheeling and dealing " with the fraudulent corrupt inglorious eu jobsworths.
No more of remoaning Ollywhatshisface "selling the jerseys " etc etc

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Edited May 16, 20197 yr by Scott

1 minute ago, evadgib said:

This case deserves a lot more air time 

Spiffing!

 

It’s even go a picture of a Lancaster at the top.

 

 

34 minutes ago, malagateddy said:

 

 

No Deal is the ANSWER..then it is a big blank sheet of paper .. then BREXITEERS will properly " do the wheeling and dealing " with the fraudulent corrupt inglorious eu jobsworths.
No more of remoaning Ollywhatshisface "selling the jerseys " etc etc

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Teddy can we have a big of transparency, post a link to where you are snatching all this content from.

 

 

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by Scott

Teddy can we have a big of transparency, post a link to where you are snatching all this content from.
 
 

Snatching all this content from???

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Stompers customary guffaw appeared just 30 seconds after my last post.

Ayattollah Khomeni black-balled something he hadn't read similarly 30 years ago.

The rebels would be shooting themselves in the foot as parliament would never sanction a 'no-deal' exit if it ever gets to that stage. A deal has been reached, no-one likes it, but it's the only leaving deal on the table.

 

By the way John Wick 3 screens today in CM. Maybe Keanu Reeves could resolve the impasse...

30 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Spiffing!

 

It’s even go a picture of a Lancaster at the top.

lol

At least he has now looked at the pictures ????

 

To be serious the closing paragraph explains but I note the original has been purged and I have no idea how to shrink the text to the censors satisfaction:

 

The Full Blogg

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by evadgib

4 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Stompers customary guffaw appeared just 30 seconds after my last post.

Ayattollah Khomeni black-balled something he hadn't read similarly 30 years ago.

Got an early start today?

 

And it seems on an empty stomach.

2 minutes ago, evadgib said:

lol

At least he has now looked at the pictures ????

Mainly in the Beano though...????

When I see some posts here I am not surprised that most uneducated bar girls in this country are able to tell these people fairytales and they believe them. Please help me, my buffalo is so sick.

25 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Like Star Wars, Brexit is a work of fiction.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing"

Just now, vogie said:

"I find your lack of faith disturbing"

Indeed.

 

Brexit, blind faith.

A post in giant bold fonts has been removed

5 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

The rebels would be shooting themselves in the foot as parliament would never sanction a 'no-deal' exit if it ever gets to that stage. A deal has been reached, no-one likes it, but it's the only leaving deal on the table.

 

By the way John Wick 3 screens today in CM. Maybe Keanu Reeves could resolve the impasse...

Parliament already sanctioned it by voting to trigger article 50. The default position is still no deal unless a deal can be agreed, that didn't change when May kicked the can down the road a few months.

 

Of course May's surrender treaty has no chance of being agreed since the ERG know that May will have nowhere to go if it fails for the fourth time so they'll vote against it. The likes of Rees Mogg who reluctantly voted for it last time will vote against it this time just to get rid of her, so I predict it will be rejected by more than last time and May will resign and be replaced by a Brexiteer PM.

 

The choice for the new Brexiteer PM will be WTO exit or revoke article 50. Since the vast majority of conservative members want Brexit, the electorate voted for Brexit, the conservative manifesto was for Brexit, and the Brexit party will be breathing down their necks, I highly doubt article 50 will be revoked by a Brexiteer conservative PM.

 

Independence day will be November 1st 

21 minutes ago, Morch said:

Very Star Warsy, that headline.

Except, this time the man in the black helmet is on the rebel's side.

"May, the force is against you".

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

When I see some posts here I am not surprised that most uneducated bar girls in this country are able to tell these people fairytales and they believe them. Please help me, my buffalo is so sick.

Hmmm, Methinks an "owzatt!" is on the horizon...

Lets call this one a No Ball.

59 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Good. It will then be choice between leaving with no deal, or revoke and re-think. The second option is almost certain to prevail.

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Agreed and as many have suggested before. Of course the Brexit delusionists will remain in denial right up to when art 50 is withdrawn but still, it will give them something to bleat on about for a fews years after until such time no doubt Farage  has retired with his millions paid to him by the EU and the Tory right wing Loonies will have been forgotten about.

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by geoffbezoz

Nonsensical and repetitive memes have been removed.   Continue and face a suspension.  

 

18 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Parliament already sanctioned it by voting to trigger article 50. The default position is still no deal unless a deal can be agreed, that didn't change when May kicked the can down the road a few months.

 

Of course May's surrender treaty has no chance of being agreed since the ERG know that May will have nowhere to go if it fails for the fourth time so they'll vote against it. The likes of Rees Mogg who reluctantly voted for it last time will vote against it this time just to get rid of her, so I predict it will be rejected by more than last time and May will resign and be replaced by a Brexiteer PM.

 

The choice for the new Brexiteer PM will be WTO exit or revoke article 50. Since the vast majority of conservative members want Brexit, the electorate voted for Brexit, the conservative manifesto was for Brexit, and the Brexit party will be breathing down their necks, I highly doubt article 50 will be revoked by a Brexiteer conservative PM.

 

Independence day will be November 1st 

Any government deal has to be approved by parliament, and they would reject a no-deal like they have before. While Brexit could happen by accident, if the October leaving date occurs before any agreement, this is unlikely. More likely would be a GE with or without a Brexiteer PM.

 

As a GE would see Labour in power, I doubt any Tory Brexiteer would want to take up May's place - except for the pension benefits that arise from that post. A poisoned chalice awaits him or her.

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by stephenterry
correction