UK parliament debates Brexit but won’t vote on triggering EU divorce

[webfact]

UK parliament debates Brexit but won’t vote on triggering EU divorce

 

 

LONDON: -- Ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary debate on Brexit, UK Prime Minister Theresa May faced questions on the thorny topic in the House of Commons.

 

She has ruled out letting MPs vote on triggering the procedure to leave the European Union and won’t commit to keeping Britain in the EU’s single market.

 

“What we are going to do is be ambitious in our negotiations, to negotiate the best deal for the British people and that will include the maximum possible access to the European market for firms to trade with and operate within the European market,” May told the weekly ‘Prime Minister’s Questions’ session.

 

“Someone once said that leaving the Single Market would risk a loss of investors and business and we risk going backwards when it comes to international trade. That person is now the prime minister and that was before the referendum,” said opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, suggesting May was risking “a shambolic Tory Brexit”.

 

The fall of the pound has triggered concern since June’s vote to leave the bloc. Whatever the fears, the government insists the process must be handled in a way that respects the decision of the British people.

 

Late on Tuesday, May moved to appease some MPs in her ruling Conservative Party by allowing a motion proposed by the opposition Labour Party for a “full and transparent debate” on how the government will enact the public vote to leave the EU.

 

The move spurred sterling, which has fallen 18 percent against the dollar since the referendum, with investors concerned that Britain is heading for a so-called “hard Brexit”, or a clean break from the bloc’s lucrative single market of 500 million consumers in order to control immigration.

 

“We’ve always said that parliament has an important role to play,” May’s spokeswoman said on Wednesday morning.

 

“But we also believe this should be done in a way that respects the decision of the people of the UK when they voted to leave the EU on 23 June and does not undermine the negotiating position of the government.”

 

“There will not be a vote on triggering Article 50.”

 

Appointed prime minister shortly after the referendum on EU membership to replace David Cameron who resigned, May has come under pressure to break with her policy of refusing to give a “running commentary”.

 

She says she does not want to show her hand before starting some of the most complex negotiations London has ever undertaken.

 

Investors fear that with three leading Brexit campaigners among her closest advisers, May is taking Britain towards a “hard Brexit”.

 

On Tuesday, several senior bankers said they could start moving staff abroad as early as next year if there was no clarity on access to the single market.

 

Trying to calm financial markets, May’s aides say the prime minister has not ruled out winning access to the single market and sources close to her indicate that the government still has a long way to go before coming up with a clear stance.

 

May has said she will trigger Article 50 by the end of March next year.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-10-13

[Laughing Gravy]

As the MP's are supposedly there to represent the people and 450 MPs voted against brexit will they be relinquishing their jobs at the next election, as clearly they voted for themselves and not for the constituents they are supposedly their to serve.

 

I guess the answer will be no.

[stevenl]

Acting in their best interest does not always mean do what they say.

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

She says she does not want to show her hand

What's left that hasn't been revealed with regard to negotiations?

I'm not being sarcastic nor defensive. But with so much put into the public during the campaign for the Brexit referendum and subsequent election of May as PM, what remains a secret that would contribute to a more favorable EU exit negotiation?

[KNJ]

You do not enter a negotiation by letting the other party know what your strategy is, you go in with musts and wants and negotiation tokens, things which are deal breakers, desires and things which you can trade to achieve your desired outcome.

May is sensible enough to know this, and even if debated, which it inevitably will be in the Commons, that will not necessary be how the game will be played.

It is about time that all those MPs trying to oppose Brexit, realised that come the elections which will be after Article 50 there fate will be determined not on policy or party preference but by the majority who voted for the Brexit. This could throw a few spanners in the works. This will throw the next election into a turmoil for both the major parties with swings in all constituencies more than possible

The people of spoken and TM is willing to Herald the charge and take action corresponding to that. As long as people see that Article 50 is invoked, TM will gain support, the interesting point will be when the next election occurs and the state of, as well of awareness in public, of the negotiations

As for the value of the GBP, we trade in a free market economy where exchange rates are subject to market forces, if the pound drops it helps exports, so be it let the markets decide.

Of course imports will go up, but what are the major imports on an individual level or company level which we cannot do without, would be willing to adjust the amount we pay  in order to still buy, or up manufacturing in UK?

Of course it is hard if you are British living abroad and have an income only in GBP, but for those in UK earning in GBP the only difference will be an increase in the products they choose to buy:

Ditch the BMWe and buy a Ford

Cheddar is as good as Brie ( well maybe not)

New phone, so what most people will pay another 100 quid just to have the latest, alternatively use last years model or a less featured one

Cost of house, unless the kitchen is from Italy or Sweden wont change

Wine - There are some dam good ones being produced in UK nowadays, and my preference is New World anyway ) Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir is worth every penny)

Holidays abroad, stay at home and save the money improve the economy

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

Acting in their best interest does not always mean do what they say.

 

That's true. Britain is a representative democracy. Politicians are elected broadly based on their party's manifesto. They then face re-election based on their past performance and delivery of that manifesto at the next election. 

Britain is not a democratic process like Switzerland where major decisions are put to the electorate to vote on. Bexit hasn't followed the British process. Not because the process was wrong but because Tory egos and chancers decided they didn't need to, could win easily and quell their political enemies.

Now we're in the mess we are, where  the majority of a minority who voted, following a campaign full of lies, deceit and fear mongering, are being held up as "the people have spoken" and therefore not only must we accept the result, based on no minimum voter turnout or winning margin, and implement it, again ignoring the British political process.

 

Well done the Brexiters - you won a vote you never expected to win, based on lies, many of which have already been exposed, false promises, many of which have already been renaged on, and by using a process alien to the British political process which was ill thought out. Now you want to implement it with no clear strategy, no clear plan, based on what exactly no one knows.

 

It's becoming clear that the understanding of what remaining or leaving would actually mean, what the issues and consequences would be, was never thought out or understood by the Tories, UKIP and their supporters. No strategy, plan or action list whatever the result.

 

And all to appease the Tory in fighting in the absence of any credible opposition.

[Laughing Gravy]

25 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

That's true. Britain is a representative democracy. Politicians are elected broadly based on their party's manifesto. They then face re-election based on their past performance and delivery of that manifesto at the next election. 

Britain is not a democratic process like Switzerland where major decisions are put to the electorate to vote on. Bexit hasn't followed the British process. Not because the process was wrong but because Tory egos and chancers decided they didn't need to, could win easily and quell their political enemies.

Now we're in the mess we are, where  the majority of a minority who voted, following a campaign full of lies, deceit and fear mongering, are being held up as "the people have spoken" and therefore not only must we accept the result, based on no minimum voter turnout or winning margin, and implement it, again ignoring the British political process.

 

Well done the Brexiters - you won a vote you never expected to win, based on lies, many of which have already been exposed, false promises, many of which have already been renaged on, and by using a process alien to the British political process which was ill thought out. Now you want to implement it with no clear strategy, no clear plan, based on what exactly no one knows.

 

It's becoming clear that the understanding of what remaining or leaving would actually mean, what the issues and consequences would be, was never thought out or understood by the Tories, UKIP and their supporters. No strategy, plan or action list whatever the result.

 

And all to appease the Tory in fighting in the absence of any credible opposition.

Well I had no doubt at all that brexit would win and in fact, if it wasn't for such a biased campaign by the mainstream media, such as the BBC and Sky news, I expected the gap to be even further than it was. take Scotland and N. Ireland away from the equation as they were voting for independence, then the gap was huge.

 

The remain campaign was full of lies too, if not more. I still don't get what all this mess we are in is exactly. the pound is falling for now. I believe that this is an orchestrated event. With a  falling pound there are also positives with exports etc

 

I agree about the Tories and credible opposition as mentioned by others you would not tell everyone what your plans and expectations are before going into a negotiation. That would be stupid.

[KNJ]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

That's true. Britain is a representative democracy. Politicians are elected broadly based on their party's manifesto. They then face re-election based on their past performance and delivery of that manifesto at the next election. 

Britain is not a democratic process like Switzerland where major decisions are put to the electorate to vote on. Bexit hasn't followed the British process. Not because the process was wrong but because Tory egos and chancers decided they didn't need to, could win easily and quell their political enemies.

Now we're in the mess we are, where  the majority of a minority who voted, following a campaign full of lies, deceit and fear mongering, are being held up as "the people have spoken" and therefore not only must we accept the result, based on no minimum voter turnout or winning margin, and implement it, again ignoring the British political process.

 

Well done the Brexiters - you won a vote you never expected to win, based on lies, many of which have already been exposed, false promises, many of which have already been renaged on, and by using a process alien to the British political process which was ill thought out. Now you want to implement it with no clear strategy, no clear plan, based on what exactly no one knows.

 

It's becoming clear that the understanding of what remaining or leaving would actually mean, what the issues and consequences would be, was never thought out or understood by the Tories, UKIP and their supporters. No strategy, plan or action list whatever the result.

 

And all to appease the Tory in fighting in the absence of any credible opposition.

In what way was the political process ignored?

Referendums are constitutional

The fact that Cameron, and all his lies failed to understand the opinions of those who voted, adhering to "We know best and what the people want" was a mistake, he should never have called for the referendum in the first place without understanding the passion of the people regarding immigration, legislation from Brussels ( that unelected bureaucracy ) and the EUs intransience for change. Rather than taking the issue to the people at a local level to ascertain their current mindset, he sat in his ivory tower taking only account of the economic considerations rather then the passion of the people who put him there in the first place.

There was insufficient grass root discussion and representation which deluded him into thinking that the Tories were in power, he was PM, thus the people must support his view to Remain.

Whatever the consequences he will be written into the annals' of history for this single event, and viewed as a political incompetent. 

Was I Pro Brexit, certainly not, but as someone benefitting from it ( USD based salary ) I am not complaining.

Do I think it was right for UK, no I do not, and we will suffer turmoil for the forthcoming years until fully closed.

What is much more of an issue is that of other EU states turning towards the same,  Holland, Finland, Austria and several other countries may want to take the same route.

AM and her cronies know this and fear for the collapse of their social experiment. They stopped Greece going down this path, but the situation was not the same. Their intransience is showing currently no signs of change. It cannot and they would prefer that UK takes a hard exit, in order to prevent further clouds over the EU.

IMHO she is just kicking the can down the road (to the dump)

The EU has morphed into a collection of rich and poor nations, and I know who I think benefits....

Edited October 13, 2016 by KNJ
spelling

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

Britain is not a democratic process like Switzerland where major decisions are put to the electorate to vote on.

An often discussed topic comparing any democratic nation that does not have direct democratic process like Switzerland. See discussions @https://www.quora.com/Why-are-many-people-against-direct-democracy-after-Brexit-when-it-works-quite-well-in-Switzerland

One notable observation: Asking why we British are upset about Direct Democracy when the Swiss like it is a bit like comparing why we do not elect our Head of State like America.  We have plain different systems which are the products of different histories and traditions and arrive at our decisions in a different way.

[jpinx]

So much hot air about nothing.  The proposed trade agreement Canada-EU is a good model for UK-EU, and will not produce the same public resistance as the Canada one is doing because of it's potential to "back-door" USA.  The bankers who are talking about moving staff to europe are irresponsible big-mouths.  Whatever their plans are, they do not need to be made public and cause more uncertainty -- or will we be allowed cameras in every directors board room of every Plc to "inform the public".  This is fast becoming a farce, if it's not there already.

Edited October 13, 2016 by jpinx