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British MPs to vote again to find way out of Brexit deadlock

MPs in Britain are once again set to vote to see if there is a Brexit option that can command a m...
Newstalk
Newstalk

05.46 1 Apr 2019


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British MPs to vote again to f...

British MPs to vote again to find way out of Brexit deadlock

Newstalk
Newstalk

05.46 1 Apr 2019


Share this article


MPs in Britain are once again set to vote to see if there is a Brexit option that can command a majority.

They will take control of the parliamentary agenda on Monday in a fresh attempt to find an alternative to the agreed Brexit deal.

The MPs took part in the first round of voting last week, but none of the alternative ideas had a parliamentary majority.

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Eight options have been tabled for Monday's indicative votes, including a no-deal Brexit, a customs union and a people's vote.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow will select which options will be part of the fresh vote later.

Reports suggest he may only select three or four.

He is also expected to say if MPs will vote using a preferential voting system, in an effort to bring MPs to a decision.

With the clock ticking down towards the new exit date of April 12th, British Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to find a way through parliament with the deal.

It was rejected for a third time by the House of Commons on Friday, but is has been suggested she could bring it back for a fourth time this week, to try to avoid a no-deal despite repeated warnings from Mr Bercow that he will not allow the deal to keep coming back to parliament.

Mrs May has spent the weekend trying to win back the support of MPs who could be won over, with her aides saying that she remains focused on getting her deal over the line.

Some hard-Brexit MPs now believe that Mrs May's deal is the hardest break with the EU on offer and could now back it, but Mrs May is still lacking the support of the DUP, who have repeatedly voted against her deal.

She has also been warned against accepting a customs union arrangement, one of the options put forward on Monday, as some Conservative MPs believe it would hinder attempts to strike future trade deals.

It has also been reported that cabinet ministers Penny Morduant and Chris Grayling, are ready to resign if Mrs May accepts the plan.

On the other hand, Britain's Justice Minister David Gauke said he would quit the government if the UK left the EU without a deal.

Over the weekend, Mr Gauke said the British government would have to 'consider very closely' any alternative Brexit plan backed by MPs.

Asked what his government would do if MPs back an alternative such as a customs union with the EU, he said: "We're clearly going to have to consider very carefully the will of parliament.

"My view is that the best outcome is the prime minister's deal... but if that is not the favoured outcome of parliament, then we would need to consider what parliament does want to do.

"If parliament moves in that direction... we would have to consider very closely what parliament decides to do."

Mr Gauke did indicate that Mrs May was unlikely to shift towards a no-deal approach, suggesting: "Parliament is not going to allow us to go down that route."

Meanwhile on Saturday, a series of protests opposing Brexit took place in Irish border counties.

The Border Communities Against Brexit group said they were angry, given the continued uncertainty over the UK's exit from the EU.


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Brexit Brexit Options DUP House Of Commons John Bercow Theresa May

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