In Britain lawmakers are voting on Wednesday on a series of proposed alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May’s EU withdrawal deal, in the latest bid to break the impasse over Brexit.
By Susy Hodges
With British politics staying at fever pitch, lawmakers have grabbed control of the parliamentary agenda to hold so-called indicative votes on Brexit. The speaker of the House of Commons was selecting half a dozen options from 16 proposals that are likely to range from a much softer Brexit, to leaving without a deal or revoking Britain’s divorce from the EU.
Searching for alternatives
It’s unclear if parliament’s attempt to find an alternative to May’s deal will produce a majority. Although the voting on these options was taking place later today, it’s a two-staged process. The real action comes next Monday when lawmakers will again have control of the House of Commons agenda and a smaller number of options will be voted on to see if a majority can be found for an alternative proposal.
It was not yet certain whether the Conservative lawmakers will be free to vote as they wish, or will have to take orders from party managers known as whips. The former Health Minister Steven Brine — who resigned this week to back the move to force the indicative votes — warned in an interview that more than a dozen other ministers might quit their jobs, if they are denied a free vote.
But, even if they get a free vote, these indicative ballots are not legally binding on the government and it could try to ignore the outcome.
Ahead of today’s voting, May was meeting a key group of Conservative lawmakers in a fresh effort to persuade them to back her Brexit deal that has been heavily defeated twice in parliament. The first time it was rejected by an historic margin of 230 votes and the second time by 149 votes.
Northern Ireland’s DUP
Some of the most influential pro-Brexit rebels in the ruling party such as Jacob Rees-Mogg now say they are prepared to support May’s deal if the Northern Irish/ Democratic Unionist party, or DUP, does so as well. The DUP helps prop up May’s minority government and the support of its 10 lawmakers is seen as crucial if the Prime Minister is to have any hope of getting her deal over the line. To succeed, May also needs dozens of rebels in the ruling party to come over to her side.
The Prime Minister has signalled she will try to bring her deal back to parliament for a further vote later this week but only if she believes she can win. Political insiders say May could announce a date for stepping down as Prime Minister in a bid to persuade the rebels in her party to get behind her Brexit deal.
This coming Friday the 29th was the day written into law for Britain to leave the EU but lawmakers were also due to vote today on a legal instrument to confirm a delay. This would mean that the earliest Brexit is likely to happen, is now April the 12th.
But even at this 11th hour, Britain is still convulsed with uncertainty over how, when, or even if it will eventually leave the EU. This lack of clarity over the way forward has left Britain’s allies aghast and is already causing turmoil in the nation’s economy.
