Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to lawmakers in the House of Commons, London, Monday March 25, 2019. Photo / AP
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to lawmakers in the House of Commons, London, Monday March 25, 2019. Photo / AP
The UK parliament has seized control of the Brexit process from the government, in an unprecedented move aimed at ending the deadlock.
The House of Commons voted 329 to 302 late on Monday to strip power away from May over what happens next. The result paves the way for members of Parliament to demand she pursues radical Plan B options, potentially including a second referendum, keeping the UK in the European Union's customs union, or even cancel ing Brexit.
Three ministers — Richard Harrington, Steve Brine and Alistair Burt — resigned from May's government to vote against her orders and in favor of the proposal. They were among 30 Conservatives who disobeyed the prime minister to support the rebel amendment.
"It is disappointing to see this amendment pass," a government spokesman said in an email after the vote. The result "upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future." The spokesman said parliament will need to consider whether the options it votes on will require a longer extension beyond the current latest exit date of May 22.
"While it is now up to Parliament to set out next steps in respect of this amendment, the government will continue to call for realism — any options considered must be deliverable in negotiations with the EU," the spokesman said.
May's latest battle with Parliament comes as the fate of Brexit appears still to be torn between two extreme outcomes: a catastrophic breakdown in negotiations resulting in a no-deal split; and a long delay lasting many months or even years, during which time the divorce could be called off.
Britain had been due to leave the EU on Friday March 29. But at last Thursday's summit, European leaders agreed to delay the exit to give May until April 12 to try to get her deal passed. It has already been rejected overwhelmingly in two votes in the House of Commons.
Britain's oposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, front, makes a statement after Prime Minister Theresa May made a statement on Brexit. Photo / AP
"It is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote," May said in a statement to Parliament on Monday.
She's still aiming to build support for her agreement so she can put it to a vote later this week, as the EU has demanded. But the prospects of success seem remote.
May was speaking after fighting off a half-formed attempt to oust her. At a cabinet meeting on Monday, no ministers followed through on their reported threat to demand she set a date for her own departure.
Despite shoring up her own position a little, May still had the humiliation of rank-and-file politicians voting to take control over Parliament's agenda on Wednesday — and potentially more days after that.
The plan, from Conservative former minister Oliver Letwin, will allow lawmakers to express support for different options.
"It's essential we should be able to look at all the serious options, not wild unicorns, but all the things we could do to carry this process forward one way or other," Letwin told Parliament. He then urged a spirit of compromise. "I don't think there's a majority in favour of the first preference of anybody in this house," he said.
The prime minister is refusing to promise to deliver whatever members of Parliament vote for. She says she can't guarantee to follow through on a choice that she hasn't yet seen.
May has also warned that if Parliament seized control over the agenda in this way, there will be far-reaching consequences for the way the UK is governed. Others in her team suggest a general election could be the only way out of the impasse, if the Commons calls for a solution that the Conservative government fundamentally opposes.
Earlier on Monday, EU officials looking at the continuing deadlock in Parliament stepped up their contingency preparations for the failure of the talks. The European Commission put out a statement saying a no-deal departure is "increasingly likely."
