INDEPENDENT NEWS

UK MPs Vote Against No-Deal Brexit

Published: Thu 14 Mar 2019 09:30 AM
UK MPs vote to take 'no-deal' Brexit off the table
MPs have voted to block the UK from leaving the EU without an agreement.
In an unexpected move the vote that passed was an amendment that toughened up the no-deal option, ruling out ever leaving the the union without an agreement.
The motion was passed by 312 to 308.
This overruled the government's 'no-deal' option that would only apply to the 29 March deadline and did not rule out the prospect of a no-deal exit later this year if Parliament is ultimately unable to agree a way forward.
However the amendment is not a legally-binding decision - and it does not rule out the UK leaving the EU. The government could choose to accept it and treating it as binding but has not said it will.
A second vote was carried with an even wider margin of 43.
Mrs May said the votes today showed there was a clear majority against no-deal deal.
But she said the legal default in UK and EU law was still that Britain would leave the EU on 29 March "unless something else is agreed".
"The onus is now on everyone of us in this house to find out what that is."
She said the options were the same as ever: Mrs May's deal; her deal subject to another referendum, which could lead to no Brexit at all; or seek to negotiate a new deal, but the EU has said the deal on the table is the only one on offer.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would be working across the parties to find a compromise solution that could pass in the house.
Mrs May said before the ballot that she would vote for the government's no-deal motion, and that it would be a "free vote" - meaning party bosses would not tell MPs which way to vote.
Yesterday, MPs in UK's House of Commons rejected British Prime Minister Theresa May's amended Brexit deal despite her managing to secure "legally binding" changes to it from the EU in 11th hour talks intended to soothe UK Brexiteers in parliament.
Tomorrow, MPs will get a vote on whether to request a delay to Brexit from the EU, and if all 27 member countries agree, the UK would not leave the bloc as planned on 29 March.
In 2016 the UK public voted in a referendum to leave the EU by nearly 52 percent to 48 percent - 17.4m votes to 16.1m - in 2016.
RNZ
New Zealand's public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.

Next in Comment

US Lessons For New Zealand’s Health System: Profiteering, Hospital Adverse Events And Patient Outcomes
By: Ian Powell
Israel’s Argument At The Hague: We Are Incapable Of Genocide
By: Binoy Kampmark
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media