Brexit options 'narrowing', says health secretary

Theresa May in the Commons

The options for Brexit "are narrowing", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said, after MPs voted to seize control of the parliamentary timetable.

 The PM was dealt a fresh blow as the government was defeated by 27 votes on Monday, on a plan designed to find out the kind of deal MPs would support.
Thirty Conservative MPs rebelled, including three ministers.
Mr Hancock said the government would listen to MPs but "can't pre-commit to following whatever they vote for".

Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the Eurosceptic group of Tory MPs the European Research Group (ERG), is among the group of pro-Brexit MPs who the prime minister has been trying to persuade to back her deal.

On his ConservativeHome podcast, he said: "I have always thought that no deal is better than Mrs May's deal, but Mrs May's deal is better than not leaving at all."

Ministerial resignations

On Monday night, MPs voted in favour of Conservative backbencher Sir Oliver Letwin's cross-party amendment, which will allow MPs to put forward motions relating to Brexit - most likely a series of so-called indicative votes.
Because of this, MPs will be able to vote on a number of options on Wednesday - likely to include a "softer Brexit", a customs union with the EU and another referendum - designed to test the will of Parliament to see what, if anything, commands a majority.

Richard Harrington, Alistair Burt and Steve Brine resigned to join the rebels, with Mr Harrington accusing the government of "playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods" of Britons.
The prime minister said she was "sceptical" about the process - as it was not guaranteed to produce a majority for any one course of action - and she would not commit the government to abiding by the result.

"The votes could lead to an outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU," she told MPs.
Mr Hancock told Today: "In the previous votes there have been a multitude of potential different options - the sorts of options, like a second referendum, which I think would be a bad idea, that's been rejected.
"The idea of having a no deal…the Commons is absolutely clear it won't allow and will legislate against it if necessary. That means that the options are narrowing."

What is the voting process?

Commons Speaker John Bercow said Sir Oliver Letwin will table a business motion at 16:00 GMT and MPs will have until the end of Tuesday to put forward matters for consideration under indicative votes.
The exact method of indicative voting will be debated on Wednesday, Mr Bercow said.
When asked if the prime minister will abide by the indicative votes, Mr Hancock said it was important for the government to listen to MPs.
"But we can't pre-commit to following whatever they vote for, because they might vote for something that is completely impractical," he said.

But Labour's Hilary Benn said MPs have to take responsibility for the Brexit process.
Mr Benn, chairman of the Commons Exiting the European Union Committee, told the Today programme: "If the government isn't going to do its job then Parliament is going to have to take responsibility, and that is what we are doing on Wednesday."

The DUP's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson reiterated that the party's 10 MPs - who prop up Mrs May's government - will not support the prime minister's Brexit deal unless there are "significant changes to the agreement".

European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said he was "very pleased" the Letwin amendment had been voted for "because that means it is possible now to work towards a cross-party proposal".

But the BBC's Europe editor Katya Adler said the EU only fears more uncertainty ahead, knowing full well that even if a clearer picture emerges of what MPs will accept, the UK government, led by Theresa May, remains its only negotiating partner or "interlocutor".

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Best Tourist Attractions to Visit in Austria

Image
Zell am See;   Encompassed by the magnificent Salzburg Mountains, Zell am See is one of the most photogenic alpine towns in Austria. It is one of the best tourist attractions in Austria. The area is nature enthusiasts haven; winter fetches the chance to enjoy the 80 miles of regional ski slopes, while the hotter summer months are ideal for swimming in the unbelievably blue waters of the Zeller See or cycling along the tree-lined streets by its coast. If you’re seeking for something more luxurious, it’s effortless to pass a wonderful afternoon traveling through the photogenic city center, which is decorated with brightly colored chalets, comfortable cafes, and wonderful restaurants. Wachau   Bestriding the verges of the photogenic Danube River, Wachau is familiar for generating some of the finest dry white wines in the world. The area is also abode to a wide number of attractive medieval fortresses, monasteries, and castles, and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Read more

US military reports major spike in sex assaults

Image
The US military has reported a major spike in sexual assaults despite years of efforts to address the problem. Figures show 20,500 instances of unwanted sexual contact occurred in 2018, up from 14,900 in 2016 which is the last time a survey was conducted. Alcohol was involved in one third of cases, and female recruits ages 17 to 24 are at the highest risk of attack. On Thursday, Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan directed the military to "criminalise" sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can fall within other legal violations of military behaviour, but is not yet a "stand-alone" criminal offence. The directive from Mr Shanahan was among a series of other recommendations, released in a memo on Thursday. "Sexual assault is illegal and immoral, is inconsistent with the military's mission and will not be tolerated," he wrote. In the US, sexual harassment is illegal, considered a form of sexual discrimination under Title VII of
Read more

Schiff Iffy On Impeachment Despite Saying Trump’s Actions ‘Worse’ Than Nixon’s

Image
Despite characterizing the actions of the 2016 Trump campaign and President Donald Trump’s subsequent actions as “far more serious than Watergate,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) was non-committal Sunday on the question of impeachment.  In an interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Schiff said that “the obstruction of justice in particular in this case is far worse than anything that Richard Nixon did,” and asserted later that Trump obstructed justice “in many ways.” In “a normal circumstance,” he said, “the level of evidence in the Mueller report” would be “without question within the realm of impeachable offenses.” But, Schiff added, “We are, unfortunately, in an environment today where the GOP leadership, people like Kevin McCarthy, are willing to carry the President’s water no matter how corrupt or unethical or dishonest the President’s conduct may be.” “It means that an impeachment is likely to be unsuccessful,” Schiff said. He said that De
Read more