New options for Brexit?
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| Parliament buildings in London (AFP) |
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.
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