As expected the Withdrawal Vote (Brexit plan) was defeated in the UK parliament, the only surprise being how badly the loss was:
That’s the worst defeat by a Government in Britain in 95 years. In normal times that degree of humiliation would result in a rapid resignation by the Prime Minister, but these are not normal times. Theresa May is hanging on defiantly.
Soon after the loss Jeremy Corbyn and party leaders tabled a vote of no confidence:
This will be debated and probably voted Wednesday in the UK (Thursday NZ time). It is predicted that May may survive this, but her Government and the Brexit plan (or lack of) are both in tatters.
Telegraph:
Theresa May’s future rests in the balance after Jeremy Corbyn tabled a no-confidence motion on Tuesday night, just minutes after the Government suffered an unprecedented defeat over its Brexit deal.
With MPs voting by 432 to 202 to reject the draft withdrawal agreement, Mr Corbyn raised a point of order requesting that a vote be held on Wednesday, after Prime Minister’s Questions.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Corbyn highlighted that the defeat was the largest inflicted on any Government since the 1920s, adding that Mrs May had “lost the confidence of this House and this country.”
We may find out by morning, NZ time.
Morning update from BBC:
- Government faces vote of no confidence after PM’s huge parliamentary defeat on Tuesday
- The Commons rejected Mrs May’s EU withdrawal agreement by 432 votes to 202
- MPs now debating Labour’s no confidence motion ahead of vote at 19:00 GMT
- Government expected to survive, with DUP and Tory Brexiteers backing PM
- Labour says further no-confidence votes could follow if this one fails
- European leaders have reacted with dismay at the voting down of the deal
Guardian – Brexit: MPs debate no-confidence motion after May’s deal defeat
MPs should be given indicative votes on what happens next, says Brexit committee
The Commons Brexit committee has published a report (pdf)saying MPs should be given a series of indicative votes on what happens next. Voting in the Commons is normally binary – MPs either vote for or against a proposition – but on Brexit there is increasing support for an alternative approach that would enable MPs to vote on a series of options, so as to show which had most support.
The committee suggests MPs should be given a vote on four options. It explains them like this.
1. To hold another vote on the draft withdrawal agreement and framework for the future relationship.
2. To leave the EU with no deal on 29 March with no agreement on future relations in place and with no transition/implementation period.
3. To call on the government to seek to renegotiate the deal to achieve a specific outcome, be it a variation of the terms of the separation set out in the withdrawal agreement or providing clarity about the end state of future relations as set out in the political declaration. The main renegotiation possibilities would be: 1) Seeking changes to the text in the withdrawal agreement on the backstop arrangements; 2) Seeking a Canada-style deal: 3) Seeking to join the EEA through the EFTA pillar and remaining in a customs union with the EU or a variation on this.
4. In addition to these policy choices about the UK’s future relationship, parliament could decide to hold a second referendum to allow the British people to decide either which kind of Brexit deal they want or whether they wish to remain in the EU.
The committee, which is chaired by the Labour MP Hilary Benn, agreed the report by a majority. Four pro-Brexit members – the Tories Sir Christopher Chope, Craig Mackinlay, John Whittingdale and the DUP’s Sammy Wilson – voted against.
The government has not yet said when, or how, MPs will get to hold the debate that must take place following the Commons decision to vote down Theresa May’s Brexit deal yesterday. But in response to a point of order after the vote last night, John Bercow, the Speaker, indicated he would do what he could to ensure that debates and votes do take place. He said:
Of one thing I am sure: that which members wish to debate and which they determine shall be subject to a vote will be debated and voted upon. That seems to me to be so blindingly obvious that no sensible person would disagree with the proposition. If MPs want to debate and vote on a matter, that opportunity will, I am sure, unfold in the period ahead.
Opening of no confidence debate – summary
Anyone who thought that the first no-confidence debate in the Commons for almost a quarter of a century was going to be a vintage occasion will have been disappointed – at least by the opening statements.
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech was a little rambling and definitely not one of his best.
Theresa May’s was not hugely better, although she did seem to be enjoying herself more than the opposition leader (bizarrely, in the circumstances, but who knows how the May psyche works).
Next move ‘has to come from London,’ says EU
At his regular press briefing in Brussels earlier today, Margaritis Schinas, the spokesman for the European commission, said that it was up to London to decide what happened next in the Brexitprocess. He said:
The next move has to come from London. There is nothing else we can do from here at this stage. What matters at this stage … is that we know what to expect from the UK, and that we don’t know.
It isn’t just the Conservatives who are divided.
John Woodcock, who was an elected as a Labour MP but who now sits as an independent after leaving the party because of his opposition to Jeremy Corbyn, has told the Commons that he will not be voting for the motion of no confidence in the government this evening. He said he thought Corbyn and John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, were not fit to hold high office.
Here is the full transcript of what Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, told the European parliament this morning about the Commons Brexit vote. He said “the risk of a no deal has never been so high.”
Pete George
/ 16th January 2019Missy
/ 17th January 2019The EU may renegotiate, but they have been hostile to that, so that is unlikely. Extending Article 50 can only happen for a General Election or second Referendum, so that is unlikely. Changing the PM won’t happen unless Cabinet kick her out now, which is unlikely this close to 29 March, or if the Govt loses a No Confidence vote, which is also unlikely at the moment. There won’t be a second referendum under May, and it is a short sighted view as it would be more divisive, further a second referendum would be damaging to UK democracy and the public’s engagement in politics. Scrapping Brexit would be worse than a second referendum and would do incredible damage to democracy in the UK, and it would alienate millions of voters from engaging in politics in the country. The least damaging to UK society is in fact the no deal option, which isn’t actually no deal, it is no agreement with the EU, however a number of countries that have an FTA with the EU have said they will roll those agreements over to the UK whilst bilateral agreements are being negotiated, however Remainers and the media don’t want to acknowledge that as it doesn’t fit their narrative.
thespectrum
/ 16th January 2019Life won’t change in the UK whatever happens.
75% of Brits will still live in their tiny Coronation Street houses
with the other 55 mill in their overcrowded ,dirty tired country.
And it will still be raining,
Missy
/ 17th January 2019How condescending you sound.
Pete George
/ 17th January 2019Missy
/ 17th January 2019I was held up at work, so was listening to the result of the vote on the way home.
Ayes 306
Noes 325
The Government have survived the vote of No Confidence.
thespectrum
/ 17th January 2019How unsurprising and dull like all of England.
Missy
/ 17th January 2019Well, based on your comments you are no doubt an expert on what is unsurprising and dull.
thespectrum
/ 17th January 2019No my comments are entertaining and challenging always.
Missy
/ 17th January 2019No, I think you are mixing them up with Gezza’s comments, in addition to unsurprising and dull yours are also devoid of any substance.
thespectrum
/ 17th January 2019I will not stoop to your level of personal abuse because I am secure in the knowledge that I am a brilliant observer analyst and writer of social and political issues.
Gezza
/ 17th January 2019😍😍😍
MaureenW
/ 17th January 2019As Maggie Thatcher said “if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t!”
Gezza
/ 17th January 2019😳
True in Specs’ case, but hang on Maureen.
Sir Alan says he’s a bastard.
And he is !
Alan Wilkinson
/ 17th January 2019Not quite true. You said I was and I thanked you for the compliment.
Gezza
/ 17th January 2019Close enuf for me, quibbler. 😉
Alan Wilkinson
/ 17th January 2019If I recall right you said I was a bastard’s bastard and I was too polite to point out where that puts you.
Blazer
/ 17th January 2019Theresa May,Theresa might… be….functus officio!
Alan Wilkinson
/ 17th January 2019May continuing her impersonation of Monty Python’s Black Knight. Surely she is down to her last limb?
Gezza
/ 17th January 2019Posted by PDB late yesterday. Too funny not to repost it today…
Alan Wilkinson
/ 17th January 2019If May was ever going to deliver Brexit why on earth was Hammond her finance Minister?