PM Theresa May postponed a critical parliamentary vote on Britain’s exit from the European Union, as she defeated by up to 100 MPs, of her own Conservative Party who opposed the proposal. This is a humiliation for the prime minister and left the country’s economic and political future uncertain, and revealed her fragile hold on power.
“I spoke to a number of EU leaders over the weekend and, in advance of the European Council, I will go to see my counterparts in other member states and the leadership of the council and the commission. I will discuss with them the clear concerns that this House has expressed,” May said.
She said, the decision to delay the vote was made after it became clear she would lose it “by a significant margin.” She will now go back to EU leaders to seek further reassurances,
Corbyn said: “The government has decided Theresa May’s Brexit deal is so disastrous that it has taken the desperate step of delaying its own vote at the eleventh hour.”
“The government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray,” Corbyn said. “It’s been evident for weeks that the prime minister’s deal did not have confidence of this House yet she plowed on regardless, reiterating ‘this is the only deal available.'”
May admitted that “there remains widespread and deep concern” over the Northern Ireland backstop. Northern Ireland’s secretary of state said she supported the decision to delay the vote.
The vote could take place next week or even be delayed until early January, although this would allow less time for the ensuing Brexit legislation to be passed through parliament before 29 March. The ultimate deadline for the vote is 21 January.
The embattled leader told the UK House of Commons that she had listened “very carefully to what has been said in this chamber and out of it” a statement that was met with laughter and jeering by members of Parliament.
Theresa May Delays Brexit Vote in UK
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