LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May won a crucial Brexit vote in parliament on Wednesday, keeping her divided government’s plans to end more than 40 years of British partnership with the European Union on track.
After pro-EU Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve said he would support the government’s proposal for a “meaningful vote” in parliament on any Brexit deal, a potential rebellion that could have undermined May’s authority was averted.
May adopted a high-risk strategy by facing off with rebels in her Conservative Party, and it paid off. One lawmaker said May had no option but to take them on, or risk their rebellion growing as she cuts ties with the EU.
But the battle over her Brexit blueprint, or EU withdrawal bill, may be a taste of things to come. May needs to get several other bills through parliament to prepare Britain for life outside the EU, a momentous change to its trading and political relationships after decades in the bloc.
Some of her opponents on Brexit may simply have decided to keep their powder dry for later fights on issues such as future trading ties and customs arrangements with the bloc before Britain’s scheduled departure in March next year.
Six Conservatives still voted against the government. But for now, May will be relieved to have overcome another potential crisis over her proposal for the role of parliament if she fails to negotiate an exit agreement with the EU or if lawmakers reject any deal she returns with from Brussels.
“It’s a good result. We can negotiate on the basis there can be a ‘no deal’,” said one Conservative lawmaker on condition of anonymity for fear of appearing to gloat and worsening relations with the rebels. “It strengthens our hand.”
Sterling rose to a session high against the euro and climbed against the dollar after May won the rare victory, one which will give the weakened prime minister a firmer footing when she travels to Brussels next week for an EU summit.
Talks with the bloc have all but stalled, with May’s top team of ministers at odds over plans for future trading relations with the EU, which businesses complain makes them unable to plan their investment decisions.
Before his about-turn, Grieve had argued that government promises did not hand parliament enough control to prevent the “chaos” that could follow Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal, and he had seemed to have won over several fellow Conservatives. — Reuters
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