The UK’s opposition Labour on Sunday announced it would bring a no-confidence motion against the minority government of Theresa May if it fails to get legislators’ approval for her deal to exit the European Union.
In this crucial week, the Brexit agreement will be placed before Parliament for debate. Voting on it is scheduled for December 11.
It’s almost certain that the government will not win the vote in the House of Commons, given the growing number of MPs – including from the ruling Conservatives – declaring their decision to oppose it. The eventuality will take the UK into uncertain territory.
“If the prime minister has lost a vote of that significance, then there has to be a question of confidence in the government. I think it’s inevitable that we would seek to move that,” Labour’s Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary, told Sky News.
There is growing cross-party support for the idea of a second referendum. The first one, held in 2016, resulted in a 52% Leave vote, while 48% voted Remain.
Starmer piled up further pressure by stating in a Sunday article that May should publish the full legal advice tendered to her cabinet on the issue of Brexit, amid reports that it includes caution that the UK is likely to be permanently tied into EU rules under the current deal.
{{/usCountry}}Starmer piled up further pressure by stating in a Sunday article that May should publish the full legal advice tendered to her cabinet on the issue of Brexit, amid reports that it includes caution that the UK is likely to be permanently tied into EU rules under the current deal.
{{/usCountry}}He wrote: “If the full legal advice is not forthcoming, we will have no alternative but to start proceedings for contempt of Parliament - and we will work with all parties to take this forward. The full legal implications of this deal clearly need to be known and debated in full by our Parliament.”
On her part, May continued to insist during the G20 summit in Argentina that the current withdrawal agreement is the only one on the table and that it is in the national interest. She is optimistic about being able to convince MPs to vote for it.
Speaking in Buenos Aires on Saturday, May said: “The next nine days are a really important time for our country leading up to the vote on this deal. I will be talking with members of Parliament obviously and explaining to them why I believe this is a good deal for the UK.”
Various likely scenarios being talked about include a general election, if and when the government loses the Parliament vote on December 11.