Prime Minister Theresa May offered to quit office sooner than she
planned, a concession she made to save the Brexit deal she had
negotiated with the European Union.
planned, a concession she made to save the Brexit deal she had
negotiated with the European Union.
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| Theresa May |
She made the pledge Wednesday to step down on the condition that MPs support her EU divorce deal.
Following months of pressure, May told her Conservative MPs that she
would quit if they see through the withdrawal agreement she
painstakingly negotiated with Brussels.
would quit if they see through the withdrawal agreement she
painstakingly negotiated with Brussels.
Her dramatic gambit came just two hours before MPs started a flurry
of votes seeking a last-minute alternative Brexit plan to replace her
deal.
of votes seeking a last-minute alternative Brexit plan to replace her
deal.
May said she would not lead the country in negotiations on the UK’s
future relationship with the European Union once Britain is out of the
bloc.
future relationship with the European Union once Britain is out of the
bloc.
“This has been a testing time for our country and our party. We’re
nearly there,” May told the packed closed-door meeting in parliament,
according to her Downing Street office.
nearly there,” May told the packed closed-door meeting in parliament,
according to her Downing Street office.
“I know there is a desire for a new approach — and new leadership —
in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won’t stand in the
way of that.
in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won’t stand in the
way of that.
“But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. I am
prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what
is right for our country and our party.
prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what
is right for our country and our party.
“I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our
historic duty — to deliver on the decision of the British people and
leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.”
historic duty — to deliver on the decision of the British people and
leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.”
Three years of political turmoil that followed Britain’s decision to
break its near half-century bond with the EU were meant to have ended on
Friday with the formal completion of the divorce.
break its near half-century bond with the EU were meant to have ended on
Friday with the formal completion of the divorce.
But no clear end is in sight and lawmakers have twice resoundingly
rejected the agreement May concluded with Brussels over 17 months of
acrimonious talks.
rejected the agreement May concluded with Brussels over 17 months of
acrimonious talks.
Parliament has decided to try to resolve the crisis by giving itself
the right to choose from a variety of alternatives to May’s plan.
the right to choose from a variety of alternatives to May’s plan.
It will vote at 1900 GMT on eight options that range from a second
referendum to recalling the EU withdrawal notice or leaving under much
closer economic terms.
referendum to recalling the EU withdrawal notice or leaving under much
closer economic terms.
Time has been set aside on Monday for MPs to try and whittle down the most popular options to a final plan.
But the motions are non-binding and it will be tough for parliament
to force the government to back any proposal with which it disagrees.
to force the government to back any proposal with which it disagrees.
House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom, responsible for bringing
forward government business, warned that a lot of parliament’s proposals
“are just undeliverable”.
forward government business, warned that a lot of parliament’s proposals
“are just undeliverable”.
She said there was a “real possibility” that May will bring back her deal for a third vote on Thursday or Friday.
But Commons Speaker John Bercow reminded May that he already
scuppered her plan to hold a third vote last week because she was
effectively bringing back the same rejected text.
scuppered her plan to hold a third vote last week because she was
effectively bringing back the same rejected text.
“I do expect the government to meet the test of change,” Bercow told the chamber.
EU leaders have given Britain an extended deadline of April 12 to either salvage May’s deal or find a better way.
Failure to do either could result in a no-deal divorce — a scenario that frightens markets and businesses.
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