British MPs have defeated Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, with 433 voting against and 202 voting for. Over 100 Conservative MPs helped vote down the deal in an historical defeat.
The result of Tuesday evening's vote has led to a sharp increased in the political chaos that has characterised British politics in the past two years.
Opposition leader, Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, immediately called a vote of no confidence in Theresa May’s Conservative government. This will be held on Wednesday.
“After two years of failed negotiations, the House of Commons has delivered its verdict on her Brexit deal, and that verdict is absolutely decisive,” said Corbyn. “Her governing principle of delay and denial has reached the end of the line.”
March 29th is still officially Brexit day but parliament has created a crisis in which Brexit is not a certainty, a new referendum is not a certainty and the continuation of the May government is not likely.
“It is clear that the House does not support this deal, but tonight’s vote tells us nothing about what it does support,” May commented after the vote.
Reuters commented, “The humiliating loss, the first British parliamentary defeat of a treaty since 1864, marks the collapse of May’s two-year strategy of forging an amicable divorce with close ties to the EU after the March 29 exit."
“The withdrawal agreement is now dead,” said David Jones, a Conservative brexiteer and former minister. “The EU will see that it must now offer better terms to the UK. If it does not, we must leave to trade on WTO terms.”
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that tonight’s vote in Westminster meant that preparations would intensify for a no-deal Brexit.
“The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote,” said Juncker.
Many ‘remainers’ hope that tonight’s government defeat will lead to a second referendum but pro-Brexit supporters say that ignoring the will of a majority of UK voters could lead to even darker social divisions and civil upset.
Comments
The other EU countries are not that simple of mind, to walk away from one of the wealthiest economic trading bloc's in the world.
I'm afraid the only sinking ship Will be that of the UK. I hope that it gets it's self afloat quickly after March, but it could take as long as 10 year's for the economy to just recovery.
From what I gather, France is set to become the 5th largest economy in the world.
I'm afraid that Peter Koening an experienced economist and geopolitical analyst disagrees with you.
"EU, a group of 28 countries, some 500 million people, with a combined economy of a projected 19 trillion US-dollar equivalent, about the same as the US, have submitted themselves to the dictate of Washington in just about every important aspect of life."
Russia is to overtake Germany's economy to become fifth-largest.
The EU is a sinking ship and hopefully the UK will lead the way in abandoning that ship.
The European Union has become the richest trading bloc in the world, that's why the USA, Canada, china and Australia have lined up to receive their trade deals with the EU.
... and Britain is sleep walking their way out of this.
So having made absolutely no argument for staying in the EU you resort to insults. Highly professional - not!
Although appreciating Peter's perception, as ever, it is clear that there are already social divisions and civil upset. These may quieten, if the electorate senses there may be some satisfaction for it, generally, in the offing. It's such a mess on all 'fronts', that it seems obvious that Art 50 should be either revoke, or deferred, pro temp.
Trouble is, we've got a push-me-pull-you, in that E'U' ex-pats NEED to stay in, altho UK standing alone CAN and HAS done well, in the past, with individual trade, etc, agreements. Not sure the UK economy has benefitted (I feel not so) from being in, though - apart from the 'passporting' financial scene. One thing is clear, to be in the E'U', every country has suffered, and the poor punter continues to suffer, huge price rises, thanks to E'U' 'civil service' profligacy. Of course, E'U' 'civil servants' have been bullying their best, since they want UK's huge contribution and will lose an important 'tariff-free' market. MEP's equally-obscene perks have them shoulder-to-shoulder with the 'JC' Druncker' brigade of bandits.
The UK is being crushed between three diametrically opposed and seemingly immovable factions; the EU who has decreed the deal, the leavers who oppose it but will leave regardless of consequences, and the remainers who also oppose the deal hoping to force a second referendum.
Hard core leavers have little to gain by a second referendum and will oppose it to their dying breath.
Without one, it looks like a no deal brexit and that will not be good.
May is the face of the chaos, but she's just the top of the pyramid. when she's gone, the problem will remain.