Will MPs vote on an alternative Brexit?
Cabinet members urging Theresa May to hold non-binding free votes on different options
Theresa May is facing pressure from within her own government to end the impasse over Brexit by inviting MPs to take part in a series of non-binding votes on the potential alternatives.
With opponents to the prime minister’s deal refusing to budge, many members of her cabinet “now think a series of ‘indicative’ votes in Parliament on all the options could be the only way through the deadlock”, says HuffPost’s Paul Waugh.
The various options being backed by different groups of MPs include leaving the EU without a deal, a second referendum, or a deal based on the Norway or the Canada models.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“We can’t have continued uncertainty and I think Parliament should be invited to say what it would agree with,” Business Secretary Greg Clark told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, adding that “every MP needs to regard themselves as responsible participants”.
This view was echoed by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that he “wouldn’t have a huge problem with Parliament as a whole having a say on what the options were”.
May called an informal inner cabinet meeting of “broadly supportive ministers” this morning to discuss the Brexit deadlock, with ministers including Amber Rudd and David Gauke expected to press the “indicative vote” plan once again, reports The Guardian. “At this stage, it’s all about taking options off the table,” a cabinet source told the newspaper.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds appears to agree with this position, telling BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics that “there is a value in, sort of, flushing out, what these various different options are”.
The thinking behind the proposal would be to do it “before the vote on the prime minister’s deal, in the hope it highlights that her plan is the only workable Brexit deal achievable now”, says the BBC’s Chris Mason.
But May’s spokesperson denied that No. 10 was considering holding any indicative votes, saying: “There are no plans to have one.”
This rejection “will make cabinet even more fractious”, tweets The Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn.
The issue does not appear to be settled, however, with the Downing Street spokesperson failing to “explain why multiple members of May’s cabinet are now publicly calling for [indicative parliamentary votes]”, adds Business Insider’s Adam Bienkov.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Bird flu worries mount as virus found in milk, cows
Speed Read The FDA found traces of the virus in pasteurized grocery store milk
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Palazzo Durazzo Suites in Genoa: a palatial gem in northern Italy
The Week Recommends Live your Italian dream in this astonishing and recently restored palace in the heart of the city
By Nick Hendry Published
-
'Europe is now beginning to tackle its military to-do list'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Farewell to Theresa May: a PM consumed by Brexit
Talking Point Maidenhead MP standing down at next general election
By The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Stormont power-sharing in sight: 'good news' for Northern Ireland?
Talking Point Unionists vote to end two-year boycott after agreeing legislative package to address post-Brexit trading arrangements
By The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
How Finland's tightening presidential race could affect future of Europe
Under the radar Country has key geostrategic position along Nato's longest border with an increasingly belligerent Russia
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published