Brexit stalls as UK Parl rejects short timetable
October 23, 2019 08:55
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday "paused" his Brexit Bill for leaving the European Union by the October 31 deadline after MPs vote for it 329 to 299 but then voted against a crucial attached motion that would have seen it through by the end of the week.
"I must express my disappointment that the House has voted for delay rather than a timetable that would have guaranteed the UK could leave on 31 October with a deal. We now face further uncertainty," Johnson told the House of Commons after the final of two important votes on Tuesday.
"The EU must now make up their mind at how to answer Parliament's request for a delay. The government must take the only responsible course and accelerate our preparations for a no deal outcome. Until the EU have reached a decision we will pause this legislation," he said.
Earlier, the bill had cleared the first parliamentary hurdle, with MPs backing it 329 votes to 299. It effectively meant his Brexit withdrawal agreement with the EU could become law, but the MPs then voted 322 to 308 against the sped-up timetable for the bill.
Johnson had threatened to pull the bill and seek a general election instead of delaying Brexit beyond the October 31 deadline.
After publishing the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill, or the so-called EU divorce bill, on Monday night, Johnson opened it up for debate by MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon with plans to hold a vote on a sped-up timetable for its passage by the end of the week.
While Opposition MPs accused him of trying to dash through a 110-page legislation without proper scrutiny, Johnson threatened to remove the Bill entirely if his timetable for its passage is rejected and revert to demanding a General Election instead.
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