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Theresa May Survives No-Confidence Vote in British Parliament Theresa May Survives No-Confidence Vote in British Parliament
(about 3 hours later)
LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence in Parliament on Wednesday, but the result did little to quell the turmoil gripping the British government over her plan for leaving the European Union, coming a day after she suffered a historic defeat on the blueprint. LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence in Parliament on Wednesday, but that did little to quell the turmoil gripping the British government over her plan to leave the European Union, coming a day after she suffered a historic defeat on that proposal.
The House of Commons voted 325 to 306 to reject an opposition motion of no confidence. If successful, it almost certainly would have ousted her from power and probably would have forced a general election, adding still more layers of uncertainty in a country fast approaching the March 29 date for leaving the bloc — yet unable to agree on how to do so. The House of Commons voted 325 to 306 to reject the opposition motion of no confidence. A day earlier, it dealt Mrs. May a crushing defeat on her painstakingly negotiated agreement for Brexit, or the process of exiting the bloc.
On Tuesday, Parliament dealt Mrs. May a crushing defeat, voting 432 to 202 to reject her painstakingly negotiated agreement with Brussels for leaving the European Union, or Brexit — by far the biggest losing margin for a government on a major issue in modern times. Had it been successful, the no-confidence motion almost certainly would have ousted Mrs. May and probably have forced a general election, adding more layers of uncertainty in a country fast approaching the March 29 date for leaving the European Union — yet unable to agree on how to do so.
Yet, a day later, more than 100 lawmakers from Mrs. May’s own Conservative Party who had opposed her Brexit bill voted to support her government, as did legislators from the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland who also hate Mrs. May’s plan. The head-snapping sequence of events leaves Mrs. May — the leader of an intractably divided party, with a split cabinet, no parliamentary majority and no clear path forward on Brexit — more politically wounded than ever, but somehow still standing.
The head-snapping sequence of events leaves Mrs. May — the leader of an intractably divided party, with a split cabinet, no parliamentary majority and no clear path forward on Brexit — more politically wounded than ever, yet somehow still standing. Ordinarily, a prime minister would be expected to resign after suffering a big defeat on a signature bill. The vote of 432 to 202 against Mrs. May’s Brexit plan was by far the biggest loss for a government on a major issue in modern times.
Ordinarily, a prime minister would be expected to resign after suffering a big defeat on a signature bill, but Brexit has rewritten the rules of British politics. And once again, Mrs. May, who has defied many predictions of her political demise, lived to fight another day. But Brexit has rewritten the rules of British politics. Once again Mrs. May, the leader of the Conservative Party who has defied many predictions of her political demise, lived to fight another day.
Her ability to soak up political punishment and survive is an acute frustration to Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, who began the no-confidence motion by reminding lawmakers that Tuesday’s vote was “the largest defeat in the history of our democracy,” adding that Mrs. May was leading a “zombie government.” More than 100 lawmakers from her party who had opposed her Brexit bill voted to support her government.
So did legislators from the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland who also hated Mrs. May’s plan.
Her ability to soak up political punishment and survive is an acute frustration to Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party. He began the no-confidence motion by reminding lawmakers that Tuesday’s vote was “the largest defeat in the history of our democracy,” adding that Mrs. May was leading a “zombie government.”
Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party’s lawmakers at Westminster, accused the prime minister of presiding over a “political collapse,” adding that, in its pursuit of Brexit, the country was “on a path to self-destruction.”Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party’s lawmakers at Westminster, accused the prime minister of presiding over a “political collapse,” adding that, in its pursuit of Brexit, the country was “on a path to self-destruction.”
But with the no-confidence motion having failed, attention will turn rapidly to whether Mrs. May has a credible Plan B for Brexit. After surviving the vote, Mrs. May said that she would invite opposition party leaders to talks about Brexit. Mr. Corbyn called for her to first rule out the option of leaving the European Union without any agreement. Mrs. May’s rejected proposal would have given Britain’s government power over immigration from Europe, and would have kept the country in the bloc’s trade system while a long-term agreement was negotiated. With the no-confidence motion having failed, attention turned rapidly to whether Mrs. May has a credible Plan B for Brexit.
Earlier, the prime minister had vowed to somehow forge a deal that could win passage, yet when pressed she declined repeatedly to offer any specifics about what might change. Next Monday, Mrs. May is required to return to Parliament with proposals on how she intends to proceed. Lawmakers then will have the opportunity to make new suggestions, and some might try to wrest control of the process.
Nonetheless, there is growing speculation that she could seek a postponement of the March 29 deadline for Brexit, and suggestions that she will ultimately have to compromise with Labour lawmakers who want to keep a permanent customs union with the European bloc. One possibility would be to call a second referendum on whether to leave the bloc. In the 2016 referendum, 52 percent of British voters, or 17.4 million people, voted to exit.
Now that Mr. Corbyn has failed in his effort to secure a general election, he will be under pressure to endorse plans for a second referendum.
A lifelong critic of the European Union, Mr. Corbyn has so far resisted such calls, but on Wednesday 71 Labour lawmakers gave their support to the campaign for a so-called “people’s vote.”
On Wednesday, Mrs. May invited opposition party leaders for talks, fueling speculation that she will ultimately have to compromise with Labour Party lawmakers who want to keep a permanent customs union with the European bloc. This step would likely cause even more dissension within her own party.
She also might try to postpone the March 29 deadline for Brexit. That date looms as analysts continue to warn that without a deal, the exit could be deeply damaging to Britain’s economy, leaving ports gridlocked and causing some supplies of food and medicines to dry up, and even plunging Britain into a recession.
Mr. Corbyn has called for Mrs. May to rule out the option of leaving the European Union without any agreement before he will hold talks with her. Last night, Mrs. May said she was “disappointed” in his position but said her door was open.
In a call with business leaders on Tuesday evening, the chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, tried to reassure them that Britain could avoid a disorderly departure without any agreement, and raised the possibility of an extension to the negotiating period under Article 50 of the European Union’s treaty.In a call with business leaders on Tuesday evening, the chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, tried to reassure them that Britain could avoid a disorderly departure without any agreement, and raised the possibility of an extension to the negotiating period under Article 50 of the European Union’s treaty.
On Wednesday Mrs. May was careful not to rule out the prospect of extending the negotiating period, but noted that the bloc would agree on such a course only if “it was clear there was a plan that was moving toward an agreed deal.”On Wednesday Mrs. May was careful not to rule out the prospect of extending the negotiating period, but noted that the bloc would agree on such a course only if “it was clear there was a plan that was moving toward an agreed deal.”
And while Mrs. May insisted that any Brexit plan must allow Britain to have its own trade policy, something that is impossible inside a customs union, the justice secretary, David Gauke, described that policy as “our starting point” and told Sky News, “I don’t think it’s a question of being boxed in.”And while Mrs. May insisted that any Brexit plan must allow Britain to have its own trade policy, something that is impossible inside a customs union, the justice secretary, David Gauke, described that policy as “our starting point” and told Sky News, “I don’t think it’s a question of being boxed in.”
On Monday, Mrs. May is required to return to Parliament with proposals on how she intends to proceed, and that will give lawmakers the opportunity to add alternative suggestions — ranging from a customs union or a second referendum to a no-deal departure. Those could be voted on next week, giving some indication of whether there is any sign of a growing consensus among lawmakers. Any new ideas could be voted on next week, giving some indication of whether there is any sign of a growing consensus among lawmakers.
The risk for Mrs. May is that, if she fails to move fast enough, she could lose control of Brexit to a newly emboldened Parliament. Many Conservative Party critics want to scrap an important part of Mrs. May’s agreement: the so-called “backstop” proposals to ensure goods flow freely across the Irish border after Brexit.
There are problems looming for Mr. Corbyn too because, now that he has failed in his attempt to secure a general election, he will be under pressure to endorse plans for a second Brexit referendum. A lifelong critic of the European Union, Mr. Corbyn has so far resisted such calls, but on Wednesday 71 Labour lawmakers gave their support to the campaign for a so-called “people’s vote.” This would keep the whole of the United Kingdom tied to many European rules until agreement can be reached on a detailed trade deal that would remove the need for frontier checks. But the European Union insisted that the backstop cannot be scrapped.
Mrs. May’s one card is that her opponents are focusing on an array of contradictory objectives, demonstrating that more than two and a half years after Britons voted to leave the European Union, their politicians have failed to reach any consensus on how to do so. European Union officials have been exasperated with the confusion in London, and so far are unwilling to reopen the legally binding part of the deal that Mrs. May negotiated. After her overwhelming defeat on Tuesday they see little point in offering concessions until there is a plan that could get through the British Parliament.
Many Conservative Party critics want to scrap a key part of Mrs. May’s agreement, the “backstop” proposals to ensure goods flow freely across the Irish border after Brexit. This would keep the whole of the United Kingdom tied to many European rules until agreement can be reached on a detailed trade deal that would remove the need for frontier checks. But the European Union has steadfastly rejected that approach.
Some would be happy with a more abrupt break from Europe than the one the prime minister has negotiated with Brussels. By contrast, pro-European opponents want a softer Brexit than she has proposed, keeping close ties to the bloc, while others still hope for no Brexit at all.
Though there is no agreement among lawmakers on a way forward, a large majority of them want to exclude the possibility of leaving the bloc without a deal. They fear that could create chaos at British ports, cause shortages of some food and medicines and plunge Britain into a recession. That points to moves to request a delay to Brexit.
European Union officials have reacted with exasperation to the confusion in London, and so far are unwilling to reopen the legally binding part of the deal that Mrs. May negotiated. After her overwhelming defeat on Tuesday they see little point in offering concessions until there is a plan that could get through the British Parliament.
That was acknowledged by a former head of the British foreign office, Peter Ricketts, who wrote on Twitter that Mrs. May had “cashed all her chips” with European negotiators, adding that there “won’t be any more help coming now.”That was acknowledged by a former head of the British foreign office, Peter Ricketts, who wrote on Twitter that Mrs. May had “cashed all her chips” with European negotiators, adding that there “won’t be any more help coming now.”
President Emmanuel Macron of France predicted on Wednesday that the British would “ask for an extension to negotiate something else.”President Emmanuel Macron of France predicted on Wednesday that the British would “ask for an extension to negotiate something else.”
European officials have said they could work with Mrs. May on something new, if she is willing to scrub out some of her “red lines” and agree to keeping closer ties to the bloc. European officials have said they could work with Mrs. May on something new, if she will agree to keeping closer ties to the bloc.
The first vice president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, quoted the British writer C.S. Lewis to suggest that there might yet be a fresh start for Brexit.The first vice president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, quoted the British writer C.S. Lewis to suggest that there might yet be a fresh start for Brexit.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning,” he wrote on Twitter. “But you can start where you are and change the ending.”“You can’t go back and change the beginning,” he wrote on Twitter. “But you can start where you are and change the ending.”