Bloomberg: UK Parliament moves closer to stopping a no-deal Brexit

23 January 2019

The UK Parliament is moving closer to a plan to delay Brexit in order to stop the country dropping out of the European Union with no deal and avoid the risk of an economically damaging divorce.

The main opposition Labour Party is now increasingly likely to support a proposal to extend the March 29 exit day deadline, if Prime Minister Theresa May fails to negotiate a divorce agreement, said John McDonnell, the party’s chief finance spokesman.

McDonnell described the proposal as a “sensible” way to avoid the upheaval of a disastrous no-deal Brexit.

“I actually do believe that we are facing, with a no-deal, potentially quite catastrophic consequences for people’s living standards -- that’s why we have said we’ve got to avoid it,” McDonnell told the BBC’s “Newsnight” TV program. “I think there’s a majority in Parliament for avoiding no deal.”

If Labour does support the proposal -- put forward by lawmakers including Yvette Cooper, a former minister -- it is far more likely to win enough backing to be passed. That would force May’s hand and ensure she cannot take Britain out of the EU without a deal in nine weeks’ time. [...]

Full article on Bloomberg


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