Historical vote in the British parliament

January 14, 2019 4:30 PM
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Updated on 14 January 2019 17:22

The British House of Commons addresses Tuesday the historic vote of the agreement proposed by the conservative government of the Prime Minister, Theresa May, for the departure of the European Union.

MEPs will take part in the fifth and final day of debate on the pact, begun last Wednesday, which will end with a summary declaration by the head of government. After this intervention, the MPs will proceed to vote first on the amendments to the Treaty that were presented by the different political groups and then the text agreed with Brussels. The voting time of the agreement will depend on the number of previous amendments accepted by the President of the Commission, John Bercow, which will not be known until the last minute.

The Labor Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has assured that May has failed to "change anything" of the agreement.

If, as expected, the pact is rejected, the prime minister must return to Parliament and has a deadline of three working days – the maximum on 21 January – to present an alternative plan. However, yesterday asked for support to avoid that some MPs, usually pro-European, frustrate the Brexit, scheduled for March 29.

In a speech to Stoke-on-Trent he warned that if his treaty had been rejected in today's vote, the suspension of Brexit would be even more likely to leave the European bloc without a bilateral pact. "As we have seen in recent weeks, there are some in the Westminster parliament that intend to delay or even stop the brexit and use any mechanism to achieve it," he said. "I ask Members to evaluate the consequences their actions can have on the faith of the British in democracy," he added.

Another resignation. British deputy Gareth Johnson has announced his resignation from one of the leaders of the electoral discipline of the ruling Conservative Party, the day before dozens of his colleagues rebel to reject the agreement on Brexit in Parliament.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Johnson said he could not reconcile his obligations in that position with his personal convictions, considering that the pact with the European Union is detrimental to the national interest of the United Kingdom. "The agreed text prevents us from regaining control and, instead, could leave us perpetually limited" by the blockade of the community, says the deputy.