Their move to exit the European Union seems to have come to a standstills for the politicians , who are angling , it appears to throw the question back to their citizens…..
Theresa May, the British prime minister, faces renewed domestic pressure over Brexit after a series of high-profile U.K. politicians threw their support behind a second referendum, according to media reports.
David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister and May’s de facto deputy, and Gavin Barwell, May’s chief of staff, have discussed holding a second referendum with both Labour MPs and other Cabinet ministers, the Sunday Times reported. The Guardian also said that other Conservative lawmakers were urging the embattled prime minister to offer MPs a so-called “free vote” on holding another plebiscite, or the right for politicians to vote how they believed rather than along party lines.
The reports, although unconfirmed, will ratchet up pressure on May, who has so far failed to garner meaningful concessions from other European Union leaders over changes to the Withdrawal Agreement. The U.K. leader adamantly opposes a second Brexit referendum, but the British media reports suggest that she could be willing to entertain that possibility if she cannot secure a majority for her proposals in the British parliament.
In a statement to the Sunday Times, May said those seeking a second referendum were hoping to “subvert the process for their own political interests.”
British officials are currently drawing up potential options surrounding a second nationwide vote, including offering voters the choice between May’s Brexit plan and a no deal, the Sunday Times reported. As part of the plans, British lawmakers could be offered a vote on a series of options, including May’s plan, a no deal, the so-called Norway option, and a second referendum.
Whichever option would garner the most amount of support in the British parliament would then potentially become the government’s default position.
Jeremy Hunt, the U.K.’s foreign minister, said that despite the threat of a no-deal Brexit, the country would be able to find a way to succeed, even without an agreement in place with the EU by next March….
[BBC News]
Parliament might have to decide what to do next if Theresa May’s Brexit deal is rejected by MPs, cabinet minister Liam Fox has said.
The senior Brexiteer said the PM’s deal was unlikely to pass through Parliament unless the backstop issue was resolved.
He said one option could be a “free vote” for MPs.
An alternative being widely suggested is another referendum – but Mr Fox told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show this was unlikely and would not “heal division”.
Other options backed by different groups of MPs include leaving without a deal, another referendum, or Norway or Canada-style alternative deals. Norway has a very close relationship with the EU but is not a member, while Canada has an extensive trade deal with the bloc.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds has also suggested “flushing out” the levels of Parliamentary support for different Brexit options although he told BBC Radio5Live’s Pienaar’s Politics there was not a majority for any of them.
And Lib Dem MP Tom Brake, who is part of the anti-Brexit “Best for Britain” campaign, said: “When even Dr Fox does not rule out free votes and encourages the idea of indicative votes in Parliament, the Brexit project is clearly in jeopardy.”
Analysis
By BBC political correspondent Chris Mason
What we are witnessing is a bursting out in public of conversations that have been happening for a while, at a senior level, in private.
They can be summarised like this: ‘What on earth do we do next?’
One idea, now floated by three cabinet ministers in public, and others privately, is a series of so called “indicative votes”.
These would flush out Parliament’s view on a range of options which could include different models of Brexit: something akin to Norway’s relationship with the EU for instance, or Canada’s looser one. Another referendum and no deal are other possibilities.
Some ponder doing this 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.
“Things are not as hopeless as they look,” one cabinet minister told me.
But when I wished them a merry Christmas and a happy new year, that word ‘happy’ was met with a wry smile. None of this is remotely straight forward.
On the possibility of another referendum, International Trade Secretary Mr Fox said one could result in a narrow Remain win on a lower turnout, in which case, “People like me will be immediately demanding that it’s best of three – where does that end up?”
It comes after Theresa May accused former Labour PM Tony Blair of undermining Brexit negotiations by calling for another referendum amid continuing calls for one to be held to solve the impasse over the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Two of Mrs May’s key allies – chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, and her effective second-in-command David Lidington – distanced themselves from reports they were involved in planning for a new referendum.
On Thursday about 10 Labour MPs met Mr Lidington to argue for another public vote.
Mr Lidington tweeted that he had told the Commons last week that another referendum would be “divisive” and would not guarantee a “decisive” ending to the debate.
Mr Barwell also used Twitter to say he did not want another referendum and was not planning one.
Mrs May met EU leaders on Thursday – after postponing a Commons vote on the withdrawal deal she has negotiated, fearing its heavy defeat. The government says the Commons vote will go ahead in January, as talks continue with the EU on the issue of the Irish border “backstop”….
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46584654
So?
The BBC piece kinda says ‘buyers remorse’ , eh?
Breaking….
Brexit: Theresa May’s deal is voted down in historic Commons defeat….
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46885828