May loses key Brexit vote in Parliament

London, December 13

British Prime Minister Theresa May today lost a key Brexit vote in the UK Parliament after a rebellion within the ranks of her own party. The British Prime Minister was defeated on an amendment to the European Union Withdrawal Bill by four votes, in her first major House of Commons bruising this evening.

MPs from across different parties voted in favour of Parliament being given a meaningful vote on the terms of Brexit by 309 votes to 305.

Conservative party rebels had made common cause with Opposition Labour MPs on a highly contentious issue. May had warned that such a rebellion could threaten the UK's “orderly and smooth exit” from the European Union.

Former UK attorney general Dominic Grieve, who had brought the amendment, told the Commons he intended to put the “country before his party” amid concerns over the potential for the flagship Brexit legislation to become a “very worrying tool of executive power”.  

"This defeat is a humiliating loss of authority for the government on the eve of the European Council meeting,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a statement.

“Theresa May has resisted democratic accountability. Her refusal to listen means she will now have to accept Parliament taking back control.”

Defeat won’t impact divorce with EU: Govt 

The British government is disappointed by a vote in parliament to change Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit blueprint, but it will not stop legal preparations for Britain to leave the EU, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

“We are disappointed that Parliament has voted for this amendment despite the strong assurances that we have set out,” the government spokeswoman said. “This amendment does not prevent us from preparing our statute book for exit day. We will now determine whether further changes are needed to the (EU withdrawal) Bill to ensure it fulfils its vital purpose.” — Agencies