Brexit: May to ask MPs for more time

London, February 10 

British Prime Minister Theresa May will pledge this week to give Parliament another chance to voice their opinions on Brexit by February 27 as she tries to buy more time to negotiate a new deal with the European Union.

As the clock ticks to Britain’s scheduled exit on March 29, May is trying to persuade the EU to change a deal that was agreed between London and Brussels late last year but overwhelmingly rejected by Parliament in January.

May wants to win over lawmakers in her Conservative Party with changes relating to the Northern Irish border, but the EU has refused to reopen that part of the deal and instead wants May to pursue a compromise with the main opposition Labour Party by agreeing closer UK-EU ties.

The impasse has left the world’s fifth largest economy facing an uncertain future. Housing minster James Brokenshire on Sunday said May would commit to giving Parliament another debate on Brexit with the chance to vote on alternative options, if a deal had not yet been agreed and voted upon by then.

May is already due to update Parliament on her progress towards a deal on Wednesday and then on Thursday to give parliament a chance to express their opinion. The new pledge would be for a repeat of this process by February 27. “That gives that sense of timetable, clarity, and purpose on what we’re doing with the EU —  taking that work forward and our determination to get a deal — but equally knowing that role that parliament very firmly has," Brokenshire said. — Reuters
 

Eyes on Feb 14 debate 

• Theresa May will make a statement to Parliament on February 13 updating MPs on progress so far in seeking changes to her deal
• The debate on February 14 will be on a motion — a proposal put forward for debate — about Brexit more generally
• The previous debate (Jan 29) was on a motion which asked MPs to agree that they had considered May’s latest statement on the Brexit negotiations
• n Meanwhile, Brexit minister Stephen Barclay will meet EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday to discuss changes to exit deal