UK Parliament takes over Brexit process

People in Britain take to the streets

(CNS): British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered another resounding blow Monday night, when Parliament voted to seize control of the Brexit process from her government and more of her Cabinet ministers jumped ship. Members of the House of Commons will now put forward their own plan on how the UK will leave the European Union through a series of votes scheduled for Wednesday. The UK government has until 12 April to put forward a new plan for Brexit to European leaders if, as is now almost certainly the case, May’s deal fails to get a majority in Parliament when, or even if, it comes up for another vote this week.

During the process Steve Brine, Alistair Burt and Richard Harrington all quit the government front-benches, as May’s leadership looks increasingly precarious.

According to reports in the British media, May has been warned by her party and the remaining members of her dwindling cabinet that more could quit unless she listens to the concerns of MPs, who are prepared to stop a no-deal exit at all costs. More than three dozen ministers have left May’s government since the 2017 General Election, largely over Brexit.

The continuing chaos in British politics is unlikely to improve because the MPs have taken control, since there does not appear to be a majority in the House of Commons for any specific solution.

As a result, there is an increased likelihood of a much longer extension to the new departure date in order to shape a new, much softer Brexit plan, which would see the UK remain part of a customs union and the single market. But the possibility of another referendum continues to gather momentum, along with the increased prospect of another general election.

Last weekend people in Britain took to the streets and over one million people joined the March for Europe and the call for another people’s vote. Polls in the UK have now switched much more towards ‘remain’ and away from ‘leave’, largely as a result of new voters and some former leave voters changing their minds.