MP, Leader of the , asking an
urgent question in parliament on progress made in achieving legal
changes to the EU Withdrawal Agreement and the timetable for a
meaningful vote, said:
“The Government is in chaos and the country in crisis. Just ten
minutes ago the government was unable to confirm who would be
responding to my Urgent Question. We find out from journalists
and from the Irish Government that the Prime Minister is now is
heading to Strasbourg this evening, hours before the meaningful
vote is due.
“The Prime Minister was clear and categorical on 26 February: “I
want to reassure the House by making three further commitments.
First, we will hold a second meaningful vote by Tuesday 12 March
at the latest.” The Prime Minister also committed to a vote on no
deal by 13 March and a vote on whether to extend Article 50 by 14
March. She concluded by saying, and I quote: “They are
commitments I am making as Prime Minister, and I will stick by
them”.
“This is a matter of trust. Time and time again this Prime
Minister has failed to negotiate, refused to compromise, and
delayed and delayed. After three months the Prime Minister has
not achieved one single change to her deal; she is simply running
down the clock.
“It was a bad deal in December when it was first tabled. It was a
bad deal in January when it was rejected by the largest margin in
Parliamentary history. And it is still a bad deal now.
“These shambolic negotiations and endless delays are having real
life consequences in workplaces across the UK. Businesses are
holding back on investment jobs have been lost workplaces are
closing. Workers fear for their jobs. The NHS and public services
are having to spend millions of pounds preparing for a ‘no deal’
outcome that this House has already rejected.
“So, can the Minister explain: What changes have they got to the
backstop? Will the Attorney General be publishing new legal
advice or is it the case that after three months of delays,
nothing has changed? Given they whipped their MPs for the
amendment in the name of the Hon member for Altrincham and Sale
West, which said the deal could only be supported with changes on
backstop, will the Prime Minister be voting against her own deal
if no changes have been secured?
“Will they confirm that we will get a meaningful vote on the deal
tomorrow, a vote to rule out no deal on 13 March and a vote to
extend Article 50 on 14 March, as promised?
“And will the Minister confirm that if the deal is rejected again
tomorrow, whether the Prime Minister will shift her red lines and
show not just that she is willing to meet with members of this
House, but that she is willing to compromise with them too?”
Ends
Notes to editors
The text of ’s urgent question to the
government reads as follows:
“To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on
progress made in achieving legal changes to the EU Withdrawal
Agreement and the timetable for approval in this
House through a Meaningful vote.”
