International
Brexit bill ‘in limbo’ as MPs reject timetable
British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has hit the pause button on his Brexit legislation after Members of Parliament (MPs) rejected his plan to get it through the Commons in three days.
The BBC reports that MPs backed his Withdrawal Agreement Bill – but minutes later voted against the timetable, leaving it “in limbo.”
After the vote, European Council President, Donald Tusk, said he would recommend EU leaders backed an extension to the October 31 Brexit deadline.
But a No 10 source said if a delay was granted, the PM would seek an election.
On Saturday, Mr. Johnson complied with a law demanding he writes to the EU to ask for a three-month extension but did not sign the letter.
Following the result in the Commons, he said it was Parliament and not the government that had requested an extension.
Mr. Johnson said he would reiterate his pledge to EU leaders, telling them it was still his policy to leave by the end of October.
But Commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, told MPs it was “very hard” to see how the necessary laws could be passed to leave with a deal by the deadline.
A spokesman from the European Commission said: “[The Commission] takes note of tonight’s result and expects the United Kingdom government to inform us about the next steps.”
But Mr. Tusk tweeted he would “recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension” in order to “avoid a no-deal Brexit.”
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