 The Day Brexit Stood Still (Posted December 12, 2018) Tweet Tensions ran high during the December 10 sitting after Prime Minister Theresa May announced a halt to the debate on the EU withdrawal agreement and the cancellation of the "meaningful vote" scheduled for the following day. Over the course of five and a half hours, there were three ministerial statements, including the one by the PM; an application for an emergency debate under standing order no. 24; symbolic attempts to force the debate to procede; suggestions by Sir Vince Cable and Tom Brake that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn should table a vote of no confidence in the government; more calls for a second referendum; a suspension from the House for taking the mace from the table (Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Labour, Brighton Kemptown); a half-hour bloc of points of order; and a comparison of the government's management of parliamentary business to sexual dysfunction. All of that occurred against the backdrop of strong words from MP's that included both harsh criticism and sincere encouragement. Clips below... | |
Kenneth Clarke explains why the Northern Ireland backstop to the EU withdrawal agreement is, in its current form, the arrangement that flows naturally from the UK's commitment to an open border on the island of Ireland. Sir Vince Cable asks Prime Minister Theresa May about recent discussions with other heads of government about the EU withdrawal agreement. Dennis Skinner dusts off the term "frit" to describe Prime Minister Theresa May's decision-making and bargaining strength. Dame Cheryl Gillan encourages Prime Minister Theresa May to continue to work for a Brexit deal and honor the result of the 2016 referendum. Yvette Cooper critiques the government's handling of the EU withdrawal agreement debate and meaningful vote. Cooper looks unimpressed by Prime Minister Theresa May's reply, and Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lidington looks as though he is at best annoyed, and at worst ashamed, to be caught up in the controversy. Dominic Grieve offers a sovereignty argument in favor of a second referendum. Sam Gyimah offers an electoral argument in favor of a second referendum. Richard Drax advocates for a harder Brexit than the arrangement proposed in the withdrawal agreement. Speaker John Bercow and Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom resolve another disagreement over decorum, this time with regard to the management of the proceedings. Treasurer of HM Household and Deputy Chief Whip Christopher Pincher mutters and shakes his head contemptuously at the Speaker. Mark Francois expresses his disapproval of the government's handling of the EU withdrawal agreement debate (and cancellation of the vote scheduled for the following day). Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom offers a short response to a question from Alison McGovern about the rescheduling of the EU withdrawal agreement debate and the "meaningful vote." Barry Sheerman, Sir Oliver Letwin, and Jess Phillips respond to the Prime Minister's announcement that the "meaningful vote" scheduled for the following day has been cancelled. Speaker John Bercow addresses heckling of Alison Thewliss during her question about the Prime Minister's statement. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay tries to limit the scope of questions in response to his statement about the possibility of revoking Article 50. Before the Clerk read the orders of the day, Peter Bone and Chris Bryant both raised points of order asking if a backbencher could move that the debate on the EU withdrawal agreement continue. The Speaker explained that this would not be possible if the government whip declared another date, i.e. "tomorrow" instead of "now." Bone stated his intention to call out "Now!" when the order was read, and subsequently did so with perfect timing. Moments later, Lloyd Russell-Moyle protested the events of the day by taking the mace from the table. Speaker Bercow was forced to order him to withdraw for the remainder of the sitting. Dr. Rupa Huq asks Prime Minister Theresa May, in an unusual way, if her credibility has been damaged by her decision to cancel the meaningful vote on the EU withdrawal agreement originally scheduled for the following day. | |