UK Parliament Rejects Possibility of No-Deal Brexit in Non-Binding Vote
The U.K. Parliament voted March 13 that the U.K. should not leave the European Union without a deal, paving the way for another vote that could seek to delay that departure beyond the March 29 deadline. Although the vote is not legally binding, it formally signaled Parliament’s opposition to a no-deal Brexit -- the possibility of the U.K. leaving the EU without an agreed framework for cross-border transactions. The measure passed 321-278. A March 14 vote on another amendment on whether to delay Brexit is expected, according to reports.
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Before the official vote took place, members of Parliament backed an amendment by a Labour Party member that strengthened and clarified the vote's wording: The vote would reject a no-deal Brexit under any circumstances. The original motion had only asked whether the U.K. should leave with no deal on March 29. The amendment to the vote passed by a slim 312-308 margin.
The vote came one day after Parliament rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal deal for a second time (see 1903120080). After the possibility of a no-deal Brexit was rejected on March 13, May stressed to Parliament that the vote was not legally binding. “The House has today provided a clear majority against leaving without a deal,” she said in a statement. “However, I will repeat what I have said before. This is about the choices that this House faces. The legal default in UK and EU law remains that the UK will leave the EU without a deal unless something else is agreed.”
If Parliament signals willingness to work toward a proposed Brexit deal, the prime minister said, the U.K. could "seek a short limited technical extension" to Brexit to "provide time to pass" necessary legislation and ratify the deal. However, if it does not appear a deal can be reached, May said the U.K. should expect a “much longer extension” to Brexit than was previously considered, beyond European Parliament elections in May 2019. "I do not think that would be the right outcome," May said. She also said that if Parliament does not continue negotiations on her proposed deal, it can expect a second vote on Brexit.