British Parliament finally approves Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill – but moments later votes down three-day timetable
https://www.foxnews.com/world/british-parliament-finally-approves-boris-johnsons-brexit-bill-but-moments-later-votes-down-three-day-timetable
The United Kingdom’s divorce from the European Union passed one major hurdle Tuesday when Parliament lawmakers approved Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill but hit a roadblock moments later when a three-day timetable was voted down.
The House of Commons passed the Withdrawal Agreement Bill by a 30-point majority, with the ayes getting 329 votes, over 299 by the Noes, sending the bill on for further scrutiny and possible amendments. Then lawmakers quickly voted down Johnson’s a three-day timetable, attempting to fast-track the bill through, by a 14-point margin.
The vote likely made it impossible for Johnson to fulfill his vow to take Britain out of the EU by the Oct. 31 deadline.
After the second vote, opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said that lawmakers “refused to be bounced” into considering the withdrawal bill in just two days.
He urged the prime minister to “work with us … to agree [on] a reasonable timetable.”
The votes came hours after Johnson threatened to put the brakes on the withdrawal bill and call for a snap election before Christmas if lawmakers continued to stonewall his push to pass the legislation before the deadline. Following the defeat of the timetable vote, Johnson made no mention of an election.
After Tuesday’s crucial votes, Johnson said the government will “pause” the withdrawal agreement bill, saying that the EU must now make up their own minds as to how to respond to his request for a three-month Brexit delay – which was forced upon him last week by lawmakers.
Johnson, who rebuked Parliament for “voting to delay” Brexit once again then said his government will accelerate plans for a “no-deal” Brexit in light of the defeat. He did not reply to Corbyn’s offer to allow the bill to be debated at a slower pace than the government’s fast-track plan.
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