Britain WILL leave EU: Defiant Theresa May says Brexit will happen even without exit deal

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The Prime Minister has insisted that the UK will leave the EU with or without a Brexit deal

The Prime Minister confirmed that a Commons vote will be held on any departure terms she agrees after the expected two-year talks process.

But she made clear that any parliamentary rejection of an agreement will not halt Brexit.

Her remarks were seen as a rebuke to Lib Dem and Labour MPs calling for a fresh referendum on EU’s membership at the end of the negotiations.

And it followed a threat of “hand to hand combat” in Parliament over Brexit from the Labour leadership.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs May told MPs: “I expect that we will be able to negotiate a good trade deal with the European Union, because it will be in our interests and the interests of the European Union to do so.

“There will be a vote on the deal for this Parliament.

PA

Mrs May said at PMQs that she is confident of negotiating a good deal with the EU

“If this Parliament is not willing to accept a deal that has been decided on and agreed by the United Kingdom Government with the European Union, then, as I have said, we will have to fall back on other arrangements.”

We will be able to negotiate a good trade deal with the European Union

Theresa May

She was responding to a question from Labour backbencher about whether she would attempt to renegotiate an exit deal if MPs voted against the terms.

Mrs May also promised to publish an official document setting out full details of her vision for Britain’s EU exit deal.

In a major concession to Tory rebels, the Prime Minister agreed to publish a Government “white paper” policy document listing her objectives for the forthcoming departure negotiations with European leaders.

Ministers had been resisting the move because of concerns that opponents of Brexit could use the publication as an excuse to try to raise more questions about the process and delay the country’s withdrawal from the bloc.

But at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, Mrs May surprised MPs by agreeing to calls for the white paper.

She said: “I can confirm that our plan will be set out in a White Paper published for the House."

“I set out that bold plan for a global Britain last week. I recognise that there is an appetite in the House to see it set out in a White Paper.”

Officials refused to say whether the white paper will be released before MPs vote on a Bill designed to give Mrs May the power to trigger the Article 50 EU exit clause.

Ministers are to introduce the Bill to Parliament today and fast-track it onto the statute books over the next fortnight.

Mrs May is understood to have agreed that the document will set down the 12 objectives for the negotiations she revealed in her keynote speech on Brexit last week.

Government Loses Brexit Vote Appeal
Tue, January 24, 2017

Britain's most senior judges ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May does not have the power to trigger the formal process Article 50 for the UK's exit from the European Union without Parliament having a say.

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Issued by the Supreme Court of (top row, from the left) Lord Neuberger, Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Sumption, (bottom row, from the left) Lady Hale, Lord Clarke, Lord Wilson and Lord Hodge, who agreed with the majority decision that the Government could not trigger Article 50 without Parliamentary approval.

Labour last night described the decision to publish a White Paper as a “significant and welcome u-turn.”

Shadow EU Exit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: “The Prime Minister now needs to confirm that this White Paper will be published in time to inform the Article 50 process, and that it will clear up the inconsistencies, gaps and risks outlined in her speech.”

Mrs May’s remarks came after a threat of vicious delaying and block tactics to the Article 50 Bill.

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Emily Thornberry said the Labour Party would not stand in the way of Article 50 being triggered

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said: “Article 50, if it is going to be triggered, we will not get in the way of it, but we will try and amend the legislation in order to ensure that they keep coming back, that we keep an eye on them,” she said.

“And, if necessary, there will be hand-to-hand combat on this.”

The Prime Minister’s spokeswoman dismissed the threat yesterday, saying: “All of us should be focused on how we come together as a country to secure the right outcome for the UK on leaving the EU.”

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