Cross-party move by Labour to prevent damaging no-deal Brexit omitted from flagship 6pm news broadcast
Labour is leading a cross-party parliamentary attempt to prevent the damaging no-deal Brexit scenario favoured by Tory leadership hopefiuls. It was not mentioned during the BBC’s main 6pm news.
The party has tabled a cross-party motion that would hand control of the parliamentary agenda to MPs on Tuesday 25 June 2019 – countering moves to shut down Parliament that have been flagged by a number of Tory leadership candidates, as well as the more likely route of the new Tory PM simply doing nothing until the UK’s Brexit extension expires.
If the motion passes, MPs will have the chance to introduce measures, including legislation, that could help avoid a no deal Brexit at the end of October. This would prevent a future Prime Minister proroguing Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit against the wishes of MPs.
The motion will use the same procedure that was used earlier this year to block a no-deal Brexit in March. The intervention comes as a no-deal Brexit has become the key dividing line in the Tory leadership contest.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer MP said:
The debate on Brexit in the Tory leadership contest has descended into the disturbing, the ludicrous and the reckless.
None of the likely candidates for the top job has a credible plan for how to break the deadlock before the end of October. Instead, we have witnessed candidates openly advocating a damaging no deal Brexit and even proposing dragging the Queen into politics by asking her to shut down Parliament to achieve this.
MPs cannot be bystanders while the next Tory Prime Minister tries to crash the UK out of the European Union without a deal and without the consent of the British people. That’s why we are taking this latest measure to end the uncertainty and protect communities across the country.
My challenge to MPs who disagree either with a no deal Brexit or proroguing Parliament is to back this motion and act in the national interest.
The motion is sponsored by Jeremy Corbyn, the SNP’s Ian Blackford, LibDem Vince Cable and other MPs, including Conservative Oliver Letwin and Green Caroline Lucas. It reads:
Business of the House Motion (United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union)
(1)That, on Tuesday 25 June –
(a) Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that order) shall not apply;
(b) precedence shall be given to a motion relating to the Business of the House in connection with matters relating to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union;
(c) if more than one motion relating to the Business of the House is tabled, the Speaker shall decide which motion shall have precedence;
(d) the Speaker shall interrupt proceedings on any business having precedence before the Business of the House motion at 1.00 pm and call a Member to move that motion;
(e) debate on that motion may continue until 2.00 pm at which time the Speaker shall put the questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on that motion including the questions on amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved;
(f) any proceedings interrupted or superseded by this order may be resumed or (as the case may be) entered upon and proceeded with after the moment of interruption.
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