BRITISH OPPOSITION LEADER Jeremy Corbyn has tabled a no-confidence motion in Prime Minister Theresa May after she told MPs today that they will only get a delayed vote on her Brexit deal in the new year.
“This house has no confidence in the prime minister due to her failure to allow the House of Commons to have a meaningful vote,” Labour leader Corbyn told Parliament today before tabling his motion.
He said the move was “the only way I can think of ensuring a vote takes place this week”.
The government, however, must agree to this non-binding vote. Even if successful it wouldn’t automatically trigger May’s downfall.
House of Commons authorities have said that the government will decide whether the motion is debated and voted on, but noted that it is “parliamentary convention that any such request be granted”.
The BBC, however, has reported No 10 sources as saying “the government would not make time for the no-confidence vote.”
Ministers would not “go along with silly political games”, it has reported.
It is unacceptable for the country to wait another month before Parliament has the chance to vote on Theresa May's botched deal.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 17, 2018
Therefore I have tabled a motion of no confidence in the PM this evening, so Parliament can take back control. #NoConfidence pic.twitter.com/IRXeaScpZm
Last week, May survived a party confidence vote initiated by her own Conservative colleagues opposed to her Brexit strategy. A third of her parliamentary party voted to oust her in that vote.
Addressing the UK parliament this afternoon, May said that MPs will be able to vote on the controversial deal in the week starting 14 January.
The prime minister returned meet her EU counterparts over the last week where she told MPs she received further clarity on the proposed backstop. The backstop would come in the form of a temporary UK-wide customs arrangement, with specific rules for Northern Ireland.
Earlier this month, May postponed the vote on the deal as it appeared it was to be heavily defeated.
May also warned that a second Brexit referendum would do “irreparable damage” to British politics when she addresses the House of Commons today.
“Let us not break faith with the British people by trying to stage another referendum,” she is expected to tell parliament, according to extracts from her speech released by Downing Street.
“Anther vote… would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics and to our precious United Kingdom.”
With reporting by Garreth MacNamee
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