Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

UK PM May wins mandate to reopen Brexit deal

by

Feb 13, 2019 - 12:31 am GMT+3
Prime Minister Theresa May attends a debate on Brexit 'plan B' in parliament, in London, Britain, January 29, 2019. Text in documents removed at source. (UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS)
Prime Minister Theresa May attends a debate on Brexit 'plan B' in parliament, in London, Britain, January 29, 2019. Text in documents removed at source. (UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERS)
by Feb 13, 2019 12:31 am

British Prime Minister Theresa May won parliament's backing on Tuesday to renegotiate her Brexit deal -- a major policy reversal that sets up a new standoff with the EU after it ruled out any change.

May's dramatic decision to abandon a pact she herself sealed with the 27 EU leaders at a summit last month came with Britain on course to crash out of the bloc after 46 years in a blaze of political and economic chaos on March 29.

The pound quickly fell on fears of a no-deal scenario as MPs voted through an amendment saying they would only support a divorce deal if its controversial "backstop" clause to keep the Irish border open was removed.

A spokesman for EU leader Donald Tusk said the deal was "not open for renegotiation" while French President Emmanuel Macron said it was the "best agreement possible".

MPs also voted in favour of a non-binding measure that "rejects the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement".

But they failed to vote through a more important plan -- backed by European supporters -- that would have tried to force through a Brexit delay if no new deal with the EU emerged by February 26.

May now faces a formidable challenge convincing Brussels to re-open talks that took 18 excruciating months to conclude.

She said parliament's approval of the backstop amendment gave her the "mandate" to "seek to obtain legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement".

But she conceded that there was "limited appetite" in the EU for renegotiation.

"It won't be easy," said May. "But in contrast to a fortnight ago, this house has made it clear what it needs to approve the withdrawal agreement."

- 'Alternative arrangement' -

Parliament on January 15 voted against the draft deal by a crushing margin.

That significantly raised the risk that Britain's departure without a plan on March 29 will create trade and economic disruptions on both sides of the Channel.

Brexit hardliners from May's Conservative party think the backstop -- created to keep the border open with Ireland -- could see Britain indefinitely tied to EU trade rules.

The winning amendment calls for the backstop to be replaced with "alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border" -- vague wording that did not pin May to any specific approach.

- Playing for time? -

Yet analysts struggled to see how May could convince her EU counterparts to agree to any changes.

"The only strategy I can see behind all this is the prime minister uses this to finally prove to all but her most recalcitrant backbenchers that the backstop cannot be renegotiated," King's College London professor Anand Menon said.

"She is going to have to come back definitely and say this deal isn't on offer," Menon said.

University College London professor Morten Ravn agreed that May appeared to be playing for time.

"May won support for an amendment that she probably expects she cannot deliver on in the hope that parliament will support her deal last minute in order to avoid no-deal Brexit," Ravn told AFP.

May promised to give MPs a chance to vote on what happens next on February 14 should she fail to win a new agreement over the course of the next two weeks.

- 'Nothing changes' -

May already tried and failed to wrest new concessions from Brussels during a difficult summit last month that exposed her weak negotiating position -- and the European Union's resolve.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier's deputy Sabine Weyand on Monday remarked that the current political debate in Britain felt "like Groundhog Day".

She said Britain risked crashing out of the EU without a deal "by accident" because London cannot decide what it wants.

Following Tuesday's votes, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said the he hoped the backstop would "never be used" or replaced quickly by a new trade agreement.

"But it is necessary and tonight's developments at Westminster do nothing to change this," Coveney tweeted.

  • shortlink copied
  • KEYWORDS
    world
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Bergen railway in Norway
    Top 15 most beautiful train routes in Europe
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021