PM Bows to Anti-Brexit MPs, Promises Lords and Commons Vote Before EU Exit

Anti-Brexit Tory MPs are threatening to work with Labour to demand the opportunity to vote against an EU divorce deal, despite the Prime Minister promising “a vote in both houses” before the UK leave the European Union (EU).

After a number of Tory MPs threatened to rebel unless they have more of a say, Brexit Secretary David Davis wrote to them, promising a vote “as soon as possible” after negotiations end, but before the withdrawal is enacted, The Times reports.

Theresa May also told MPs Wednesday: “We will put the final withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU to a vote in both houses of Parliament before it comes into force.”

MPs will vote “well before March 2019” ahead of the vote in European Parliament, Mrs. May added.

“We will put the final withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU to a vote in both houses of Parliament before it comes into force” says the PM

MPs will vote “well before March 2019” ahead of the vote in European Parliament #pmqs pic.twitter.com/W9EcuwjUob

— BBC Daily Politics and Sunday Politics (@daily_politics) December 13, 2017

However, anti-Brexit former Tory Attorney General Dominic Grieve was not satisfied, promising to push ahead with an amendment tonight, guaranteeing MPs a “legally binding” vote.

He is backed up by the likes of Conservative MPs Anna Soubry and Ken Clarke, and much of the Labour party.

Mr. Grieve told Sky News: “The government needs to listen to what’s being said to them. And at the moment, unfortunately, my impression of the last few days, when I’ve been talking to the government, is that it seems to be a bit of a dialogue of the deaf.

“They’ve turned this into a battle of wills. And this is a completely pointless exercise. They need to listen to the point that’s being made and they need to respond to it.”

He added: “I have no desire to defeat my government at all. I’m not a rebel. I think I have only rebelled once, over a local issue, in the 21 years I’ve been in parliament.”

A huge majority of MPs were opposed to Britain leaving the EU, and earlier this year, in February, 120 MPs went against the will of their constituencies by voting against the triggering of Article 50 and the kick-starting the divorce.