May tells MPs it is their national duty to agree Brexit deal

Ag PA

LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May has told MPs it is their “national duty” to pass a Brexit deal after withdrawal from the EU was again pushed back.

Addressing the Commons after the EU offered the UK a six-month Brexit delay until October 31, Halloween, May said Parliament needed to come together for the national good. May said agreeing a deal was the only way to avoid the UK holding European Parliament elections on May 23.

The Prime Minister told MPs: “We need to resolve this. So that we can leave the European Union with a deal as soon as possible. This is our national duty as elected members of this House — and nothing today is more pressing or more vital.”

May said Brexit talks with the EU had been “difficult” but she had fought Britain’s corner. “The discussions at the council were difficult and unsurprisingly many of our European partners share the deep frustration that I know so many of us feel in this House over the current impasse,” she added.

May said, if agreement on a deal could not be reached, the government will put alternatives to MPs in a series of votes and would abide by the result. She said: “I hope that we can reach an agreement on a single unified approach that we can put to the House for approval.

“But if we cannot do so soon, then we will seek to agree a small number of options for the future relationship that we will put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue. And as I have made clear before, the government stands ready to abide by the decision of the House. But to make this process work, the Opposition would need to agree to this too.” May said: “I welcome the discussions that have taken place with the Opposition in recent days — and the further talks which are resuming today. This is not the normal way of British politics — and it is uncomfortable for many in both the government and opposition parties.

“Reaching an agreement will not be easy, because to be successful it will require both sides to make compromises. But however challenging it may be politically, I profoundly believe that in this unique situation where the House is deadlocked, it is incumbent on both front benches to seek to work together to deliver what the British people voted for.”

May said the European Council had reiterated that the Withdrawal Agreement could not be re-opened. She said: “Crucially, any agreement on the future relationship may involve a number of additions and clarifications to the Political Declaration.” May also said she had argued against conditions being imposed on the UK during the delay. The Premier said she had made clear that Britain “would continue to be bound by all our ongoing obligations as a member state, including the duty of sincere co-operation”.

Prominent Tory Eurosceptic Sir Bill Cash accused the Prime Minister of “abject surrender” to the EU and asked if she would resign. May replied: “I think you know the answer to that.”Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “The second extension in the space of a fortnight represents not only a diplomatic failure, but it is another milestone in the government’s mishandling of the entire Brexit process.”

The six-month extension to October 31 was a compromise solution thrashed out by EU leaders after French President Emmanuel Macron dug-in against a longer delay lasting into 2020.