LONDON (AP) — British lawmakers reject government’s fast-track timetable for Brexit bill, making Oct. 31 EU exit all but impossible.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 22, 2019
Boris Johnson has hit the pause button on his Brexit deal legislation after MPs rejected his plan to get it through the Commons in three days.
MPs gave the PM a boost by backing his Withdrawal Agreement Bill – but minutes later voted against his timetable for it, leaving it “in limbo”.
The PM said he was still committed to leaving the EU on 31 October.
But EU Council President Donald Tusk said he would recommend accepting the UK’s request for an extension.
Mr Johnson said it was Parliament, and not the government, that had requested a three-month extension until 31 January 2020, and he would tell EU leaders it was still his policy to leave by the end of the month.
But Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told MPs it was “very hard” to see how the necessary laws could be passed by then.
A spokesman from the European Commission said: “[The Commission] takes note of tonight’s result and expects the UK government to inform us about the next steps.”
www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50146182
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