The prospect of another meaningful vote for UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal is in doubt. House of Commons speaker John Bercow firmed up his “no repeat votes” ruling today. In short, he restated his ruling that a new vote will only be allowed if there is substantial changes. Additional, he pledged to block any attempt by the government to use a procedural rule change to get round such decision.
The prospect of another meaningful vote for UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal is in doubt. House of Commons speaker John Bercow firmed up his “no repeat votes” ruling today. In short, he restated his ruling that a new vote will only be allowed if there is substantial changes. Additional, he pledged to block any attempt by the government to use a procedural rule change to get round such decision.
Meanwhile, eight amendments are chosen by Bercow to be put to indicative votes today. They include
- Conservative John Baron’s No deal
- Conservative Nick Boles’s Common Market 2.0
- Conservative George Eustice’s Efta and EEA
- Conservative Ken Clarke’s – Customs union
- Labour’s – Customs union and alignment with single market
- SNP Joanna Cherry’s – Revocation to avoid no deal
- Dame Margaret Beckett’s – Confirmatory public vote
- Marcus Fysh’s – Contingent preferential arrangements
Here is Bercow’s statement on no repeat rules:
“In the course of answering questions following her statement [on Monday], the prime minister accepted this constraint, saying that “I am very clear about the strictures that Mr Speaker gave when he made his statement last week and, were we to bring forward a further motion to this house, we would of course ensure that it met the requirements he made.”
I understand that the government may be thinking of bringing meaningful vote three before the house either tomorrow or even on Friday, if the house opts to sit that day.
Therefore, in order that there should be no misunderstanding, I wish to make clear that I do expect the government to meet the test of change. They should not seek to circumvent my ruling by means of tabling either a notwithstanding motion or a tabling motion. The table office has been instructed that no such motions will be accepted.
I very much look forward, colleagues, to today’s debate and votes which give the house the chance to start the process of positively indicating what it wants.”
