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LAST UPDATE | 15 Jan 2019
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has suffered a crushing parliamentary defeat tonight in a historic vote over the Brexit deal.
May’s bid to get the Withdrawal Agreement through the House of Commons was defeated by a margin of 202 to 432, a majority of 230.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a no confidence motion in the immediate aftermath of the bombshell result being announced.
The motion will be debated and voted on tomorrow evening – but with the DUP and Eurosceptic Tories rowing in behind the Prime Minister she looks all but assured to survive.
Reacting to her defeat in the House of Commons, May said that MPs have established what they are against but not what they are for.
“I ask members on all sides of the house to listen to the British people who want this matter settled,” she said.
Corbyn then confirmed that the no confidence motion, telling MPs:
“This is the greatest defeat for a government since the 1920s in this house. This is a catastrophic defeat for this government. After two years of failed negotiations, the House of Commons has delivered its verdict on her Brexit deal, and its verdict is decisive.”
May’s government only has a majority in the Commons with the support of the DUP, so their ten votes will be crucial in any confidence vote.
In a statement the party’s leader Arlene Foster indicated DUP MPs would back the embattled prime minister.
“We will work with the Government constructively to achieve a better deal. That is our focus. Whilst some may wish to use this defeat to boost their political ambitions, we will give the Government the space to set out a plan to secure a better deal,” Foster said.
Reacting to May’s defeat this evening, EU Council President Donald Tusk suggested that there may be few solutions remaining that involve the UK leaving the EU, tweeting:
If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker warned that the vote increased the chances of the UK crashing out with no deal.
“I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible. Time is almost up,” Juncker, said after the vote.
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas today raised the possibility of further talks while ruling out a full re-negotiation of the text.
“I am sceptical that the agreement can be fundamentally reopened once again,” Maas said.
Here, the Government has said it will continue to intensify preparations for a disorderly Brexit.
Hardline Brexiteers and Remainers oppose the current agreement for different reasons and many fear it could lock Britain into an unfavourable trading relationship with the EU.
Opposition to the agreement forced May to postpone the vote in December in the hope of winning concessions from Brussels ahead of the planned 29 March Brexit date.
The withdrawal agreement includes plans for a post-Brexit transition period until a new relationship is drawn up, in return for continued budget contributions from London.
Without it, and if there is no delay, the UK will sever 46 years of ties with its nearest neighbours with no agreement to ease the blow.
- With reporting from AFP and Rónán Duffy
These people must not have seen AIB’s latest advertising campaign – theme “brave”, as it getting up early, sticking to the task and running your business. It appears AIB have become a river of lending to hard pressed sme’s and the farming community. A most disgraceful and dishonest ad campaign in my opinion.
All of the adds for banks are dishonest. They are all giving mortgages and loans to SMEs but in reality this is a charade. You only have to talk to solicitors who will tell you that clients are being turned down for mortgages for the flimsiest of excuses. The current advertising campaigns are to give the impression that everything is back to normal.
Makes you feel good that we bailed the banks out,doesn’t it!
” Brave ” how are you! You would need to be brave…and foolhardy….If you thought approaching the back might make a difference to your struggling. The economy continues to limp along for all those brave hearts at the bottom of the pile while those with large cash deposits get bigger and richer. Only a fool would believe the spin the government espouse. There is no recovery, there is no trickle down, there are still empty shop units all over the country. And it’s too late for lending, what’s needed are grants, vat and tax breaks, lower rates and a commitment to changing the upwards only rent reviews.
I am so glad someone else made reference to that ad! It’s awful condescending Shi*e. the absolute cheek of AIB to put out an ad like that. The voice over is an appalling choice. Completely out of touch with reality.
This is the sort of evidence out there that shows where our economy is truly at and not the crap that is spun by FG & Labour. You can’t tax the crap out of people to pay debt, run a high spend economy and expect growth.
If Morgan Kelly’s recent prediction is correct, the outstanding loans to small business, if called in by the banks, is the biggest threat to the economy.
The gov have been choosing public sector and bondholders over private sector. Every tax hike means a loss of business to a restaurant and most small service businesses out there. Then you have Nama forcing zombie businesses to compete with ligit ones. And if you have survived all that the local council will be gouging the business in return for very little. The Irish Economy seems to be using Atlas Shrugged as a strategic plan.
This is the sort of evidence out there that shows where our economy is truly at and not the crap that is spun by FG & Labour. You can’t tax the crap out of people to pay debt, run a high spend economy and expect growth.
What happened to businesses maintaining proper current ratios and acid test ratios to ensure their short term expenses are covered? The SME sector insisted on maxing out every line of credit they could possibly set their eyes on..and more.
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