At a lobby briefing this morning the prime minister’s spokesman ruled out MPs being given a vote on whether or not to request an extension to the Brexit transition, which is due to finish at the end of next year.
The government is also ruling out an extension, even though many believe one will be necessary.
The spokesman told journalists:
The answer to that is a simple no. We aren’t extending the implementation period. There is no reason whatsoever why we will not secure a deal by that date. Both the UK and the EU are committed to reaching a trade agreement by that date and that is what we are going to do.
David Gauke, one of the 21 Tories who had the whip removed over Brexit, says, without an extension, the UK will face a No-Deal in December 2020.
David Gauke
✔@DavidGauke
Interesting thread on whether the Implementation Period will be extended. If there’s no extension of the IP (as No 10 seems to be saying), there’s no chance of a Free Trade Agreement being negotiated in time. It means WTO terms by Jan 2021. A very bad outcome for many sectors.
Just 2 weeks ago Robert Buckland, David Gauke’s successor as Justice Secretary, gave MPs a clear commitment.
David Gauke
✔@DavidGauke
It was a clear promise. As @RobertBuckland said ‘Parliament has a legitimate role to play’. I agree.
Looks like the Conservative message is “we’ll be out on WTO terms by 2021”. I have to say – that is reckless. https://twitter.com/robpowellnews/status/1191680447765524487 …
Rob Powell@robpowellnewsNEW: PM’s Official Spokesperson confirms MPs will NOT be given a vote on whether to extend the transition period. That’s despite what @RobertBuckland said to @DavidGauke on Oct 22 in the House
Nick Boles, another MP who left the Tory party over Brexit, also claims this decision means Johnson is planning a no-deal Brexit at the end of next year. He tabled an amendment to the withdrawal agreement bill that would have guaranteed MPs a vote on extending the transition.
Nick Boles MP
✔@NickBoles
One of the main reasons Cummings refused to allow the Brexit bill to go through Parliament was that the Commons would have passed my amendment to make an extension to the transition the default unless MPs decided otherwise. Johnson wants to force through a WTO Brexit next Dec. https://twitter.com/robpowellnews/status/1191680447765524487 …
Rob Powell@robpowellnewsNEW: PM’s Official Spokesperson confirms MPs will NOT be given a vote on whether to extend the transition period. That’s despite what @RobertBuckland said to @DavidGauke on Oct 22 in the House
If the Tory party does win a majority, a key question will be whether there are enough Tory MPs who will side with the opposition to force through a Boles-style amendment.
Although Nick Boles says that No 10 ruling out an extension to the transition means Johnson is planning a no-deal Brexit, perhaps Boris Johnson is just making a promise now that he has no intention of keeping – as he did with his promise not to agree to customs controls down the Irish Sea and his “do or die” pledge not to request a Brexit extension.
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Published by Grahame Pigney on behalf of The People’s Challenge Ltd.
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Reblogged this on Say Yes 2 Europe – Remain in the EU.
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