Theresa May has confirmed plans are formally under way to delay Brexit until as late as the end of June.The Prime Minister said MPs will be given the chance to vote on such a delay – if there is no deal by March 12.
And if the government has not won a meaningful vote by March 12, it will also table a motion to be voted on by March 13, she said.The motion will ask if MPs support leaving the EU with no deal.
“The UK will only leave without a deal on March 29 if there is explicit consent in the House for that outcome,” she said.
“I know members across the house are genuinely worried that time is running out,” she said. “And that if the government doesn’t come back with the further meaningful vote or it loses that vote parliament won’t have time to make its voice heard on the next steps,”she added.
Despite this Mrs May said: “If we have to we will ultimately make a success of a no deal.”
But she admitted papers to be published today outlining the impact of it are “honest assessment of the very serious challenges” it would pose.
She said the EU and UK had “agreed to deliver a joint workstream” to deliver alternative arrangements to the controversial Irish backstop.
She added the EU would give priority to the work and it will be an “important strand” in the next stage.
And she told MPs the UK would ensure standards on workers’ rights would not be lowered after Brexit in a pitch for Labour MPs to back her deal.
She said the government was “prepared to commit” to giving Parliament a vote on adopting new EU workers’ rights laws as they are passed.