Image copyright EPA The government is to ask MPs to agree to a snap election for a second time, in what could be one of Parliament’s last acts before being suspended.
No 10 has billed Monday’s vote as Labor’s “last chance” to secure an early
But the government is expected to be defeated, with opposition parties wanting their law aimed at avoiding no-deal to be **** first.
Boris Johnson is also due to meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Dublin.
The prime ministerfirst called for a snap electionafter MPs – including rebel Tories – voted in favor of a bill requiring him to seek an extension to the Brexit deadline of 31 October if a deal is not reached before 19 October.
That bill is set to gain royal assent and become law on Monday, but has been criticized by ministers as “lousy” and weakening the governm ent’s negotiating position with Brussels.
Downing Street said Monday’s vote,which comes ahead of this week’s shutdown of Parliament, was Labor’s last chance to secure an early election and have the chance to win its own mandate from the public to delay Brexit.
But the motion, which requires the support of two-thirds of MPs, wasdefeated for a first time last weekand is expected to fail again.
‘Test to the limit’
As Mr Johnson continues to press for an election, ministers have saidthey will “test to the limit” the new law aimed at averting no-deal.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government would abide by the law but will “look very carefully” at its “interpretation” of the legislation.
One plan under discussion is to formally request the extension while sending a second document making it clear the UK government does not want one.
Another potential option is to ask a sympathetic EU member to veto an extension.
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said his country would not be able to support another Brexit delay “in the current circumstances”.
It comes afterAmber Rudd resigned as work and pensions secretary at the weekend, saying the government was spending 80 – 90% of its time on no-deal planning rather than trying to reach an agreement with the EU .
She told the BBC there was “very little evidence” the government would get a new Brexit deal, and when she asked for details of the efforts she received a “one-page summary”.
‘Serious about a deal ‘
Writing in the Daily Mail, Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan said “watching talented colleagues walking away from the cabinet table is never easy”, but she also backed
She said the public was “exhausted and fed up” with “endless delays” and said that the no- deal option had to be kept on the table.
But Ms Morgan said “the prime minister now needs to show he’s serious about getting a deal “and the government needed to display more transparency about its efforts.
An alternative to the Irish backstop, the insurance policy that prevents a hard border on the island of Ireland, is key to striking a deal, Ms Morgan added.
The UK government wants the backstop scrapped, because it would effectively keep the UK in the European customs regime and tie Northern Ireland to the rules of the single market.
But Ireland maintains the backstop, which comes into force if the UK does not agree a free trade deal with the EU, is the only way to avoid checkpoints.
Mr Johnson’s meeting in Dublin will be his first with the Irish taoiseach since he became prime minister.
But ahead of the visit Mr Varadkar played down expectations of an imminent solution to the border issue.
“I don’t think the meeting tomorrow is a high stakes meeting, as I don’t anticipate a big breakthrough tomorrow, “he said.
If an agreement is struck, it is more likely to happen in October at the EU summit, Mr Varadkar said.
The Irish prime minister has said he is open to a solut ion ***********
But the Democratic Unionist Party – Mr Johnson’s allies in Parliament – strongly opposes the idea.
The week ahead
Monday
- MPs vote again on whether to trigger an early election – the vote is expected to fail
- The cross-party bill designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit on 31 October is set to gain royal assent
- Parliament could be prorogued (suspended) until 14 October from Monday but this could happen as late as Thursday
- Mr Johnson meets Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar
- MPs will also debate apetition, which has been signed by 1.7 million people, aiming to stop the prorogation of Parliament
Wednesday:
- Mr Johnson is due to appear in front of the Commons’ Liaison Committee, made up of the chairs of all select committees, facing questions on Brexit, social policy and climate change
- A ruling is expected from Scotland’s highest civil court on whether the proroguing of Parliament is illegal, in response to an appeal by a group of MPs and peers
Thursday:
- This is the last day Parliament could be prorogued
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