22:44 – Brexit: Theresa May narrowly avoids a heavy defeat before Parliament

British Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly avoided Tuesday a defeat that would have had serious consequences, with the rejection in Parliament of an amendment contrary to its objectives on Brexit, defended by pro-EU rebels on its side

This "18" amendment to the trade bill after the Brexit ("Trade Bill") stipulated that in the absence of an agreement with the EU on the creation of a free zone exchange for goods, one of Theresa May's objectives, the government should have sought to remain in a customs union, which goes against its plans.

Introduced by pro-EU rebels of the conservative party, the amendment had received the support of members of the Labor opposition, an alliance testifying to the divisions that are agitating the British political clbad on the question of the exit of the European Union.

The government has approached the catastrophe, the clause having It was rejected only by 307 votes to 301. This question was removed, the draft law on trade relations was adopted in the wake of 317 votes against 286, and must now be examined by the Lords, the upper house of the British Parliament. 19659002] This text aims at putting in place a regulatory framework to facilitate the conversion of EU trade agreements into bilateral agreements between the United Kingdom and third countries. Concretely, it must make it possible to avoid any legal vacuum on the day of Brexit, the United Kingdom regaining its full powers in commercial matters, so far delegated to the EU.

Debate on the amendment "18" gave rise to particularly tense exchanges between the Conservatives. According to a Sky News journalist and a Labor MP, the Europhile tories have been the subject of "threats" by the "Whips", the MPs charged with enforcing party discipline.

The rebels pro-EU have nonetheless achieved a symbolic victory, with the adoption of an amendment calling for a continuation in the European Network for the Regulation of Medicines.

– Parliament 'paralyzed' –

Europhiles were particularly recovering after the Monday adoption of another Brexit-related bill on customs organization, voted at the price of concessions granted to supporters of an uncompromising divorce.

The conditions under which the Theresa May government pbading these two texts illustrate the difficulties of the Prime Minister to unite her party behind her "Checkers plan", a proposal intended to maintain a close commercial relationship with the United States. After the Brexit

Perceived by the supporters of a tough Brexit as a deviation from the referendum that decided the exit of the EU in June 2016, this project, whose details were unveiled last week, provoked Foreign Ministers, Boris Johnson, and Brexit, David Davis, followed by other defections.

And while some pro-EU deputies seemed ready to accept this plan, Monday's concessions to the eurosceptics provoked a change of mood. "I started the week with the intention of supporting the Prime Minister, but everything changed (Monday)," said Conservative MP Phillip Lee.

Parliament being "paralyzed" on the way forward at a little more than eight months of Brexit, "the only way to resolve the situation is to rely on the people" and organize a new referendum, said former Labor Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an interview to AFP

"Since Brexit started with a referendum, it can only end with a new vote," he insisted.

The idea of ​​a new consultation had also received Monday the support of former Education Minister Justine Greening, the first Conservative MP from this level to take this position.