Brexit Vote – Corbyn to table No Confidence motion in Government as the Brexit deal did not pass with 202 votes for and 432 votes against

Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal has been rejected by 230 votes – the largest defeat for a sitting government in history. MPs voted by 432 votes to 202 to reject the deal, which sets out the terms of Britain’s exit from the EU on 29 March.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has now tabled a vote of no confidence in the government, which could trigger a general election. Mrs May said she would make time for a debate on the motion on Wednesday. Mr Corbyn said the confidence vote would allow the Commons to “give its verdict on the sheer incompetence of this government”.

Reaction By Antonio Tajani

Brexit vote is bad news. Our first thoughts are with 3.6m EU citizens living in UK and Britons living elsewhere in EU. They need assurances with regards to their future. We will always stand by their side.

Reaction By Donald Tusk

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?

Reaction by EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker: 

I take note with regret of the outcome of the vote in the House of Commons this evening.

On the EU side, the process of ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement continues.

The Withdrawal Agreement is a fair compromise and the best possible deal. It reduces the damage caused by Brexit for citizens and businesses across Europe. It is the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

The European Commission, and notably our Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier, has invested enormous time and effort to negotiate the Withdrawal Agreement. We have shown creativity and flexibility throughout. I, together with President Tusk, have demonstrated goodwill again by offering additional clarifications and reassurances in an exchange of letters with Prime Minister May earlier this week.

The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote. While we do not want this to happen, the European Commission will continue its contingency work to help ensure the EU is fully prepared.

I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible.

Time is almost up.”
FT: Theresa May’s Brexit deal, the product of more than two years of tortuous negotiations in Brussels, was on Tuesday night overwhelmingly rejected by the House of Commons by 432 votes to 202, in a historic defeat. Mrs May’s loss by 230 votes, one of the biggest defeats inflicted on any government in the past 100 years, sees the prime minister in a race against time to save her deal before Britain’s scheduled departure from the EU on March 29. Eurosceptic Tory MPs believe Mrs May’s failure in parliament makes it more likely that Britain will leave the EU without any formal deal, allowing a “clean break” from Brussels. Greg Clark, business secretary, has warned that such a scenario would be “a disaster”.

As it happened:

Jeremy Corbyn declares that the Labour Party will table a vote of no confidence in the Government.

With 202 votes for and 432 votes against, the Brexit deal did not pass. In her initial comments, Theresa May said that while the house said what it is against, it did not say what it wants. She said that if the opposition tables a formal No Confidence motion, it will debate it tomorrow.

If the No confidence vote is defeated and the Government is confirmed, May said that she will start to work to establish what does the house wants.

 A bid to say the UK should be able to unilaterally terminate the backstop is defeated with 24 voting for while 600 vote against.

Theresa May has made a final plea to MPs to support her Brexit deal and avoid a humiliating defeat.

Concluding five days of debate, she told MPs tonight sees the “most significant vote that any of us will ever be part of in our political careers” and lead to a “historic decision”  which will affect many generations.

Jeremy Corbyn called for a general election to resolve the deadlock in Parliament. “Labour believes that a general election would be the best outcome for the country if this deal is rejected tonight.  “If Parliament votes down this deal, then re-opening negotiations should not, and cannot, be ruled out”, he said.

via The Guardian 

epa07287449 Pro EU protesters demonstrate outside of the Parliament in London, Britain, 15 January 2019. Parliamentarians are voting on the postponed Brexit EU Withdrawal Agreement, commonly known as The Meaningful Vote, deciding on Britain’s future relationship with the European Union. EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN

epa07287346 Pro EU protesters demonstrate outside of the Parliament in London, Britain, 15 January 2019. Parliamentarians are voting on the postponed Brexit EU Withdrawal Agreement, commonly known as The Meaningful Vote, deciding on Britain’s future relationship with the European Union. EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN

epa07287496 Pro-Brexit demonstrators protest outside of the houses of parliament in London, Britain, 15 January 2019. Parliamentarians are voting on the postponed Brexit EU Withdrawal Agreement, commonly known as The Meaningful Vote, deciding on Britain’s future relationship with the European Union. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL

epa07287487 A handout video-grabbed still image from a video made available by UK parliament’s parliamentary recording unit showing Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May speaking prior to the Meaningful Vote at the parliament late 15 January 2018, London, United Kingdom, the crucial vote on whether to support or reject Theresa May’s deal of UK leaving the European Union. The legally-binding Withdrawal Agreement sets up a ‘transition or implementation period’ that runs until the end of 2020 after Brexit. The United Kingdom, that on 01 January 1973 joined EEC or European Communities, predecessor of European Union, has been a EU member state for 46 years. EPA-EFE/PARLIAMENTARY RECORDING UNIT HANDOUT MANDATORY CREDIT: PARLIAMENTARY RECORDING UNIT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES