Tuesday

5th Dec 2023

British MPs demand vote on final Brexit deal

  • The British government should publicly "commit to Parliament having a vote on the final Treat," the cross-part report says. (Photo: UK Parliament)

British prime minister Theresa May must say whether the UK should remain in the EU single market or customs union before starting exit talks with the EU. She must also give MPs a vote on the final deal with the EU, a committee of senior MPs has demanded.

The recommendations form part of the first report of the House of Commons's cross-party Exiting the EU Committee, published on Saturday (14 January).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The committee argues that ministers should also seek "appropriate transitional arrangements" as part of an "outline framework" on the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU, if it is clear that a new pact cannot by agreed by the time the UK leaves the EU in spring 2019.

It adds that the government should publicly “commit to Parliament having a vote on the final Treaty”.

"It would be unsatisfactory and potentially damaging to both sides were the UK to leave the EU with no agreement having been reached," the report states.

May is expected to give a clearer idea of her negotiating plans in a speech on Tuesday (17 January).

Since becoming prime minister in July, May and her ministers have kept their cards close to their chest, insisting that they will not give a "running commentary" on their strategy and the negotiations that will follow.

She has promised to trigger Article 50, which starts a two year process of agreeing the UK’s divorce from the EU, by the end of March.

'Cliff edge' effect

But MPs across all parties have become increasingly frustrated at the lack of clarity and information about the government’s tactics.

Both May and Brexit secretary David Davis have hinted that immigration control will take priority over access to the EU single market, though they have also vowed to ensure that UK businesses continue to have unfettered access to the EU market.

"Achieving all these objectives will be difficult," notes the committee.

The demand for a transitional arrangement has grown in recent weeks, based on the assumption that the terms of the UK’s new relationship with the EU will not be finalised within a tight two-year Article 50 window.

The risk of a "cliff edge" effect "might also push some businesses to pre-empt the result of negotiations and minimise the risks to their business," the committee argues.

In a paper published on Thursday (12 January), financial sector lobby group CityUK urged ministers to ensure the harmonisation of regulation between the UK and EU, through "the mutual recognition of regulatory regimes, building on and going beyond the existing equivalence regimes."

"Two years is so short," committee chairman Hilary Benn, a Labour MP and supporter of the campaign to remain in the EU, told EUobserver, adding that "the French and German elections mean that negotiations will not really start until autumn 2017."

"Whatever deal is concluded, Parliament must be given a vote on it and the government should make this clear now," said Benn.

EU foreign policy

He said that he favours the UK being part of a "European common foreign policy area" to ensure close co-operation continues between the UK and EU and foreign, defence and security policy. "There is an overwhelming need to work together and be part of this…although we are leaving the institutions of the EU," he noted.

Elsewhere, the committee urges the government to prioritise a swift agreement on the status of UK citizens living in the EU, and vice versa, and the UK’s ongoing relationship with EU regulatory bodies and agencies, some of which are currently based in the UK.

As a "bare minimum", ministers should also resolve "the status of ongoing police and judicial cooperation; and the status of UK participation in ongoing Common Foreign and Security Policy missions," the report adds.

Appearing before a parliamentary committee on 20 December, May refused to be drawn on whether MPs should have a say on the final agreement. The government is, however, likely to lose its appeal against a High Court ruling in November that ministers must consult Parliament before triggering Article 50.

Britain to issue EU ultimatum on Tuesday

May to tell EU she is prepared to quit single market if she does not get her way in Brexit talks, with one option to turn the UK into a tax haven.

Theresa May outlines 'hard Brexit'

The British prime minister confirms that the UK will leave the single market when it leaves the EU and will seek a new trade deal.

Opinion

Why EU's €18m for Israel undermines peace

The optics of a nine-fold increase of annual funding for Israel, in the middle of its devastating military campaign in Gaza, stands in contrast with the attempted suspension, delaying and constraining of EU development aid for the Palestinians.

Latest News

  1. Afghanistan is a 'forever emergency,' says UN head
  2. EU public procurement reform 'ineffective', find auditors
  3. COP28 warned over-relying on carbon capture costs €27 trillion
  4. Optimising Alzheimer's disease health care pathways across Europe
  5. Georgian far-right leader laughs off potential EU sanctions
  6. The EU's U-turn on caged farm animals — explained
  7. EU-China summit and migration files in focus This WEEK
  8. COP28 debates climate finance amid inflated accounting 'mess'

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us