READ IN FULL: Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn respond to the Government's Brexit vote defeat
3 min read
Read the full responses from Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to the Government's defeat by 344 to 286 in this afternoon's latest major Brexit vote.
Theresa May
“I think it should be a matter of profound regret to every member of this House that once again we have been unable to support leaving the European Union in an orderly fashion.
The implications of the House’s decision are grave.
The legal default now is that the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on 12 April.
In just 14 days’ time.
This is not enough time to agree, legislate for and ratify a deal, and yet the House has been clear it will not permit leaving without a deal.
And so we will have to agree an alternative way forward.
The European Union has been clear that any further extension will need to have a clear purpose and will need to be agreed unanimously by the heads of the other 27 Member States ahead of 12 April.
It is also almost certain to involve the UK being required to hold European Parliamentary elections.
On Monday, this House will continue the process to see if there is a stable majority for a particular alternative version of our future relationship with the EU.
Of course, all of the options will require the Withdrawal Agreement.
Mr Speaker,
I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House.
This House has rejected no deal. It has rejected no Brexit. On Wednesday it rejected all the variations of the deal on the table.
And today it has rejected approving the Withdrawal Agreement alone and continuing a process on the future.
This Government will continue to press the case for the orderly Brexit that the result of the referendum demands.”
Jeremy Corbyn
"This is now the third time the Prime Minister’s deal has been rejected.
When it was defeated the first time, the Prime Minister said it was clear the House did not support the deal.
Does she now finally accept the House does not accept the deal, because she seemed to indicate just now that she’s going to return to this issue again?
On Monday, this House has the chance, and I say to all members Mr Speaker, the responsibility to find a majority to find a better deal for all the people of this country.
Mr Speaker, the House has been clear, this deal now has to change. There has to be an alternative found. And if the Prime Minister can’t accept that then she must go.
Not at an indeterminate date in the future, but now, so that we can decide the future of this country through a general election."
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