Theresa May slaps down David Davis over Commons vote on final Brexit deal
2 min read
Theresa May has slapped down David Davis after he said MPs might not vote on the final Brexit deal before Britain quits the EU.
At first the Prime Minister appeared to back the Brexit Secretary after he raised the possibility of a vote taking place after March 2019.
But just minutes afterwards her spokesman slapped Mr Davis down and insisted the vote would come before the withdrawal date.
The Government has promised MPs a “meaningful” vote on the final Brexit deal that will amount to a take it or leave on World Trade Organisation terms offer.
But asked this morning whether it might happen after March 2019, Mr Davis said: "It could be. It depends when it concludes."
Furious Labour MP Stephen Kinnock asked Mrs May at Prime Minister’s Questions whether such a plan would constitute the “meaningful” vote MPs have been guaranteed.
She shot back that negotiations were ongoing and noted that other parliaments around Europe also planned to hold votes on the final deal.
But she added: “I am confident… that we will be able to achieve that agreement and that negotiation in time for this parliament to have that vote that we have committed to.”
But the session a Downing Street spokesman confirmed: "A final deal will be agreed before we leave and MPs will have a vote on it."
But the spokesman refused to spell out the date that such a vote would take place.
Outraged MPs in the House of Commons raised their concerns after the session with Speaker John Bercow, who hinted that the issue should be raised in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.
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