Brexit: Theresa May promises meaningful vote after more talks with EU

Theresa May has promised MPs a final, decisive vote on her Brexit deal with the EU – but not until she has secured changes to the Irish backstop clause.

Speaking in the Commons, the PM said she had a “mandate” to seek changes to the backstop as MPs had voted for it.

“We now need some time to complete that process”, she added.

If no agreement is reached by 26 February, then MPs will get more non-binding votes on Brexit options the following day.

The final vote on whether Britain leaves the EU on 29 March with a deal would be pushed back into March.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the PM of “recklessly running down the clock” in an effort to “blackmail” MPs into backing her deal, and asked when MPs would get a final, “meaningful” vote.

He said: “We were promised a meaningful vote on a deal in December, it didn’t happen. We were told to prepare for a further meaningful vote this week after the prime minister again promised to secure significant and legally binding changes to the backstop and that hasn’t happened.

“Now the prime minister comes before the House with more excuses and more delays.”

The SNP’s leader at Westminster, Ian Blackford, was reprimanded by Commons Speaker John Bercow for shouting “liar” at the prime minister as she was making her statement.

Mr Blackford agreed to withdraw his remark “in deference” to the Speaker, but did not apologise to Mrs May. MPs are banned by Commons rules from calling other MPs liars in the chamber.

BBC