To some it’s another day another Brexit delay, to others it’s the reprieve or as some see it the stay of execution needed to put forward amendments into the withdrawal agreement that will guarantee workers rights, environmental and consumer protections and other protections that are currently afforded to European Union citizens of which the United Kingdom is still part of.
What was referred to as “super Saturday” saw the House of Commons sitting on a Saturday; the first time in thirty-seven years with parliament taking back control and voting in favour by a majority of sixteen for the Letwin amendment. The Letwin amendment in effect put the brakes on Brexit and forced the prime minister to write to the European Council to request an extension.
Johnson who has said from day one of his premiership that he will not delay Brexit is reluctantly complying with the law whilst making it known to his European counterparts that he does not believe a deal is In the interests of both the United Kingdom or the European Union, but the likelihood is that the European Union will grant a three month extension. So, what happens now?
Fast forward to today or “Mayhem Monday” in another blow to the prime minister the speaker of the House, John Bercow refused to allow a yes or no vote on the governments Brexit deal saying "it would be repetitive and disorderly" to debate it again.”
Tomorrow the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill 2019-202 will have it’s second reading in parliament and Wednesday and Thursday will be the committee stage of the process where members of parliament can table specific amendments such as any deal approved by parliament must be put to the people by means of a referendum.
The committee stage is where the emergence of realpolitik will take place with MP’s from all parties potentially putting forward specific motions to be voted upon.
For some, this could have the desired effect of further delaying Brexit, for others it’s an opportunity to mould the withdrawal agreement to include greater protection for workers rights, environmental and consumer protections, or it could simply be an amendment that ensures the future relationship between the UK and the European Union is on a “level playing field” a term that was removed from the revised Brexit deal but was in the previous Brexit deal put forward by Theresa May who advocated for the “ broadest and deepest possible economic partnership” between the UK and the European Union.
The government will most likely put forward a motion to Parliament to speed up the process of the Brexit Bill. If the motion is approved then the chances of the United Kingdom leaving on the 31 October rises significantly, if not then the most obvious outcome will be an extension and a delay, that said, if the motion is approved and irrespective of the tabled amendments that are voted for, it might not be the deal that Boris Johnson originally envisaged, but a deal nonetheless that all sides can live with.