Brexit: MPs will get vote in March on extending article 50 if no deal agreed, PM says

[Denzil_DC]

From the Guardian liveblog:

What May said about allowing MPs to vote on extending article 50

This is what Theresa May said in her opening statement about offering MPs a vote on extending article 50 if a Brexit deal has not been agreed by 12 March.

As I committed to the house, the government will today table an amendable motion for debate tomorrow.

But I know members across the house are genuinely worried that time is running out, that if the government doesn’t come back with a further meaningful vote or it loses that vote, parliament won’t have time to make its voice heard on the next steps. I know too that members across the house are deeply concerned by the effect of the current uncertainty on businesses.

So today I want to reassure the house by making three further commitments.

First, we will hold a second meaningful vote by Tuesday 12 March at the latest.

Second, if the government has not won a meaningful vote by Tuesday 12 March then it will – in addition to its obligations to table a neutral, amendable motion under section 13 of the EU Withdrawal Act – table a motion to be voted on by Wednesday 13 March at the latest, asking this house if it supports leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement and a framework for a future relationship on 29 March.

So the United Kingdom will only leave without a deal on 29 March if there is explicit consent in this house for that outcome.

Third, if the house, having rejected leaving with the deal negotiated with the EU, then rejects leaving on 29 March without a withdrawal agreement and future framework, the government will, on 14 March, bring forward a motion on whether parliament wants to seek a short limited extension to article 50 – and if the house votes for an extension, seek to agree that extension approved by the house with the EU, and bring forward the necessary legislation to change the exit date commensurate with that extension.

These commitments all fit the timescale set out in the private member’s bill in the name of [Yvette Cooper].

They are commitments I am making as prime minister and I will stick by them, as I have previous commitments to make statements and table amendable motions by specific dates.

Let me be clear, I do not want to see article 50 extended. Our absolute focus should be on working to get a deal and leaving on 29 March.

An extension beyond the end of June would mean the UK taking part in the European parliament elections. What kind of message would that send to the more than 17 million people who voted to leave the EU nearly three years ago now? And the house should be clear that a short extension – not beyond the end of June – would almost certainly have to be a one-off. If we had not taken part in the European parliament elections, it would be extremely difficult to extend again, so it would create a much sharper cliff-edge in a few months’ time.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2019/feb/26/brexit-latest-news-developments-theresa-may-chairs-cabinet-amid-reports-she-is-about-to-announce-u-turn-on-giving-mps-potential-vote-to-extend-article-50-politics-live

(Note to hosts: May's words will be part of the parliamentary record, so I hope we can waive the four-paragraph limit, otherwise I'll edit it down.)

Judging by recent comments, a short extension is likely to meet with greater resistance from the EU than a longer one that might actually achieve something.

From the BBC's Political Editor:

Link to tweet

Laura Kuenssberg ✔
@bbclaurak

Understand PM will make 3 ‘further commitments’ today - meaningful vote by Mar 12th , if that falls vote on 13th on whether Commons would support leaving with no deal , third, if MPs reject no deal, there will be vote on extending

Meanwhile:

No-deal Brexit panic after ministers realise the UK doesn't have the right pallets for exporting to the EU

LONDON — The UK government is due to hold emergency talks with industry leaders today after discovering that the country doesn't have the right pallets to continue exporting goods to the European Union if it crashes out without a deal next month.

Pallets are wooden or plastic structures which companies use to transport large volumes of goods. Under strict European Union rules, pallets arriving from non-member countries must be heat-treated or cleaned to prevent contamination, and marked to confirm they meet a series of EU rules.

Most pallets currently used by British exporters do not conform to these rules meaning that British export business could potentially grind to a halt next month in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

DEFRA last week confirmed to industry leaders that the United Kingdom will not have even close to enough EU-approved pallets for companies to use for exporting to the EU after a potential no-deal exit.

https://www.businessinsider.com/brexit-michael-gove-ministers-to-hold-emergency-meeting-over-no-deal-chaos-2019-2

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. There's a good twitter analysis from Katya Adler, BBC's Europe editor

written before May's announcement, about the EU feelings, starting here:

Link to tweet

On Labour/second referendum: Corbyn seen in Europe as convinced
eurosceptic so EU is sceptical of his backing a second referendum. EU
has watched #Brexit turmoil long enough to see huge complications in
holding the vote and realise many leave voters have changed their
mind. /2

Of course EU would still rather UK stayed but Europe's leaders don't
see this as realistically on the cards right now. Most realistic,
considering turmoil in Westminster, says EU council President Tusk:
would be to extend article 50 leaving process. /3

On article 50 extension: if the extension went on long enough that it
lead UK to change its mind about leaving, the EU would be delighted
however much they dread the #Brexit process dragging on /4
...
EU and PM are on same side in preferring #Brexit on 29 March rather than extend but EU leaders would rather extend than face a no-deal Brexit. they're divided over how long to extend but want to avoid
rolling short extensions with ever-present threat of cliff-edge
Brexit. /6

[Denzil_DC]

2. As ever, something tells me that the EU's taking Brexit more seriously than May is:

Last edited Tue Feb 26, 2019, 11:38 AM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

BBC Politics ✔
@BBCPolitics

"Vote for the deal - simples"

Theresa May channels Aleksandr the Meerkat as she responds to a #Brexit question from SNP's Ian Blackford http://bbc.in/2TfP0Cl

Link to tweet

Adam Bienkov ✔
@AdamBienkov

We regret to inform you that the prime minister of the United Kingdom just said "simples" in the House of Commons

Dave @dave_boon

Is this confirmation of Russia's involvement in Brexit!? 👀

As somebody on Twitter pointed out, the pump is now primed for CompareTheMarket.com to put out an ad supporting Remain.

[T_i_B]

3. If the Brexshitters had ever been serious and responsible about all this

Then maybe they would have prepared properly and wouldn't have buggered the whole thing up and been so thoroughly outmaneuvered by the EU.

[Denzil_DC]

4. Good grief. Just when you think it couldn't be worse: