It seems insane but apparently Theresa May has been asked to consider delaying, or even cancelling, the “meaningful vote” on her Brexit agreement with the European Union, which has been due to take place next Tuesday (December 11).

It is a requirement of an Act of Parliament (s.13 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) that the government of the United Kingdom bring forth an amendable Parliamentary motion at the end of that government’s negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, which Parliament may reject if it so chooses.

Failure to bring a motion will be another contempt of Parliament. Mrs May has already headed the first UK government in history to be held in contempt by Parliament; does anybody think she’s strong enough to hold on if she is found to commit contempt a second time in two weeks?

That she would. But if she goes ahead, she risks far worse for her political party, as Lord Heseltine spelled out in a debate in the House of Lords:

He was saying that Brexit will mean the UK economy will have less money to spend, meaning there will be less available to help keep the poorest people from absolute destitution, and he was saying that he did not want to support any decision that would make that happen.

If you don’t understand why he would say such a thing, consider the following – accurate – video clip from Momentum:

That’s the Brexit proposed for the UK by Mrs May; a mess concocted after two years in which she has done nothing but squabble with her own MPs about whose selfishness should be allowed to dictate what happens.

Yesterday (December 6) it was suggested that pulling the vote was now on the Tory government’s agenda as this would win support from the Democratic Unionist Party and the European Research Group of hard Brexiters in the Conservative Party. It would mean the so-called “Grieve amendment”, which would make it possible for Parliament to dictate the future of Brexit, could not be triggered. And it would buy time for more negotiations with the EU.

Media sources seemed unsure what was going on:

So the government seems caught between a rock and a hard place. What can be done?

This left-wing commentator has suggested an answer:

And this one explains why such a move may be a good idea:

There doesn’t actually need to be a vote to split Theresa May’s support base. If it doesn’t take place, it will be because she can’t win it with the agreement she has – she she’ll have to change it…

… And then she’ll still have to bring it before Parliament or be found in contempt again.

All told – vote or no vote – it seems the only certainty is laid out in The Prole Star‘s tweet, below:

Visit our JustGiving page to help Vox Political’s Mike Sivier fight anti-Semitism libels in court

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:

Here are four ways to be sure you’re among the first to know what’s going on.

1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.

2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical

3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.

The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here: