The European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator has warned that last night’s votes in the House of Commons have made a hard Brexit “nearly inevitable.”
British MPs rejected all four Brexit options put to them in a second round of “indicative votes” aimed at finding a way forward that can command a Parliamentary majority.
An option for the UK to remain in a customs union with the EU came closest to passing – but was rejected by three votes.
MPs also rejected revoking Article 50, a general election and a second referendum.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May will hold a five-hour crisis meeting of her divided Cabinet this morning in a bid to break the impasse.
Politicians will meet without civil servants for the first three hours of the meeting, with the final two earmarked for normal Government business.
European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at EU headquarters in Brussels, 20-03-2019. Image: AP Photo/Virginia MayoNo deal
Speaking in Brussels this morning, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that a no deal scenario becomes “day after day more likely.”
He said the EU remained ready to accept the option of the UK remaining in a customs union or entering a new relationship similar to that enjoyed by Norway.
He noted that the EU agreed the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement with the UK Government four months ago and warned that it “is and will be the only one” available.
“If the UK Parliament does not vote in favour of the Withdrawal Agreement in the coming days only two options would remain,” he said.
“Leaving without an agreement or requesting a longer extension of the Article 50 period.”
He warned that an extension would “carry significant risks for the EU” and, as a result, “a strong justification would be needed.”
In a tweet after the votes last night, the European Parliament’s Brexit Coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said the votes had made a hard Brexit “nearly inevitable” and noted that the UK had a last chance to “break the deadlock or face the abyss” today.
The House of Commons again votes against all options. A hard #Brexit becomes nearly inevitable. On Wednesday, the U.K. has a last chance to break the deadlock or face the abyss. https://t.co/iixDhr5t6N
— Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) April 1, 2019
It comes as the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar travels to Paris for talks on the latest developments with the French President Emmanuel Macron.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Varadkar again warned that it is up to the UK to outline how it plans to move forward.
He also said France remains steadfastly behind Ireland on the backstop.
Brexit
Last night, UK Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay warned that without a breakthrough, the default option facing the UK is still leaving with no deal on the 12th of April.
“This house as continuously rejected leaving without a deal,” he said. “Just as it has rejected not leaving at all.”
“Therefore the only option is to find a way through which allows the UK to leave with a deal.”
General Election
A snap election fronted by Mrs May will reportedly be one of the options considered by the UK cabinet this morning.
There is also speculation that she will bring the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement back to the Commons for a fourth vote – and link it with a confidence motion in the government to force MPS to choose between the deal or an election.
Meanwhile, the country’s Chancellor Philip Hammond is set to warn colleagues that the government must compromise or admit that is has failed and “put it back to the people in a referendum.”
Mr Hammond has previously insisted that a second referendum was a “perfectly coherent proposition” that “deserves to be considered.”
Cabinet split
Brexiteer members of the Cabinet – including Andrea Leadsom and Liam Fox – are adamant that a no deal Brexit would be preferable to any customs union.
However, pro-Remain MPs – including Amber Rudd and David Gauke – are determined to avoid a crash out at any cost and have called on Mrs May to reach a cross-party consensus.
After the votes last night former Tory minister Nick Boles – who put forward one of the options dramatically quit the party.
"I have given everything to an attempt to find a compromise that can take this country out of the European Union while maintaining our economic strength and our political cohesion.
"I accept I have failed. I have failed chiefly because my party refuses to compromise. I regret therefore to announce I can no longer sit for this party."
Repeat debate
The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for a repeat of the debate on the four options – Remaining in a customs union, establishing a Common Market 2.0, a confirmatory public vote and revoking Article 50.
"If it is good enough for the Prime Minister to have three chances at her deal then I suggest that possibly the House should have a chance to consider again the options that we had before us today, in a debate on Wednesday, so that the House can succeed where the Prime Minister has failed, in presenting a credible economic relationship with Europe for the future that prevents us crashing out with no deal," he said.
