Why did so many Conservatives go against May?Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the SNP supports Jeremy Corbyn’s confidence motion.
Describing the vote as “a defeat of historic proportions for the prime minister and her government”, Sturgeon said:
"It has been crystal clear for months that the Prime Minister’s approach was heading for a crushing defeat. Instead of facing up to that fact, she wasted valuable time with her postponement of the meaningful vote in December. There is no more time to waste."
She went on to call for the article 50 process to be halted “urgently” and that legislation be brought to hold a second referendum on EU membership.
Sturgeon added:
"The SNP supports the tabled vote of no confidence in the Government – but regardless of who leads the government, the reality is that a second EU referendum, with the option of remain on the ballot paper, is now the only credible option to avoid untold damage to the economy and the prospects of future generations."
It is also the only option, within the UK, that would allow Scotland’s democratic wish to remain in Europe to be respected.
118 Tory MPs voted against government on Brexit
One hundred and 18 Conservatives voted against the government on Brexit.
May's Brexit deal defeated by 432 votes to 202
May's Brexit deal defeated by 432 votes to 202
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... itics-live
"Bible, Wrath of Khan, what's the difference?"
Stan - South Park
Stan - South Park
-
Graham Kennedy
- Site Admin
- Posts: 11561
- Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:28 pm
- Location: Banbury, UK
- Contact:
Re: May's Brexit deal defeated by 432 votes to 202
Largely the Northern Ireland 'backstop'.
Currently, since NI and southern Ireland are both in the EU, the border between them is 'frictionless' - no customs inspections, you can just drive from one to the other. Both the UK and EU want it to stay that way... which would be difficult if we exit the EU trade area. So May's deal includes the backstop, which is an agreement to keep the border frictionless until both sides agree to whatever trade deal we will have with the EU.
But the thing is that as currently written, it does require mutual agreement. So what if the EU just said no to whatever the UK wanted and never agreed that future deal? That would mean the northern/southern Ireland border would remain perpetually open. Effectively the border for customs and trade would be the UK ports that send stuff to northern Ireland, as if northern Ireland were a separate entity.
This is something a lot of politicians hate. Whether NI is treated as just another part of the UK or as something independent was, after all, the root of the terrorism we had there for decades, which cost thousands of lives. So a lot of people are loathe to vote for anything the separates them.
And then consider that May's government is a minority, which depends on Northern Ireland's DUP party - their handful of MPs are what keeps the conservatives in power. And the DUP is a loyalist party, keeping Northern Ireland part of the UK is basically their major reason for existing.
Think of it this way : if somebody proposed that there should be a hundred mile long section of the US/Mexico border that had no wall, no security, no patrols or customs areas or barriers of any kind, and that this would never change unless Mexico agreed to it... you can see why Republicans might be opposed to that, yes? That's basically what's just happened.
Currently, since NI and southern Ireland are both in the EU, the border between them is 'frictionless' - no customs inspections, you can just drive from one to the other. Both the UK and EU want it to stay that way... which would be difficult if we exit the EU trade area. So May's deal includes the backstop, which is an agreement to keep the border frictionless until both sides agree to whatever trade deal we will have with the EU.
But the thing is that as currently written, it does require mutual agreement. So what if the EU just said no to whatever the UK wanted and never agreed that future deal? That would mean the northern/southern Ireland border would remain perpetually open. Effectively the border for customs and trade would be the UK ports that send stuff to northern Ireland, as if northern Ireland were a separate entity.
This is something a lot of politicians hate. Whether NI is treated as just another part of the UK or as something independent was, after all, the root of the terrorism we had there for decades, which cost thousands of lives. So a lot of people are loathe to vote for anything the separates them.
And then consider that May's government is a minority, which depends on Northern Ireland's DUP party - their handful of MPs are what keeps the conservatives in power. And the DUP is a loyalist party, keeping Northern Ireland part of the UK is basically their major reason for existing.
Think of it this way : if somebody proposed that there should be a hundred mile long section of the US/Mexico border that had no wall, no security, no patrols or customs areas or barriers of any kind, and that this would never change unless Mexico agreed to it... you can see why Republicans might be opposed to that, yes? That's basically what's just happened.
Give a man a fire, and you keep him warm for a day. SET a man on fire, and you will keep him warm for the rest of his life...