Less than a week ago, on Friday 10th November, Theresa May announced that Britain will officially be leaving the EU on the 29th March 2019, and is already facing backlash from both Tory and Labour MPs.
At a recent meeting, which will be the first of eight sessions this month, MPs voiced concern that the proposal will “tie the hands” of the U.K. — forcing us out of Europe even if we are not fully prepared. The Prime Minister has been warned to re-write the proposal or many MPs will not vote in its favour when it comes to it.
MPs were being offered a choice between a “really bad deal and a really, really bad deal,” SNP’s Stephen Gethins Speaking in the House of Commons via BBC News.
Most notably, Ken Clarke, a Tory MP, gave a speech at the EU withdrawal bill debate in which he said that the exit date was “ridiculous and unnecessary” and “positively harmful to the national interest”.
Mr. Clarke had been met with overwhelming support from Labour MPs; David Lammy applauded him for “shredding his government’s hard Brexit” during his House of Commons speech, and Labour MP Chuka Umunna has tweeted his praise for Clarke. Furthermore, ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve has called the plan “incoherent and thoroughly stupid”
Ken Clarke gets a long round of applause – v.unusual in the chamber – after his tour de force against the Govt amendments and his clinical demolition of the case for a hard Brexit. Bill Cash, IDS and others walk out. A pleasure to listen to and witness #EUWithdrawalBill
— ChukaUmunna (@ChukaUmunna) November 14, 2017
He wasn’t the only Labour MP to take to twitter to voice their support either. Liz Kendall also tweeted her praise:
Brilliant speech by Ken Clarke on #EUWithdrawalBill – applause and shouts of “more!” Privilege to hear it
— Liz Kendall (@leicesterliz) November 14, 2017
This bill could create a divide in British politics like never seen before; former minister Anna Soubry has stated:
“The date going into the Bill has really upset a lot of really top-quality backbench Conservative MPs. These are people, a lot of them ex-ministers, highly respected, and they are genuinely cross about this. There were some people there who have never rebelled and they are now talking, for the first time ever, of rebelling.”
So, in short, Theresa May may have a rough time (especially within her own party) trying to please everybody concerning this plan.
Photo: Mark Thomas / Rex Features
