UK parliament to cancel February recess over Brexit crisis

The British parliament is highly likely to cancel its recess in February so that it could make progress on options available before the planned UK withdrawal from the European Union on March 29.

Andrea Leadsom, a senior Conservative Party lawmaker who serves as the Leader of the House of Commons, said the parliament would cancel the planned recess to focus on its “key business” on Brexit.

The government also announced that it was looking at options to extend the hours during which parliament sits to allow enough time to discuss the future Brexit developments.

That comes as lawmakers are expected to reach a consensus on Prime Minister Theresa May’s controversial Brexit deal with the EU so that Britain can ensure a smooth Brexit at the end of March.

The Commons voted for a government-devised amendment on Tuesday which could ensure the approval of May’s Brexit deal in the parliament if she manages to compel the EU to remove or drastically modify a clause in the deal on the future status of the Irish border.

PressTV-EU says ‘No’ to UK push for changing Brexit

EU leaders say there is no room for renegotiation of UK’s Brexit deal.

The EU has ruled out such a change, saying the co-called backstop, a mechanism to avoid a hard border between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland after Brexit, is an integral part of the document signed with the British government in November.

However, British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said Thursday that it was a matter of days before the government submits proposals on the backstop to the EU.  

“We will put those proposals together. It is going to take a few days to do that,” Hunt said in an interview with the BBC Radio, adding, “I happen to believe there is potential along all the different routes that have been discussed. But we need to put those together, make sure they meet the concerns the EU has expressed...”

Hunt also said that there could be a need for a short extension to the Brexit deadline so that the British parliament can pass required legislation after the potential approval of May’s deal.

“I think it is true that if we ended up approving a deal in the days before March 29 then we might need some extra time to pass critical legislation,” he said, adding, “But if we are able to make progress sooner then that might not be necessary.”

PressTV-MPs vote for Brexit amendment on replacing backstop

British lawmakers have voted on seven amendments to Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal with the European Union.

May’s spokesman reiterated that the prime minister was determined to bring the UK out of the EU on the deadline regardless of what happens in the parliament although he expressed hope that a cancellation of the parliamentary recess would help the government finally go through the Commons with its Brexit deal.

“The fact that recess won’t be taking place and Members of Parliament will be sitting shows you that we are taking all available steps to make sure that March 29 is our exit date,” said the spokesman.

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