Brexit: the past seven days

As the countdown continues to the scheduled date of Brexit on March 29, here’s what’s been happening over the past week.

Days to go

56

What happened this week?

Voting on a series of amendments to Theresa May’s Plan B, the House of Commons backed a move to authorise the Prime Minister to reopen her Withdrawal Agreement and get rid of the controversial Irish backstop.

But the plan met a wall of resistance in Brussels, Berlin, Paris and Dublin, where EU leaders were united in saying there would be no renegotiation.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt became the most senior minister to suggest that Brexit may have to be delayed beyond the end of March.

What happens next?

No plans for a trip to Brussels have yet been announced, but Mrs May is expected to seek meetings with EU leaders to attempt to persuade them to consider a rethink of the backstop plans to keep the Irish border open after Brexit.

Good week 

Sir Graham Brady.  The chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee achieved something which had long eluded the Prime Minister, by uniting the party’s feuding wings behind a Brexit plan.

Bad week

Yvette Cooper and Nick Boles.

The authors of a cross-party bid to put Parliament in control of the Brexit process saw their plans go down to defeat by a margin of 23 votes, thanks in large part to 25 Labour MPs who rebelled against Jeremy Corbyn’s orders to back it, with 14 voting against and 11 abstaining.

Quote of the week

“It is now clear that there is a route that can secure a substantial and sustainable majority in this House for leaving the EU with a deal” – Prime Minister Theresa May, following Tuesday’s votes in the House of Commons.

Tweet of the week

“My message to PM @theresa_may: The EU position is clear and consistent. The Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation. Yesterday, we found out what the UK doesn’t want. But we still don’t know what the UK does want. #brexit” –  European Council president Donald Tusk.

Word of the week

Alternative.

MPs’ vote for “alternative arrangements” to replace the backstop was hailed by Mrs May as sending a clear message to Brussels of what Parliament wants.

But challenged by Mr Corbyn at Prime Minister’s Questions to explain what this alternative was, she was unable to give a specific answer – as was Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay when asked five times in a radio interview.