Yahoo News What we learned from Day One of the Brexit debates
The Prime Minister continues to battle to save her Brexit deal after the first of five days of debate.
Theresa May is aiming to win the support of MPs ahead of a crucial vote on December 11.
Here is what we learned from day one of the debates:
Defeat
Ahead of the debate, Mrs May suffered a series of bruising Commons defeats which saw her authority take a pounding.
Ministers had to agree to publish the “final and full” legal advice on the withdrawal agreement as the Government was found to be in contempt of Parliament for failing to do so.
In another blow to the PM, MPs succeeded in calls for the Commons to have a direct say in what happens should her deal be rejected next Tuesday.
The votes delayed the start of the five-day debate by several hours.
Compromise
Opening the debate on the Brexit deal, Mrs May said MPs must accept that compromise was required to “bring the country together”.
May said the “only solution that will endure” was one that addressed the concerns of both sides of the debate.
The PM warned that the country would be plunged into “uncertainty and risk” if her deal was rejected, adding: “Don’t imagine that if we vote this down another deal is going to miraculously appear.”
She also appeared to soften her approach to Parliament as she pledged to give MPs a “greater and more formal role” in the UK’s forthcoming negotiations with the EU over future trade.
Mrs May said she wanted to launch a “national mission” to forge the “strongest possible future relationship” with the EU.
Terrible failure
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May’s deal had put the country “over a barrel”, and described it as a “terrible failure of negotiation by this Government”.
Mr Corbyn said the PM had achieved something “extraordinary” with her Brexit deal: “Across this House it has achieved something – it has united both Conservative Remainers and Conservative Leavers and members of every opposition party in an extraordinary coalition against the deal.”
He added: “It is crystal clear that the Prime Minister’s claim that this plan means we take control over our laws, money and borders is utterly far-fetched.”
Mr Corbyn added that Britain’s trading relationship with Europe was still to be negotiated and it would take years to do that, adding the call for a transition period was a “bridge to nowhere”.
He said: “After two years of negotiations all the Government has really agreed to is a very vague wish list.”
Division
Cracks in the Tory benches were exposed for all to see, as former foreign secretary Boris Johnson urged colleagues to reject Mrs May’s Brexit deal and claimed Brussels “think they’ve got us beat”.
He was heckled by fellow Tory MPs as he outlined ideas which included renegotiating with the EU and removing the Irish border backstop.
The Brexiteer told MPs he did not believe there was a single MP “who sincerely believes this deal we have before us is a good deal”.
Mr Johnson said: “The Government’s heart has not appeared to be in this deal and I think listening to those who are sent out to defend it and to explain it, they know it is a democratic disaster.”
Tory MP Sir Roger Gale demanded Mr Johnson reveal what his “big idea” was, while Father of the House Ken Clarke, a Tory former chancellor, suggested there was not a “faintest chance” of Mr Johnson’s bid for a renegotiation being taken seriously.
Regret
The DUP’s Westminster leader Nigel Dodds accused the Government of going back on its word during talks with the DUP over the Brexit deal and attacked the Northern Ireland backstop proposal.
Speaking about previous guarantees over the whole of the UK leaving the customs union, he said: “Quite frankly a lot of people in Northern Ireland feel that the Government, the Prime Minister, the pledges that were made have not been honoured.
“We’re sad about this, I deeply regret it. I admire the Prime Minister, her stamina, her resilience, the work that she’s doing – but on this I think she has misjudged the mood of the country and the mood of the House.”
Frankenstein’s monster
MP David Lammy said May’s deal was an ugly beast that no-body wanted (PA)
The initial day of debates came to an end shortly after Labour former minister David Lammy roused MPs with a late-night speech.
Mr Lammy said: “Theresa May’s deal has emerged as a Frankenstein’s monster – an ugly beast that no-one voted for or wanted… The deal does not take back control, it gives it away.”
What next?
MPs are expected to resume the debate in the early afternoon on Wednesday.
Ministers are also expected to set out how the highly sensitive legal advice provided to the Cabinet by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox on the withdrawal deal will be made public.
