However, MPs have also voted to reject a no-deal Brexit in principle.
In something of a shock result, MPs have voted against an amendment which would see the currently set Brexit date of Friday 29 March to be pushed back.
Pretty much two months to the day, and Yvette Cooper MP, a British Labour Party politician, has found her amendment shot down by 321 votes to 298 – a majority of 23.
As per The Guardian, Cooper’s amendment would allow time for a bill, also tabled by Cooper, to be debated. The bill would oblige the prime minister to seek an article 50 extension if she has not passed a Brexit deal by Tuesday 26 February.
Additionally, another amendment put forward, this one by Rachel Reeves, a British economist and Labour Party politician, which was looking to prevent a no-deal Brexit, has also been voted against, by 322 to 290, a majority of 32.
Reeves’ amendment was looking to add a two-year window to work out whatever was needed in order to ensure a no-deal Brexit didn’t take place:
“In the event that the House of Commons has not passed a resolution approving the negotiated withdrawal agreement and the framework for the future relationship for the purposes of section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 by 26 February 2019, requires the prime minister to seek an extension to the period of two years specified in article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union.”
However, following both of these rejections, the MPs have also voted for Caroline Spelman’s amendment. Spelman is the Conservative former environment secretary, and the amendment she tabled spelled out a rejection of a no-deal Brexit:
“And rejects the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a withdrawal agreement and a framework for the future relationship.”
This amendment was passed by 318 votes to 310, proving to be the first vote for the night that Theresa May has lost.
In the minutes following the votes, the value of the Pound has fallen dramatically:
Pound falls as Parliament rejects an amendment that could have led to a delay to Brexit https://t.co/y5eshsoXLn pic.twitter.com/Peal0NuYcG
— Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) January 29, 2019
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