UK Withdrawal from the EU — Delay of up-to Three Months — Ireland — 14 Feb 2019 at 17:00

The majority of MPs voted to show a preference for the principle of a withdrawal agreement which would avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland via a mechanism other than the United Kingdom remaining aligned with the European Union customs union rather than delaying leaving the European Union by up to three months.

MPs were considering a motion stating:

• That this House
• welcomes the Prime Minister’s statement of 12 February 2019;
• reiterates its support for the approach to leaving the EU expressed by this House on 29 January 2019 and notes that discussions between the UK and the EU on the Northern Ireland backstop are ongoing.

The approach to leaving the EU mentioned referred to House of Commons vote where^[1]:

• The majority of MPs voted to express support for an agreement on the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union which avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland via a mechanism other than the United Kingdom remaining aligned with the European Union customs union.

The amendment rejected by the majority of MPs in this vote was:

• “requires that a Minister of the Crown immediately begin negotiations with the European Council to extend the period specified under Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union by no fewer than three months from 29 March 2019, and bring forward an appropriate amendment to section 20 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 to facilitate this change.”.

The original motion sought support for the principle of a withdrawal agreement which would avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland via a mechanism other than the United Kingdom remaining aligned with the European Union customs union. The rejected amendment sought to omit that support and instead delay leaving the European Union by up to three months.

• [1]House of Commons vote, 29 January 2019, PublicWhip.org.uk

Debate in Parliament |