Having taken control of the Brexit process last week, The Parliament are now considering options on how they should move things forward. MPs will vote for every option that they support, with the object of finding a solution that could get a majority. The result is not binding on the government — but Parliament could try to make it so, in subsequent moves.
Here are some of the options they may consider.
Labour’s Customs Union: The official Labour proposal, to back the Withdrawal Agreement that Prime Minister Theresa May has negotiated, in return for her seeking a customs union with the EU, a close alignment with the single market and a close relationship to other institutions.
Another Customs Union: A simpler motion, from Labour’s Gareth Snell, that simply instructs the government to seek a customs union with the EU.
Second Referendum: A process motion that says Parliament should not ratify or implement any withdrawal agreement until it has been approved in a referendum.
Norway: The UK should stay in the European Economic Area and rejoin the European Free Trade Association. This would give it access to the EU single market. Also being described by its authors as Common Market 2.0, this would add a comprehensive customs arrangement to the Norway option.
No-Deal emergency brake: A process amendment, this would require a confirmatory vote in Parliament if the UK got to within two days of a no-deal Brexit.
Modified May’s deal: The idea that briefly looked like it might save May’s deal is back. It is May’s deal, without the Irish backstop section that Tory MPs hate but that the EU insists on.
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Consult the Devolved Parliaments: A process motion from the Scottish National Party that says the UK should not leave the EU without the agreement of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.
May says she has been sceptical on the divided Mps to come up with a plan. So, it remains to be seen whether it will be a no outcome at all or a the most popular options finalised into an alternative plan.
"I cannot commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by the House," she said, noting the votes could lead to an outcome that is "unnegotiable with the EU, May said".
Though May promised to engage "constructively" with the process, she has suggested she might ignore the votes. There is fear of the MPs using their new-found control of the Commons timetable to pass legislation that would force May to change her approach.
If she still refused, she would set up a stand-off that could result in parliament declaring it had no confidence in her government.
It may however may not be able to stop a 'no deal' Brexit as that looks like the default option.
