news desk
\nlondon
\nBritish Prime Minister Theresa May was accused on Wednesday of misleading MPs over her Brexit deal as her government published legal advice likely to increase opposition to the agreement ahead of a crucial vote next week.
\nScottish National Party (SNP) lawmaker Ian Blackford was twice reprimanded by the House of Commons speaker for suggesting May had misled MPs \u201cinadvertently or otherwise\u201d, before withdrawing the claim.
\nMay replied that she had always been clear about the implications of the deal\u2019s provisions on Northern Ireland, which risk keeping Britain tied to the EU\u2019s economic rules for years after leaving next March.
\nBut she emphasised neither side wanted this to happen, and repeated that the withdrawal agreement struck with Brussels last month was the only viable option.
\n\u201cI believe that the deal we have negotiated is a good deal,\u201d she said, adding: \u201cI\u2019m continuing to listen to colleagues on that and considering a way forward.\u201d
\nMay on Tuesday suffered a series of stunning defeats in parliament which threaten her government and ultimately could change the course of Brexit.
\nShe effectively lost her majority in the Commons after the Northern Irish party on which she relies sided with the Labour party to find her ministers in contempt of parliament for failing to publish in full the legal advice on the Brexit deal.
\nMeanwhile 25 her own Conservative MPs voted with Labour to give the Commons a bigger say in what happens if, as expected, the Brexit deal is voted down on December 11.
\nThe government on Wednesday finally published the six-page advice from the attorney general to cabinet, which warns of the \u201clegal risk\u201d inherent in a clause intended to keep open the border with Ireland.
\nIt confirms Britain risks remaining \u201cindefinitely\u201d in the so-called backstop, which could keep the whole country in an EU customs union for years after Brexit, while also keeping the province of Northern Ireland in the bloc\u2019s single market.
\nSteal Brexit
\nMPs on Tuesday also voted to approve an amendment tabled by Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, which allows parliament to determine what happens if the deal falls.
\nIf May loses the vote next week, the government has 21 days to return to MPs to propose what happens next.
\nGrieve\u2019s amendment could allow MPs to amend that statement, raising the possibility they could demand a re-negotiation, a second referendum or even staying in the EU.
\nInternational Trade Secretary Liam Fox aired that concern, saying that a majority in favour of staying in the EU in parliament \u201cmay attempt to steal Brexit from the British people\u201d.
\nMay opened the first of five days of debate on the Brexit deal on Tuesday evening and Wednesday\u2019s discussion was to focus on security.
\nOn Tuesday, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called May\u2019s plan \u201ca huge and damaging failure for Britain\u201d.
\nGoing round in circles
\nThere are few people who believe May\u2019s deal will survive the vote next Tuesday but the question of what happens next remains wide open.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
news desk london British Prime Minister Theresa May was accused on Wednesday of misleading MPs over her Brexit deal as her government published legal advice likely to increase opposition to the agreement ahead of a crucial vote next week. Scottish National Party (SNP) lawmaker Ian Blackford was twice reprimanded by the House of Commons speaker […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n