Brexit: What Happens Next After Parliament Rejected All Four Options?
2 April 2019, 09:05 | Updated: 28 October 2019, 15:53
Parliament rejected all four alternative options for Brexit last night, so what happens next? LBC's Political Editor Theo Usherwood explains.
Brexit: What is happening today?
Theresa May convenes her political cabinet for three hours at 9am. That's without civil servants. There's then a lunch break before she convenes are full cabinet for another two hours.
The plan had been for a play-off between her deal and a Soft Brexit that MPs had supported. But last night's events takes that off the table as they were all defeated.
What will Theresa May do next on Brexit?
The choice for Theresa May now is simple:
- Her deal, which stands no chance of getting through
- No-deal, which is the default option on 12th April
- General Election
Are we closer to a no-deal Brexit?
We're very close - we're 10 days from a no-deal Brexit.
Theresa May can only go back to Brussels and ask for a much longer extension if she has a plan in place.
She can't simply go back and say she can't get her deal through the House of Commons and ask for an extension to avoid no-deal.
Are we getting closer to a General Election over Brexit?
If the Prime Minister can't get her deal through and wants to avoid a no-deal Brexit, then a General Election is her final option. But that is not guaranteed either.
The Fixed-Term Parliaments Act means two-third of the House of Commons would need to vote for a General Election.
There are so many MPs within the Conservative Party who will fear Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister and think a no-deal is preferable to Mrs May's deal, so they wouldn't vote for it.
We are in stalemate.
What is Labour's position on Brexit?
It was in the Labour manifesto in 2017 to end free movement to play to their northern voters.
Yesterday, Jeremy Corbyn backed Common Market 2.0, which in effect would keep freedom of movement there for the UK.
He did that because he thought it would pass through the House of Commons last night and would be the most invidious choice for Theresa May and the Cabinet this morning.
