(MENAFN- Trend News Agency ) British Prime Minister Theresa May has lost a key vote on the EU Withdrawal bill, her first serious parliamentary Brexit setback, reports.
Members of Parliament voted Wednesday for an amendment to the bill meaning lawmakers must approve the final deal with the European Union before withdrawal begins.
May lost by a close margin of 309-305 votes. Amendment 7 to Clause 9 was tabled by May's own Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, who leads a faction of "rebels" within the party.
The bill is a key piece of legislation which aims to transfer EU law into UK law upon the country's planned departure from the bloc on March 29, 2019.
On Wednesday, her government's instability was exposed by a group of lawmakers which has constantly argued that Parliament should have the final say over the terms of the draft agreement before the UK leaves the EU.
This victory represents the first major setback for the government during the period where the bill has been making its way through Parliament with lawmakers attempting to add amendments.
Should Parliament vote against the government on any final deal, the Prime Minister could be forced to renegotiate with Brussels -- raising the prospect of the UK crashing out of the bloc without a trade deal and instead being governed by the rules of the World Trade Organization, a course of action sometimes referred to as a "Hard Brexit."
The setback comes less than a week after the UK and EU secured a significant breakthrough in Brexit negotiations, allowing the two parties to progress onto a crucial second phase that will include discussions over the nature of a future trading relationship.
MENAFN1412201701870000ID1096234189
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.