Brexit bill 'in limbo' as MPs reject timetable

Boris Johnson has hit the pause button on his Brexit legislation after MPs rejected his plan to get it through the Commons in three days.

MPs backed his Withdrawal Agreement Bill – but minutes later voted against the timetable, leaving it “in limbo”.

EU Council President Donald Tusk says he will recommend a Brexit deadline extension to EU leaders.

Earlier, the PM warned he would push for an election if MPs rejected his timetable and the EU granted a delay.

Following the result in the Commons, Mr Johnson said it was Parliament, and not the government, that had requested an extension.

Mr Johnson said he would tell EU leaders it was still his policy to leave by the end of October.

On Saturday, he complied with a law demanding he ask for a three-month extension from the EU, but did not sign the letter.

A spokesman from the European Commission said: “[The Commission] takes note of tonight’s result and expects the UK government to inform us about the next steps.”

But Mr Tusk tweeted he would “recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension” in order to “avoid a no-deal Brexit”.

The BBC’s Europe editor Katya Adler said: “[The] temptation amongst most I speak to tonight in EU circles is to grant the 31 Jan extension.”

And the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg said that meant the government’s plan to seek an election was “looking likely”.

Following Tuesday’s Commons votes, a Downing Street source said: “On Saturday, Parliament asked for a delay until January and today Parliament blew its last chance.

“If Parliament’s delay is agreed by Brussels, then the only way the country can move on is with an election.

“This Parliament is totally broken. The public will have to choose whether they want to get Brexit done with Boris or whether they want to spend 2020 having two referendums on Brexit and Scotland with Corbyn.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Johnson was “the author of his own misfortune” – but offered to enter discussions over a “sensible” timetable for his deal to go through Parliament.

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The SNP’s leader, Ian Blackford, said it was “another humiliating defeat” for the PM, and MPs had “spoken with a very clear voice to tell the PM he is not on”.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson called on Mr Johnson to “end the brinkmanship and replace it with some statesmanship” in order to secure an extension with the EU.

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told MPs it was “very hard” to see how the necessary laws could be passed by 31 October deadline.

Brexit bill’s journey so far

Boris Johnson agreed his new plan with EU leaders last week, but has repeatedly pledged to leave the bloc by the end of October, with or without a deal.

This is despite him having to ask for an extension to Brexit on Saturday after MPs backed an amendment attempting to block a no-deal.

The bill that would turn his plan into law – the Withdrawal Agreement Bill – was published on Monday evening, and he urged MPs to back a three-day timetable to push it through the Commons ahead of the Halloween deadline.

The PM told Parliament if it “decides to delay everything until January or possibly longer”, he would seek an election – but he did not say what the government would do if the EU offered a shorter extension.

MPs did approve the bill on its first hurdle through the Commons – called the second reading – by 329 votes to 299.

But in a vote straight after, they rejected the so-called programme motion by 322 votes to 308 after a number of MPs criticised the pace of the legislation.

What happens next?

Mr Johnson told the Commons: “I will speak to EU member states about their intentions [but] until they have reached a decision – until we reach a decision, I will say – we will pause this legislation.”

In the meantime, however, he said the government would “take the only responsible course and accelerate our preparations for a no deal outcome”.

The PM added: “Let me be clear. Our policy remains that we should not delay [and] that we should leave the EU on 31 October.”

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he welcomed the backing of MPs for the deal, adding: “We will now await further developments from London and Brussels about next steps, including [the] timetable for the legislation and the need for an extension.”

But Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was now “very hard to see how it is possible” to get a deal through Parliament by the end of the month.

If an election were to be triggered this week, the earliest it could take place would be Thursday 28 November, as the law requires 25 days between an election being called in Parliament and polling day.

But Mr Johnson cannot force an election himself and would need the backing of Parliament.

MPs had been due to debate the bill over Wednesday and Thursday, but will now return to discussing the contents of the Queen’s Speech – which put forward the government’s domestic agenda for the new session of Parliament.

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