UK contempt vote reflects tensions as Brexit debate begins

World Today

The United Kingdom’s Brexit Agreement deal has already been the trigger for huge Parliamentary drama.

As CGTN’s Richard Bestic explains, lawmakers have five days to debate Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal before a vote on the plan to leave the European Union.

In an unprecedented vote, MP’s have found the U.K. government guilty of contempt of Parliament for refusing to make public the legal advice it’s been given. A contrite government has now promised to release it, but it’s an indication that Parliament’s not giving the government an inch and the level of trust couldn’t be more threadbare.

From the outset of the debate, Prime Minister Theresa May was again pressing reluctant MPs to accept the deal on the terms of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Consistently opinion polls have shown that Britain is pretty much divided right down the middle by Brexit. Trouble is, Parliament can’t make up its mind either.

The public and a Parliament, united in their mutual and deep-seated mistrust of Theresa May’s plan. She now has just a matter of days to save it, but it’s got to be said, though, it’ll be an uphill struggle.

Should she lose the vote lose Britain will be thrown into an unprecedented political and diplomatic crisis, which could bring down the Prime Minister, her government and even trigger a second Brexit referendum. Britain’s Brexit plans would be thrown into chaos.