Britain moves a step closer to a historic departure from the European Union on Tuesday (Jan 7), after more than three years of bitter division and political drama, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson brings his Brexit deal back to parliament without the threat of defeat, deadlock or delay.
Lawmakers begin three days of debate on legislation to enshrine Johnson’s divorce deal, with few hurdles to its passing expected after he won a comfortable majority at recent elections.
The air of inevitability that Brexit was finally about to happen contrasts starkly with the repeated postponements and rejections of the previous deal of his predecessor Theresa May that plunged Britain into political and economic uncertainty.
The lack of anticipated drama has instead seen focus shift to potential conflict between the United States and Iran. But the Conservative leader is still up against the clock.
Both the UK and European parliaments must ratify the deal before Britain’s Jan 31 departure date, when a so-called transition phase to the end of the year will kick in.
MPs gave their initial approval to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in a vote on Dec 20, a week after Johnson secured a majority of 80 in the 650-seat House of Commons.
They now have three days of debate before the bill passes to the unelected House of Lords for further scrutiny next week.
Opposition lawmakers and troublesome peers will try to amend the text but with such a comfortable majority, Johnson is virtually certain of getting it through on time.
In a sign of his confidence, Johnson’s government announced it would hold a new post-Brexit budget vote on Mar 11, to “seize the opportunities that come from getting Brexit done”.
The main opposition Labour party was meanwhile focused on the start of a campaign to replace veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn as leader.
His divisive leadership and ambivalence over Brexit were blamed for Labour’s stinging defeat and loss of support in its heartlands of northern England.