LONDON — British lawmakers have rejected the government’s fast-track attempt to pass its Brexit bill within days.
Legislators voted 322-308 against a timetable that gave the House of Commons just three days to debate the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.
The vote likely makes it impossible for Johnson to fulfil his vow to take Britain out of the EU on the scheduled date of Oct. 31.
The outcome meant lawmakers want more time to scrutinize the complex legislation.
That throws Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s exit timetable into chaos.
He now has two choices.
He could agree to give lawmakers more time, which would need a delay to Brexit of at least a few weeks.
Or, as he has threatened, he could pull the bill and try to get lawmakers to vote for a general election that could break the political impasse.
In both cases the EU must agree to delay Britain’s departure.
Earlier, British lawmakers approved Johnson’s Brexit deal in principle.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
-
Varsity Maine
Tennis: Teams to watch in southern Maine
-
Varsity Maine
Tennis: High school season sure to serve up surprises
-
Nation & World
1 killed, 2 wounded in shooting at N.Y. grocery store
-
Nation & World
Rebels vow to take capital after Chadian president killed
-
Local & State
In Maine, George Floyd verdict elicits relief, a feeling of justice served
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi {SUB NAME}, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have one? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.