Hard Brexit ‘far less likely’ after May’s offer to MPs

A disorderly Brexit is now “far less likely” given British prime minister Theresa May’s admission that the UK may not leave the EU on March 29, Government sources have said.

Senior Government sources, speaking privately to the Irish Examiner, said Westminster’s planned votes and developments now make a no-deal Brexit less likely.

Ms May’s admission offered MPs a chance to vote to delay Brexit if her deal is rejected again next month.

In a dramatic statement to the House of Commons, Mrs May left no doubt that she does not want a delay and still hopes to obtain assurances from Brussels which will win MPs’ approval for her withdrawal agreement.

However, she announced that if she loses a “meaningful vote”, due to take place by March 12, MPs will be offered separate votes on a no-deal Brexit or extending the two-year Article 50 negotiation process beyond March 29.

There was no indication of what would happen if MPs vote down not only Ms May’s deal and no-deal, but also an extension, with Number 10 saying that such a combination of results would be “contradictory”.

If her plans are backed by MPs on Wednesday, Ms May will return to the Commons by March 12 for a further “meaningful vote”. If that is rejected, a vote on whether the UK should leave the EU without a deal on March 29 will be held by March 13.

A Government spokesman said the focus was still on getting a deal on the withdrawal agreement.

The goal is like it was before, to get a deal agreed. Short of the UK staying in the EU, getting a deal is the best option. We are open to an extension to avoid a crash. But we still need to reach agreement, indifferent of an extension,” he said.

In the Dáil, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said the solution to avoiding a hard Brexit lay in London, not in Dublin.

“Westminster needs to make up its mind, collectively, about what it wants,” he said.