The British parliament on Wednesday voted in favor of an amendment that gives the legislative body the power to approve or reject any Brexit deal made by the government in a major blow to Theresa May's power.
With a group of May's Conservative lawmakers rebelling against her Brexit vision, parliament voted 309 to 305 in favor of amending the government's EU (Withdrawal) Bill, a move which observers believe will undermine the government's ability to negotiate a deal.
Read more: Brexit: What's the 'no deal' fallout for the UK and EU?
A government spokeswoman said that while British negotiators were disappointed with vote's results, it will not prevent them from moving forward and making legal preparations for the UK to leave the bloc.
"This amendment does not prevent us from preparing our statute book for exit day. We will now determine whether further changes are needed to the (EU withdrawal) bill to ensure it fulfills its vital purpose," she said after the vote.
'Taking back control'
The Labour Party supported the amendment to the bill, with shadow Brexit minister Keir Starmer saying that the measure ensures the UK's future is not determined solely by the government.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn hailed the vote as a victory for parliament in deciding the terms in which the UK will depart the EU.
Read more: Progress in Brexit talks, but Britain still divided
"This defeat is a humiliating loss of authority for the government on the eve of the European Council meeting," Corbyn said.
"Therese May has resisted democratic accountability. Her refusal to listen means she will now have to accept Parliament taking back control."
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
Phase I: The Brexit
EU leaders agreed to negotiating guidelines during a summit in April that divided the talks into two phases. The first phase seeks to "settle the disentanglement" of Britain from the EU. Since talks began on July 17, negotiators have focused on three core issues: the "Brexit Bill," citizens' rights, and the Irish border.
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
The "Brexit Bill"
Brussels says London needs to continue paying into the EU budget after it leaves. The current budget expires in 2022 and EU officials want Britain to cover pensions and spending for EU loans and projects that it had committed to before triggering article 50. London has said it will honor its commitments, and both sides have reportedly agreed on a final bill of around £50 billion (€67 billion).
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
Citizens' rights
The EU has said its citizens' rights in Britain is the "first priority" in the talks. It has proposed that the 3 million EU citizens currently in Britain and the 1.1 million British citizens in the EU keep their rights after Brexit. But that arrangement would give the EU's highest court, the ECJ, jurisdiction over EU nationals in Britain, an outcome British officials have said they want to avoid.
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
The Irish border
Both sides have expressed their desire to avoid the return of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, Britain's commitment to leaving the EU Single Market and Customs Union makes it difficult to avoid that. British and EU officials would need to monitor goods crossing the border to ensure they adhered to each other's separate customs rules.
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
Phase II: The post-Brexit relationship
Talks can only proceed to phase two if the EU deems that "sufficient progress" has been made on phase one issues. According to EU guidelines, phase two talks should identify "an overall understanding on the framework for the future relationship" for the period after Britain has left. Major issues in this phase are set to be trade, immigration, and security.
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
Trade
Theresa May has said Britain will leave the European single market, the bloc's free trading area, and the EU customs union, which sets a common EU tariff to third-country goods. Britain could then negotiate its own free trade deals and restrict EU migration. London also wants a new EU-UK trade deal, but with only 18 months left for talks, there is little time to negotiate one.
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
Immigration
May has also vowed to control EU migration into Britain after Brexit. However, some British lawmakers are wary that a sharp drop in immigration could lead to shortfalls in key sectors, including health, social care and construction. The EU has warned that single market access is out of the question if London decides to restrict the ability of its citizens to live and work in Britain.
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Brexit negotiations: What are the key issues?
Security
Recent terror attacks across Europe including a string in Britain underline both sides' support for continued security cooperation after March 2019. But access to EU institutions such as Europol and programs such as the European Arrest Warrant require compliance with EU laws. Whether Britain will still be compliant after it leaves is unclear. (Author: Alexander Pearson)
Author: Alex Pearson
EU parliament backs progress
Members of the European Parliament voted on Wednesday to start the next round of Brexit negotiations based on last week's preliminary agreement. The EU warned, however, that the UK must "fully and faithfully" turn the deal into a concrete exit treaty.
Read more: Brexit's side effects for life-saving medicines
The vote was carried by a wide margin of 556 votes to 62. The resolution included a biting critique for Britain's Brexit Minister David Davis, saying some of his recent inflammatory remarks "risk undermining" the entire process.
'Statement of intent'
Over the weekend, Davis told the BBC that last week's agreement was merely a "statement of intent," that was not "legally enforceable," prompting considerable ire from Brussels. Davis also said his government would not pay its €40 billion to €45 billion ($47 billion to $52 billion) divorce bill if Britain failed to gain what it wanted from a new trade deal.
The EU immediately warned the UK about backtracking on its promises, as it could affect future relations between Britain and the other 27 members of the bloc.
Read more: With Brexit, Northern Ireland peace hangs in the balance
"While I am optimistic as far as the second phase is concerned, we have to ensure that the joint report presented last week is fully and faithfully translated into the wording of the exit treaty," EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani said after Wednesday's vote.
"No discussions on future relations will take place if the principles contained are not implemented."
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
June 2016: 'The will of the British people'
After a shrill referendum campaign, nearly 52 percent of British voters opted to leave the EU on June 24. Polls had shown a close race before the vote with a slight lead for those favoring remaining in the EU. Conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had campaigned for Britain to stay, acknowledged the 'will of the British people' and resigned the following morning.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
July 2016: 'Brexit means Brexit'
The former Home Secretary Theresa May replaced David Cameron as prime minister on July 11 and promised the country that 'Brexit means Brexit.' May had quietly supported the remain campaign before the referendum. She did not initially say when her government would trigger Article 50 of the EU treaty to start the two-year talks leading to Britain's formal exit.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
March 2017: 'We already miss you'
May eventually signed a diplomatic letter over six months later on March 29, 2017 to trigger Article 50. Hours later, Britain's ambassador to the EU, Tim Barrow, handed the note to European Council President Donald Tusk. Britain's exit was officially set for March 29, 2019. Tusk ended his brief statement on the decision with: "We already miss you. Thank you and goodbye."
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
June 2017: And they're off!
British Brexit Secretary David Davis and the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, kicked off talks in Brussels on June 19. The first round ended with Britain reluctantly agreeing to follow the EU's timeline for the rest of the negotiations. The timeline splits talks into two phases. The first settles the terms of Britain's exit and the second the terms of the EU-UK relationship post-Brexit.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
July 2017: Money, rights, and Ireland
The second round of talks in mid-July began with an unflattering photo of a seemingly unprepared British team. It ended with little progress on three phase one issues: How much Britain still needs to pay into the EU budget after it leaves - the "Brexit Bill," the post-Brexit rights of EU and British citizens, and whether Britain could guarantee an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
August 2017: UK position 'unsatisfactory'
Ahead of the third round at the end of August, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker lashed out at London for publishing multiple "position papers." Some papers were about the future EU-UK trading relationship, which Juncker said could not be discussed before an agreement on the three phase one issues. Round three ended with some progress on citizens' rights, but none on the Brexit Bill.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
September 2017: Look who's back
Theresa May had tried to breathe new life into talks ahead of the fourth round with a speech in Florence, Italy in mid-September. She agreed to a transition phase after March 2019 in which Britain would accept EU rules until a final exit. But round four ended without any notable progress and arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage said May had stuck "two fingers" at leave voters for accepting a transition.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
October 2017: Tick, tock...
Theresa May spoke at her party's annual conference at the beginning of October and reiterated that Britain would be willing to leave the EU with no final deal. But she did not speak about the disagreements that were still plaguing talks in Brussels. Round five ended a week later with no agreement on the Brexit Bill and no sign that the EU was willing to start phase two talks in the coming months.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
November 2017: May pays out?
Progress appeared to have been made after round six in early November with Britain reportedly agreeing to pay up to £50 billion (€57 billion/$68 billion) for the "divorce bill." May had earlier said she was only willing to pay €20 billion, while the EU had calculated some €60 billion euros. Reports of Britain's concession sparked outrage among pro-Brexit politicians and media outlets.
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Brexit timeline: Charting Britain's turbulent exodus from Europe
December 2017: Phase 2 at last
Ireland has repeatedly said it won't accept any "hard" border with Northern Ireland after Brexit. Britain agreed in early December there would be no hard border, but didn't say how it would avoid that outcome. It didn't matter. That, along with agreements on money and citizens' rights, was good enough for the EU to say it would give the green light for starting phase 2.
Author: Alexander Pearson
ls,es/sms (AFP, Reuters)
