Theresa May has offered MPs a series of debates on Brexit in the run up to the activation of Article 50
Prime Minister Theresa May has offered MPs a series of debates ahead of the formal launch of Brexit talks, but stopped short of including any guarantee of a binding vote.
May has vowed to activate Article 50 in 2017, and no later than March, and today she said MPs would be given government time in the House of Commons to argue over the UK's negotiations with the EU.
Updating the House following her European Council meetings last week, May said today: "The government will make time available for a series of general debates on the future of the UK's relationship with the EU.
"These will take place before and after the Christmas recess, and I expect will include debate on the high level principles that the government will pursue in negotiations."
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May said the debates would come in addition to regular statements from herself and Brexit secretary David Davis to the House, supporting parliamentary scrutiny, as well as the work of Hilary Benn's new select committee focusing on the UK's work to quit the EU.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly declined to ballot MPs on Brexit, claiming it could allow the House of Commons to overrule the June referendum, and today made no comment on whether parliamentarians would be allowed to vote.
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However, May also came under fire from one of her one senior backbenchers.
Andrew Tyrie, chair of parliament's influential Treasury Select Committee warned: "The government's policy of saying as little as possible is going to become increasingly unsustainable.
"The vacuum is already being filled not by leaks from the commission but from her own cabinet Brexit committee colleagues."
He added that financial services and other sectors would respond to uncertainty by planning for the worst.
"That will be at considerable cost to the UK," Tyrie said.
However, May responded by noting that she had already acted to limit uncertainty by publishing "the framewokr of the timetable" for activating Article 50, as well as revealing her plans for a Great Repeal Bill, which will transmute all EU law into UK rules.
“I understand the point my hon friend is making – but I think he knows full well that if this government were to set out every jot and tittle of our negotiating position then that would be the best way to get the worst deal for the UK," May said.
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And in response to a question from pro-Single Market backbencher Anna Soubry, May vowed that all those involved in negotiations would continue to listen to business.
"That work has already started. My right honourable friend the secretary of state for Exiting the European Union has already been holding those discussions I've held a number of roundtables from business in order to hear from them what their concerns are," May said.
"The overwhelming view that has come to me is that having taken the decision to leave the EU, business wants to work with us to make sure that we can make every success of the opportunities available to us outside of the EU."