With the Prime Minister still in the Gulf Questions to the Prime Minister today will not be as billed. In all likelihood questions will be answered by the Leader of the House the Rt Hon David Liddington MP. Afterwards the main debate has been chosen by the Opposition and they have tabled a motion on the Government’s Plan for Brexit:
That this House recognises that leaving the EU is the defining issue facing the UK; notes the resolution on parliamentary scrutiny of the UK leaving the EU agreed by the House on 12 October 2016; recognises that it is Parliament’s responsibility to properly scrutinise the Government while respecting the decision of the British people to leave the European Union; confirms that there should be no disclosure of material that could be reasonably judged to damage the UK in any negotiations to depart from the European Union after Article 50 has been triggered; and calls on the Prime Minister to commit to publishing the Government’s plan for leaving the EU before Article 50 is invoked.
In addition to amendments tabled by the SNP and the Liberal Democrats the Government have tabled the following amendment:
At end add ‘, consistently with the principles agreed without division by this House on 12 October; recognises that this House should respect the wishes of the United Kingdom as expressed in the referendum on 23 June; and further calls on the Government to invoke Article 50 by 31 March 2017.’.
It will be interesting to see which if any amendments the Speaker selects. I would usually expect the Government amendment, at least, to be selected.
David Nuttall 