Brexit: MPs ask gov't to rule out no-deal exit
Letter signed by more than 200 members raises concerns about effects of leaving the EU without a deal
More than 200 members of the U.K parliament have signed a letter requesting the government to rule out a no-deal Brexit as the House of Commons is embracing a crucial week with debate on Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement following the Christmas recess.
The MPs from Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, SNP and Plaid Cymru parties said they are concerned about the effect of a no-deal Brexit, especially on the manufacturing industry, if the deal brought back to the parliament fails the “meaningful vote” and the U.K. gets to a stage to leave the EU without a deal.
"The renaissance of manufacturing and its supply chains in this country, bolstered by demand for exports, has markedly improved the lives of our constituents,” the letter said.
It added: "The principal market for these exports has been the European Union.
"The revival of the manufacturing industry has created innumerable jobs, not only via direct employment but also in the supply chain and ancillary services.
"Leaving the EU without a deal would cause unnecessary economic damage,” the group of MPs said.
"Trading on World Trade Organisation terms would instantly make our manufacturers less competitive and make it very difficult for the industry to justify producing goods in the U.K. for export,” they added.
"Leaving without a deal would make continued investment in U.K. manufacturing a real challenge for global firms, when they have plants in other European locations.”
Vote
The withdrawal agreement reached between the U.K. government and the EU almost after two-and-a-half years following the June 2016 referendum will be voted early next week following the parliament debate.
The vote would be held in December originally, however, PM May set the new date for parliament vote as the third week in January. It will be held on Jan. 15, according to local media reports on Monday.
As well as defending her deal in the House of Commons, May is planning to hold a series of meetings with the representatives from manufacturing industry to explain why her deal is the only deal that would be delivering the result of the 2016 referendum.
The debate, which is due to start on Tuesday is expected to shape the direction of the vote; however, Labour Party, Scottish National Party and Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) -- the party keeping the Tories in government with its 10 members -- already said they would vote against it.
British voters decided to leave the EU after the country’s more than 40-year-long membership in a 2016 referendum.
The U.K. is set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.
