The House of Commons motion by Altrincham MP Sir Graham Brady which gives Theresa May the opportunity to return to Brussels to renegotiate the EU withdrawal agreement has been passed by MP’s tonight.
The amendment which called for alternative arrangements to replace the Northern Irish backstop passed the Commons with a majority of 16 votes.
After the vote the Prime Minister said that there was a majority for a Brexit deal in Parliament, however European Council President Donald Tusk insisted that ‘the backstop is part of the withdrawal agreement and the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation.
MP’s had earlier rejected the amendment by Labour’s Yvette Cooper which tried to avoid a no-deal Brexit by extending Article 50.
After the vote Brady told reporters:
“I really think there is a good chance that it has broken the deadlock”
