周六,英国国会议员投票再次推迟英国退出欧盟的选举,此前他们投票支持了一项名为“莱特温修正案”的具有里程碑意义的议案。
这项措施是由前保守党政治家奥利弗·莱特温提出的,他因支持旨在阻止英国退出欧盟不达成协议的立法而被开除出党,以322票对306票的微弱优势获得通过。
该修正案意味着议员们将在英国退出欧盟协议通过成为法律之前拒绝支持该协议。
投票结果现在在法律上要求由首相鲍里斯·约翰逊领导的政府写信给欧盟委员会,要求将英国退出欧盟任期延长至1月31日。
2019年10月17日,在布鲁塞尔欧盟总部举行的欧盟峰会上,英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊在新闻发布会上发表讲话。
投票结束后,约翰逊立即表示,他不会就推迟英国退出欧盟的最后期限进行谈判。他补充说,他的政府将努力为他最近与欧盟达成的协议通过立法,以便在此前提议的10月31日与英国退出欧盟进行谈判。
约翰逊说:“我希望众议院知道,我不会对这个特殊的结果感到气馁或沮丧。”。
“我仍然坚信,对英国和整个欧洲来说,最好的事情是我们在10月31日签署这项新协议。为了预测对面长椅上出现的问题,我不会与欧盟谈判延期。”
反对党工党领袖杰里米·科尔宾表示,他欢迎议员投票支持莱文修正案,并警告约翰逊谨防违反法律,违背投票结果。
“首相现在必须遵守法律。科尔宾说:“他不能再用无交易崩溃的威胁来敲诈会员来支持他的抛售交易。
“工党不准备出卖我们所代表的社区。我们不准备出卖他们的未来。
“我们认为,最终人民必须对英国退出欧盟拥有最终发言权,而实际上只有工党在提供最终发言权。”
这个被称为“超级星期六”的程序标志着四十年来英国议会第一次在周末开会。这发生在数千名示威者走上街头要求“人民投票”——实际上是关于英国是否仍将是欧盟一部分的第二次公投。
BREXIT STANDOFF AS BORIS JOHNSON DEFIES MPS' VOTE TO DELAY EU EXIT
Parliamentarians in the U.K. voted to delay Brexit once again on Saturday after a landmark vote backing a motion called the Letwin Amendment.
The measure, proposed by Oliver Letwin, a former Conservative politician who was kicked out of the party for supporting legislation that aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit, passed by a slim margin of 322 votes to 306.
The amendment means that parliamentarians will withhold support for a Brexit deal until it has passed into law.
The result of the vote now legally requires the government, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to write to the European Commission and request a Brexit extension until January 31.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses a press conference during an European Union Summit at European Union Headquarters in Brussels on October 17, 2019.
Speaking immediately after the vote, Johnson said he would not negotiate a delay to the Brexit deadline. He added that his government would try to pass legislation for his recently-agreed deal with the European Union next week in order to proceed with Brexit on the previously proposed date of October 31.
"I wish the House to know that I am not daunted or dismayed by this particular result," said Johnson.
"I continue in the very strong belief that the best thing for the U.K., and for the whole of Europe, is for us to leave with this new deal on October 31. And to anticipate the questions that are coming from the benches opposite, I will not negotiate a delay with the EU."
Opposite Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said he welcomed MPs voting for the Letwin Amendment and warned Johnson to be wary of breaking the law by going against the result of the vote.
"The prime minister must now comply with the law. He can no longer use the threat of a no-deal crash out to blackmail members to support his sell-out deal," Corbyn said.
"Labour is not prepared to sell out the communities that we represent. We're not prepared to sell out their future.
"And we believe that ultimately the people must have the final say on Brexit, which actually only the Labour Party is offering."
The proceedings—dubbed "Super Saturday"—marked the first time parliament in the U.K. sat on a weekend in four decades. It took place as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets requesting a "people's vote"—effectively a second referendum on whether Britain will remain a part of the EU.