More Brexit Voters Think Theresa May Handled Negotiations ‘Badly’ As Commons Control Process

Brexit latest has the British parliament gaining an upper hand on the process reflecting the disenchantment with Prime Minister Theresa May’s handling of the Brexit negotiations.

This became apparent on Monday when lawmakers empowered the Parliament to take control of the Brexit process.

On Monday evening, the government’s own MPs revolted and voted 329 to 302 in favor of an amendment giving control to Parliament's agenda paving way for a series of alternative votes as against May's twice defeated withdrawal agreement with the European Union.

Pro Brexit voters slam May’s negotiations

While Theresa May claimed her deal is the best in fulfilling the Brexit mandate to leave the EU, the ground reality looks different.

All Brexit voters including those who vehemently voted for “Leave” are highly critical of the way the U.K. government has handled Brexit negotiations.

Adding to the Brexit news was the survey findings by research organizations NatCen Social Research and What the UK Thinks that explored the reaction of voters on their rating of the Brexit negotiations by the British government.

The data showed as many as 80 percent of Leave voters expressed that Brexit negotiations were handled badly by May and her team. The number almost matches the Remain voters (85percent) who had been critical of the government's approach for long.

A good number of Leave voters also flayed the EU. Nearly 79 percent of Leave voters said the EU handled Brexit miserably.

Revolt in May’s camp

On Monday, parliament saw the scenario of PM may not being successful in convincing her own government MPs when 31 Conservative lawmakers defied the government whip and voted in favor of an amendment moved by Conservative pro-EU 'remainer' Oliver Letwin.

The rebels also included three government ministers, one of them resigned when the amendment was put to vote.

The thinking of conservative rebels reflected in the spirited speech by lawmaker Anna Soubry, who left the Conservative party to join a cross-party bloc called Independent Group. Soubry urged lawmakers to take control of the Brexit process.

“I will put my country and my constituents first and foremost and I don't care what that costs me,” Soubry added.

Reacting to Monday's votes, Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hailed the Parliament for taking “control of the Brexit-process” and dubbed the government's approach as “abject failure” and hoped the House could find a solution.

MPs to vote on new options

On Wednesday lawmakers could have another Brexit vote regarding alternate options on their separation and relation with EU. Among the seven options, the following looks important.

· A second Brexit referendum

· Leaving the EU with no deal

· Norway-style deal with the EU

· UK’s full access to the EU single market and European FTA

Meanwhile, PM May told the House of Commons that she lacked the numbers to push her twice-rejected deal for a third vote.

However, May cautioned that any Brexit option that goes beyond what she negotiated with the EU would be a “slow Brexit.”

“A slow Brexit -- which extends Article 50 beyond May 22, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade -- is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together,” PM May warned.

Meanwhile, the European Commission said it was prepared for an increasingly “no-deal scenario.”

Guy Verhofstadt, the Brexit coordinator for European Parliament tweeted that the passage of the Letwin amendment would be an opportunity to “build cross-party cooperation” for enhanced political declaration and closer future relationship.

As things stand now, Britain will have to crash out of the EU on April 12 if PM May's withdrawal deal is not accepted by the parliament and no alternate proposals are offered by the U.K government to tide over the impasse.