- Title: Cabinet ministers arrive at No.10 ahead of parliament crunch vote on Brexit
- Date: 22nd October 2019
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (OCTOBER 22, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS VIEWS OF HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT / RIVER THAMES BIG BEN HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT / LONDON BUSES DRIVING ACROSS BRIDGE STREET LAMP / HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN BACKGROUND CYCLISTS / PEDESTRIANS ON BRIDGE BRIDE AND GROOM POSING FOR PICTURES ON BRIDGE / HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN THE BACKGROUND PROTESTERS OUTSIDE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT / SIGN READING (English): STOP BREXIT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE / SECURITY OUTSIDE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT MEDIA TENT / MAN USING MOBILE PHONE MEDIA TENTS OUTSIDE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BRITISH UNION JACK FLAG FLUTTERING / HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 5th November 2019 10:06
- Keywords: cabinet ministers brexit vote parliament downing street arrivals london houses of parliament
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002B26HQVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Cabinet ministers arrived at Downing Street on Tuesday (October 22) ahead of two pivotal votes in parliament that will decide if Prime Minister Boris Johnson can deliver on his promise to lead the United Kingdom out of the European Union in nine days time.
As the clock ticks down to the latest Oct. 31 deadline for Britain's departure, Brexit is hanging in the balance as a divided parliament debates when, how and even whether it should happen.
After he was forced by opponents into the humiliation of asking the EU for a delay that he had promised he would never seek, Johnson is battling to ram legislation through the House of Commons that will enact his last-minute Brexit deal.
In yet another day of high drama, lawmakers vote at around 1800 GMT on the 115-page Withdrawal Agreement Bill and then vote on the government's extremely tight timetable for approving the legislation.
Defeat in either vote would scupper Johnson's plans to leave the EU with or without a divorce deal on Oct. 31. He would have to decide whether to abide by a law that demands he accept any Brexit delay offered by the EU or somehow leave without a deal.
Victory, while an imperfect indicator of possible support for Johnson's deal, would simply open up another opportunity for opponents to ambush the government in parliament with amendments that could wreck Johnson's plans by demanding a much closer post-Brexit relationship with the EU.
The pound was flat at $1.2943 in London trading. Foreign exchange markets now price in Britain either leaving with a deal or delaying Brexit, or possibly both.
(Production: Martin Schlicht, Dina Selim) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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