After U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal was twice defeated in the House of Commons—and was prevented from being debated for a third time by intervention from the Speaker—it was up to Members of Parliament themselves to come up with an alternative solution through a series of “indicative,” non-binding votes. Eight were put to the test Wednesday—and all eight were rejected.
Two came close to gaining a majority, both proposing a stronger relationship with the European Union than May’s deal offers. The option that came closest, known as the “deal plus customs union,” would allow MPs to back the prime minister’s withdrawal agreement in exchange for a commitment for the United Kingdom to remain in a customs union with the European Union. This arrangement would give the country a closer trading relationship with the European Union and reduce the need for some (but not all) checks at the Irish border, which would go some way to removing the need for “the backstop” designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
