UK MPs to examine government's Brexit negotiating strategy | Photo credit: Press Association
A motion and a government amendment saying that parliamentary scrutiny should respect the referendum vote in June for Britain to leave the EU, were passed by the House of Commons on Wednesday.
The decision does not, however, give MPs the right to vote on the government’s negotiating strategy.
Reaction to the decision was swift, with UK MP Keir Starmer, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, saying, “Before today, the government refused to give any details of the terms upon which it intends to exit the EU.
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“Now they have accepted that they must subject their plans to transparent debate in the House of Commons. That is a big step forward and a real victory for Parliament.”
May, also speaking on Wednesday, said, “The idea that Parliament wasn’t going to be able to discuss, debate, question issues around Brexit was frankly completely wrong. Parliament will have every opportunity to debate this issue.”
Meanwhile, the National Farmer’s Union Council says it supports a “bold, ambitious vision” for British food and farming post-Brexit.
Over the past eight weeks the views of thousands of its members on the future of farming have been gathered through questionnaires and a series of meetings nationwide.
The NFU Council, the organisation’s governing body, has reviewed the results of the work which will form the basis of initial talks with the government.
NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “It has been encouraging to see the high level of interest among our farmer and grower members over the summer at this unique opportunity to help shape the future of our industry.
“Members of Council have taken these views on board and are keen to capitalise on opportunities as well as meet the challenges presented post-Brexit.
“The overwhelming view from our membership is that we need a bold and ambitious vision for the industry shared by government that delivers improved health, wealth and environment for the British people.”
Elsewhere, the Flemish government has called for a radical “bottom-up” reform of EU decision-making.
A white paper on the future of the EU following the British vote to leave stresses that the EU is “the first and the most important” lever of Flemish foreign policy, and that the government "fully supports a level of European co-operation based on subsidiarity, proportionality, responsibility and solidarity.”
However, Brexit is not an isolated incident, the paper warns, adding, “The EU today is confronted with a failure of confidence and systemic crises.”
There has been an increase in “concern over the direction of EU policy and the current working of EU institutions,” it adds.