The Second Rejection of Theresa May’s Brexit Deal

On March 12, 2019, the United Kingdom Parliament voted to reject Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal for the second time. This event marked a significant moment in the ongoing Brexit saga, further increasing uncertainty over the UK’s departure from the European Union.

Context Leading Up to the Vote

The United Kingdom held a referendum on June 23, 2016, in which 51.9% of voters chose to leave the European Union. Following the referendum, Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union on March 29, 2017, setting the stage for the UK to leave the EU by March 29, 2019.

Theresa May’s government negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the EU, which outlined the terms of the UK’s departure, including issues such as the financial settlement, citizens’ rights, and the contentious Irish backstop designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The First Rejection

The first vote on May’s Brexit deal took place on January 15, 2019, and resulted in a historic defeat, with the deal being rejected by a margin of 230 votes. This was the largest defeat for a sitting government in UK parliamentary history. Following this, May sought to renegotiate aspects of the deal with the EU, particularly concerning the Irish backstop.

The Second Rejection

Despite May’s efforts to secure additional assurances from the EU, the revised deal was again put to a vote on March 12, 2019. The House of Commons rejected the deal by 391 votes to 242, a margin of 149 votes. This second defeat underscored the deep divisions within Parliament and the country over Brexit.

Consequences and Aftermath

The rejection of the deal intensified the political crisis in the UK. It led to a series of subsequent votes in Parliament, including:

• A vote on March 13, 2019, in which MPs rejected leaving the EU without a deal.
• A vote on March 14, 2019, where MPs supported seeking an extension to the Article 50 process, delaying Brexit beyond the original March 29 deadline.

The continued impasse eventually led to Theresa May announcing her resignation as Prime Minister on May 24, 2019, paving the way for Boris Johnson to become the new leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister.

Broader Historical Significance

The repeated rejection of May’s Brexit deal highlighted the complexities and challenges of disentangling the UK from the EU after decades of integration. It also exposed deep political and social divisions within the UK, which have had lasting impacts on British politics and society. The events surrounding Brexit have continued to shape the UK’s relationship with the EU and its role on the global stage.