Thread by @ChrisJames_90

THREAD 🧵🤓

🗳 What are #Brexit Indicative Votes?

🤔 How will the process work?

💡What ideas have been tabled?

🚨 Bare with me on this one... hopefully it’s worth a couple of minutes ☕️ 🚆 🚌

On Monday, MPs approved Sir Oliver Letwin’s proposal to give control of the Commons Order Paper on Wednesday 27 March to backbench MPs so that they could hold indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Minister’s #Brexit deal.

The decision to back ‘The Letwin Amendment’ was seen as controversial as it disapplied a Commons rule - Standing Order 14(1) - which says that the Government largely controls what business is debated in the House.

Under ‘The Letwin Amendment’ MPs will first have to consider a Business of the House Motion.

This effectively sets the rules governing the timings, conduct and votes.

Letwin’s plan said that if more than one Business Motion is tabled, the Speaker chooses which is debated.

By 2pm, the Speaker will stop whatever debates are ongoing.

MPs will have until 3pm to debate whichever Business Motion the Speaker has selected, as well as any amendments.

By 3pm MPs will choose to amend or approve the rules governing the debate on the indicative votes

Assuming the Speaker selects Sir Oliver Letwin’s Business Motion:

🔸Debate until 7pm

🔸A 30 minute voting period

🔸The House will also debate & approve the secondary legislation needed to update #Brexit ‘Exit Day’ in law

🔸A second round of indicative votes on Monday 1 April

Still with me?!

Below are the Indicative Vote options that have been tabled.

Not all will be selected by the Speaker (I suspect he will choose around 7) but I’ve set out what each idea proposes.

I’ve not made a judgment on whether they are deliverable or command a majority.

AMENDMENT A - Bill Cash

🔸Calls for MPs to respect previous Commons votes

🔸Proposes a new Standing Order to prevent MPs seizing the Order Paper without the support of two thirds of MPs.

AMENDMENT B - John Baron

🔸UK should leave EU on 12 April 2019 with No Deal

AMENDMENT C - John Baron

🔸UK leaves with a deal on 22 May 2019 subject to an amendment to allow for a unilateral exit from the Northern Ireland backstop

AMENDMENT D - Boles, Powell, etc

🔸Common Market 2.0

🔸Accede to EFTA

🔸Trigger EEA

🔸Remain in Single Market

🔸Supersede NI Protocol

🔸Seek a negotiating mandate from the House for next steps

AMENDMENT E - Quince, DUP, etc

🔸Respect the referendum result

🔸Deliver Brexit

AMENDMENT F - Snell, Flint, etc

🔸UK should negotiate participation in a Customs Union with the EU as part of a future trade agreement

AMENDMENT G - MacNeil etc

🔸Revoke Article 50 if no deal is approved four days before the end of the Article 50 period

AMENDMENT H - Eustice, Morgan

🔸Respect the referendum result

🔸Continue with EEA; take steps to make that operable UK law

🔸Re-join EFTA

🔸Decline to enter a Custom Union with the EU but negotiate new protocols on Northern Ireland border/trade

AMENDMENT I - SNP

🔸Rule out No Deal

🔸Withdrawal Agreement cannot be passed without Legislative Consent Motions from the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly

AMENDMENT J - Clarke & Benn

🔸Commitment to negotiate for a Customs Union

🔸Legislate to give affect to that decision

AMENDMENT K - Corbyn

🔸Labour’s Alternative Plan

AMENDMENT L - Joanna Cherry

🔸Motion to approve No Deal if deal and Withdrawal Agreement Bill aren’t passed by one sitting day before Article 50 deadline

🔸If House then rejects No Deal, Government will notify EU it intends to revoke Article 50

AMENDMENT M - Beckett et al

🔸Second referendum

🔸Only approve a deal which has been approved by the public

AMENDMENT N - Morgan, Baker etc

🔸Leave with deal

🔸Accept current deal if Northern Ireland protocol is amended with alternative arrangements

(Malthouse Compromise A)

AMENDMENT O - Fysh

🔸 Contingent preferential arrangements if no deal is possible

🔸Trade agreement covering tariffs and rules of origin

🔸2 Year standstill on Mutual Recognition of Standards

🔸Pay EU in respect of proposed arrangements

AMENDMENT P - Fysh

🔸Contingent reciprocal arrangements

🔸If there’s No Deal, Government shall seek to reciprocate Arrangements put in place to manage the period after Brexit

🔸Unilateral UK guarantee of EU citizens’ rights

The voting process will be different from what you may have seen on TV before.

Instead of walking through the ‘Aye’ or ‘Noe’ Lobby, MPs will be given a ballot paper in the ‘Noe’ Lobby which lists all of the options the Speaker has selected.

MPs will vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on each.

MPs will be able to back as many options as they like.

After 30 minutes, votes will be counted; result should be declared in the Chamber by the Speaker at around 9pm.

As it’s different; MPs might be a bit more boisterous than normal.

Also potential vote on PM’s deal this week