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UK Lawmakers Demand Brexit Plan by Mid-Feb to Allow Study | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street in London, Britain January 11, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth


The British government is required to publish a detailed plan for Brexit by mid-February, clarifying its position on future membership of the European Union’s single market and customs union, a committee of lawmakers said.

“The government needs to publish its Brexit plan by mid-February at the latest, including its position on membership of the single market and the customs union, so that it can be scrutinized by parliament and the public,” said opposition Labor lawmaker Hilary Benn, chair of the committee.

The Exiting the EU committee, made up of lawmakers from several parties including Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservatives and opposition Labor, also said the government should seek a transitional deal with the bloc, said Reuters.

May has said she will begin formal exit talks with the EU by the end of March but has come under fire from businesses, investors and lawmakers for having revealed little about the government’s Brexit plans.

The committee said the Brexit plan must be presented in the form of a government policy document, alongside economic assessments of various options for market access and trade.

“We’re not asking the government to give away its red lines or negotiating fall-back positions, but we do want clarity on its broad aims,” said Benn.

The committee called on the government to seek to ensure continued access to EU markets for financial services firms and avoid the imposition of tariffs.

The Supreme Court is due to rule on whether the government can use executive powers to kickstart the talks, as it had planned to, or whether it needs parliament’s assent.

The Telegraph said that if the ruling required parliament to vote on a bill to trigger Brexit, Labor would put forward an amendment demanding lawmakers get a vote on the final deal as well.

Labor alone could not win a vote on such an amendment. The Telegraph said the party was sounding out Conservative lawmakers who were against Brexit to see if they would support such a move.