Transcript

Richard Heffernan

Tomorrow, Mrs. May and the permanent representative of the United Kingdom government in Brussels will deliver at 12:30 PM our time Article 50 declaring our intention to kickstart the process, which will lead in two years' time to a negotiated withdrawal of the UK from the European Union.

Mrs. May has told us not to talk about divorce, to use the analogy that seems to me, in my mind, quite apt. She thinks it's unwise. I think it's a sensible metaphor. We wait to see whether it is a happy or a protracted unhappy and unpleasant divorce. We wait to see.

One thing I think we can all agree on-- there is a great deal of uncertainty. The process is a process in which there are all sorts of outcomes-- some more palatable than others. And I think everybody agrees, whether they are in favour of us leaving, or in favour of us remaining, that we are engaged in an uncertain process that involves, to some degree, a leap in the dark.

What we do know is that the House of Commons is composed in large part of members of Parliament who supported, in large part, remain. 74% of MPs across the House supported remain and 26% of MPs supported leave. Small majority of Conservative MPs-- 56%-- supported remain.

The Labour Party was very much in favour of remain, with only seven of 222 Labour MPs supporting leave. All parties in the House of Commons formerly supported remain, with the exception of the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland and the one then-UKIP MP who comes and goes, as we know, as he wishes.

And since the people voted on June last year, there has been a series of debates. And the government decided to trigger Article 50. With some advice from the Supreme Court, a bill was produced, and it went through Parliament. And MPs-- although 74% supported remain, 26% supported leave-- MPs overwhelmingly supported the government's recommendation following the people's recommendation that Article 50 be triggered.

An indicative Labour vote-- indicative Commons vote held on a Labour motion supported a majority of 373 with only 75 votes against. The third reading of the Brexit bill had a majority of 372 with only 122 against-- mostly Labour MPs, the Scottish Nationalist Party, and the one member of the Kenneth Clarke party, the only Conservative opposing the proposal.

And then in discussing Lords amendments, having rejected all other Commons amendments presented to the bill, there were majorities-- of narrow majorities-- of 48 on EU nationals rights before the negotiations. And on the rejected amendment on, quote, "holding a meaningful final parliamentary vote on any deal" after the conclusion of Brexit, a majority of 45.