What Happened: The speaker of the British House of Commons, John Bercow, will not authorize lawmakers to vote on the withdrawal agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom on Oct. 21, Reuters reported.
Why It Matters: Bercow's decision will delay a House of Commons vote on the Brexit deal that Prime Minister Boris Johnson reached with the European Union last week, making it more difficult for Johnson to keep his promise of ensuring Brexit occurs by Oct. 31. However, the British government will insist on a parliamentary vote on the agreement at some point this week.
Background: The House of Commons decided Oct. 19 to postpone a vote on the withdrawal agreement, instead forcing the government to ask the European Union to delay Brexit until Jan. 31, 2020. Although Brussels hasn't decided on the extension yet, it is widely expected to grant the delay.
Read More:
- The EU and the U.K. Reach a New Brexit Deal. What's Next? (Oct. 17, 2019)
- How Brexit Could Play Out as the Deadline Draws Near (Oct. 14, 2019)
- Johnson Aims to Break the Brexit Deadlock With an Irish Border Offer (Oct. 3, 2019)
