#Brexit | What To Watch For This Week As Vote On Johnson’s New Deal Is Blocked—Again
Topline: British prime minister Boris Johnson's push for lawmakers to approve his new Brexit deal were blocked once more on Monday, after his bid to pass it on Saturday was thwarted.
Monday marked Johnson’s second attempt to get his deal through, and Number 10 had insisted lawmakers be granted an unimpeded “yes” or “no” vote on the agreement he struck with the EU last week.
But speaker John Bercow blocked the vote from going ahead on Monday, saying that it would be "repetitive and disorderly to do so." House of Commons rules prohibit the same question from being asked and debated twice in the same parliamentary session, so as to not waste time.
Johnson's chances looked tight in any case, as it was unclear whether or not he had enough support for his deal.
The pound initially rose to a five-month high on Monday, passing the $1.30 mark as investors expressed relief at Johnson’s request for a Brexit delay and were optimistic that a deal will pass. But it dropped slightly, to $1.298, after Bercow blocked the second vote.
What happens now?
Johnson was hoping to get his deal through on Saturday, when lawmakers were gearing up to vote on the deal in a rare weekend sitting. But that did not happen, as lawmakers instead voted on an amendment that withholds their support for any deal until separate legislation is passed that ensures that any deal must be implemented in U.K. law.
A vote on that legislation, called the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, is set to take place on Tuesday, according to Sky News.
There are just 10 days to go until the U.K. is scheduled to leave the EU.
What to watch for: Johnson faces a minefield in the Commons this week as lawmakers seek to tack further amendments to his deal. The government wants to avoid any delays and amendments, like calls for a second referendum, as it could potentially force Johnson to return to Brussels to renegotiate.
Key background: Johnson struck a highly anticipated deal with the EU last week and is now seeking to get it passed through Parliament. His deal is a rehashed version of the agreement struck by ex-prime minister Theresa May but features a convoluted plan to keep trade flowing across the Irish border.