Brexit – Is the only certainty, uncertainty?

28 February 2019

In the current climate it is very difficult to report on the political aspects of Brexit with any authority and avoiding speculation. That is why your Association has recently concentrated on circulating ‘official’ no-deal advice to you from various Government bodies. As we write this, with 16 working days left in the House of Commons before 29th March, the Prime minister announced last weekend that MPs would get a fresh vote on ‘her’ deal by 12th March, and depending on the result of that, 2 possible subsequent votes. Thanks to the BBC for explaining this in the graphic. The Prime Minister has stated that leaving as planned 17 days later was “within our grasp”.

That remains to be seen. Mrs May’s ‘meaningful vote 2’ or MV2 announcement did provoke disappointment among business leaders, who are, like the BDIA and its members, desirous of some certainty about what is to come. A number of news sources are reporting that, given the time remaining to 29th March, some form of hiatus or delay to the Brexit leaving date is becoming a distinct possibility, but the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections in May throw a spanner in the works of the timings for any delay, and there are murmurings from Europe that the EU does not favour any ‘rolling delays’ and that any delay may be for up to 2 years. So, at present, the only certainty seems to be uncertainty, pending MV2.

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