By Elizabeth Piper and Kylie MacLellan
LONDON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson
appealed to lawmakers on Monday to approve his Brexit bill this
week, saying neither he, the European Union or the public wanted
any more delays to Britain's departure from the bloc.
With just over a week before Britain is due to leave the EU,
Johnson is scrambling to get his deal through parliament, which
has put up a series of hurdles for the prime minister to meet
his Oct. 31 deadline to try to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
After the parliamentary speaker ruled out a straight 'yes or
no' vote on the deal itself on Monday, Johnson is now looking to
pass the legislation implementing the agreement through
parliament as quickly as possible.
More than three years after Britain voted to leave the EU in
a 2016 referendum, the future of Brexit is as uncertain as ever,
with a divided country, and parliament, still debating when, how
and even whether it should happen.
In a final appeal to lawmakers before a vote on the first
stages of his Withdrawal Agreement Bill, Johnson said he had
secured a new deal so Britain could move on and discuss issues
such as its health service, education and the cost of living.
"I hope parliament today votes to take back control for
itself," Johnson said in a statement before Tuesday's votes.
"The public doesn't want any more delays, neither do other
European leaders and neither do I. Let's get Brexit done on 31
October and move on."
Johnson, who has failed to win most votes in parliament, has
a rocky road ahead.
Parliament has already forced him to ask the EU for an
extension to the negotiations - something he previously said he
would rather be "dead in a ditch" than ask for. Instead he sent
Brussels an additional letter saying he did not want a delay.
That has made some lawmakers increasingly concerned about
his motivations, with some wanting further protections in law to
make sure that Johnson cannot take Britain out of the EU without
a deal, which most businesses say would damage the economy.
His parliamentary battle starts on Tuesday, when lawmakers
will debate and vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, the
detailed legislation that puts his Brexit deal into British
domestic law.
The government has proposed that lawmakers vote on a
so-called second reading on the bill before setting out an
accelerated timetable for its passage through both the lower
house and upper houses of parliament in time for his deadline.
Opposition lawmakers have accused Johnson of trying to "ram"
the bill through parliament without giving the chamber enough
time to study its 110 pages.
Lawmakers could vote to reject the timetable, which would
threaten the Oct. 31 deadline.
Some lawmakers may also look at ways later in the process to
introduce changes to the legislation that could fundamentally
alter the nature of Johnson's deal - including possibly adding
the need for a second referendum on the agreement.
But Johnson's team is convinced the prime minister has the
numbers to force it through eventually.
"We have negotiated a new deal so that we can leave without
disruption and provide a framework for a new relationship based
on free trade and friendly cooperation," Johnson said in
Monday's statement. "We are leaving the European Union but we
will always be European."
(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, William James and Kylie
MacLellan
Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)