British lawmakers approved the broad outlines of his plan with a larger than expected majority — which was, in itself, a big step forward. But they then voted down Mr. Johnson’s effort to fast-track the legislation, which would force them to scrutinize the 435-page plan in just three days. In short, the whole Brexit effort has been thrown into a legislative abyss that could mean months of further delays to a process that the nation has long since wearied of. Quotable: “This is a hell of a big document,” Rory Stewart, a member of the Conservative Party, said while waving a bound copy of the plan. He had said he would rather face a general election than ask for a long delay, which could be a negotiating strategy.

Source: New York Times October 23, 2019 03:47 UTC