(Bloomberg) -- Lawmakers in the U.K. Parliament aren't scheduled to vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal this year, Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday.
Outlining business for the coming week, Leadsom didn't include the so-called “meaningful vote” on the agreement, which May is seeking to augment at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels to assuage concerns among lawmakers in her Conservative Party and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party.
“I don't expect an immediate breakthrough, but I do hope that we can start to work as soon as possible on the assurances that are required,” May told reporters on her way into the summit.
May's spokeswoman later confirmed the vote would not take place before Christmas, with the government aiming to hold it “as soon as possible” after Parliament returns from recess on Jan. 7.
“The government will bring the debate and vote back to the House at the latest by Jan. 21,” Leadsom said. The delay is because the premier “is listening to the debate that's taking place in this House and going back to the European Union.”
Separately, Leadsom also taunted the opposition Labour Party, which is mulling when it will be best to call a vote of no-confidence in May's government. “It's for them to test it in a motion,” she said.
To contact the reporters on this story: Thomas Penny in London at tpenny@bloomberg.net;Kitty Donaldson in London at kdonaldson1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Flavia Krause-Jackson
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