海角大神

Owen Smith, a legislator with Britain鈥檚 opposition Labour Party, said on Wednesday that he would seek to block the country鈥檚 exit from the European Union if his party鈥檚 members elect him for the top leadership spot.

Under his leadership, Mr. Smith said in a statement, the party would 鈥渧ote in Parliament to block聽any attempt鈥� to invoke a clause triggering Britain鈥檚 formal departure from the EU 鈥渦ntil [Prime Minister] Theresa May commits to a second referendum or a general election.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 a passionate pro-European, and I will fight tooth and nail to keep us in the EU,鈥� he said, according to the Independent.

There exists little consensus on whether a formal exit of the EU requires the consent of Parliament, though Ms. May, who also opposed leaving the EU, may indeed bring the question before legislators before invoking the clause.

鈥淒oes Brexit require an Act of Parliament? The best answer to that is, it probably now does in practice, even if not in legal theory. Parliament will be given a vote of some kind before any notification is sent,鈥� wrote David Allen Green, a law and policy blogger for the Financial Times, adding that a parliamentary vote could put a 鈥渢emporary or even a full brake鈥� to the two-year timetable for leaving.

鈥淢embers of parliament and peers are often proud not to be 'delegates.' It is possible they will not feel bound by the referendum result. If so, the government may be placed in a situation where it is practically unable to make the notification because parliament has not been compliant.鈥�

And as 海角大神's Peter Ford noted earlier this month, much remains to be negotiated over Britain鈥檚 departure.

Smith鈥檚 pledge to mount a block of the results of the June referendum also underscores the continuing disarray created within Labour by the referendum.

Smith is challenging Labour鈥檚 current leader, Jeremy Corbyn, in an election to be held next month. Mr. Corbyn retains strong support from party members, but an overwhelming majority of Labour legislators have voted for him to step down, citing his lackluster leadership in the campaign to remain in the EU. So has London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who wrote an op-ed in the Observer newspaper on Sunday announcing that he was backing Smith鈥檚 leadership.

Corbyn has taken a resigned stance toward the Brexit vote, saying Parliament had to 鈥渨ork with鈥� the results, according to the BBC.

In his statement on Wednesday, Smith charged the Leave campaign with misleading the public about the consequences of a departure from the EU.

鈥淣obody knows what Brexit looks like. It could involve trashing workers鈥櫬爎ights and environmental protections, opening up our [National Health Service] up to foreign competition, making it harder for us to trade with our neighbors and damaging our economy,鈥� he said, according to Reuters.

This report contains material from Reuters.