UK speaker rules against government trying to get another vote on Brexit deal

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: British lawmakers meet after an EU summit to debate and vote on the Brexit deal in London

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's parliamentary speaker John Bercow told the government on Monday it could not again try to get a vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal because it was posing the same question to parliament twice.

Instead, Bercow said, it could pursue the route of getting the legislation required for Britain's departure from the European Union through parliament first rather than having a straight 'yes or no' vote on the agreement.

"In summary, today's motion is in substance the same as Saturday's motion and the House (of Commons) has decided the matter. Today's circumstances are in substance the same as Saturday's circumstances," Bercow told parliament.

"My ruling is therefore that the motion will not be debated today as it would be repetitive and disorderly to do so."

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan, writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)