‘Project fear’ boss George Osborne ready to side with Theresa May and support UK’s European Union divorce
Sources close to the ex-Chancellor said he was ready to side with the PM in a crunch vote after claims he could side with rebels
GEORGE Osborne is prepared to back the Government over Brexit in a historic Commons showdown on Britain’s EU divorce.
Sources close to the ex-Chancellor and ‘Project Fear’ mastermind said he was ready to side with Theresa May in a crunch vote on the Brexit Bill after claims he could side with rebels.
One aide said Mr Osborne was satisfied ministers had listened to concerns – and would offer the Commons a clear say on the outcome of Brexit talks in 2019.
The source told the Sun: “George expects them to say things that will allow him to support the Government.”
It followed intense speculation that he could join a so-called ‘Gang of Ten’ Tory rebels including backbenchers Anna Soubry and Nicky Morgan.
One MP said he had been encouraging them to oppose the 137-word Bill – a claim his aides fiercely denied.
Theresa May is desperate for MPs to boot out two Lords amendments to the Brexit Bill today so she can trigger Article 50 and formally launch Britain’s EU divorce as soon as possible.
One source said: “We think we’ve now got the numbers.
Mr Osborne’s support would be key in helping the PM to see off a revolt.
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MPs will be asked to throw out Lords amendments demanding he PM guarantees the rights of EU citizens and hands the Commons a veto on the final Brexit deal.
It is understood Brexit Secretary David Davis will look to head off opponents by pledging that MPs will be given a vote in early 2019 covering both the withdrawl arrangements and Britain’s future relationship with the EU.
This would stop short of a full veto but should be enough to see off a rebellion that could delay Brexit by weeks.
Lord Heseltine admitted that if the MPs boot out the Lords amendments, peers were unlikely to oppose the bill any longer.
He said: “The arguments for the supremacy of the Commons would be very powerful.”
Mr Davis urged rebel MPs not to “tie the Prime Minister’s hands” and vote with the Government.
And he insisted Britain would be leaving the EU by March 2019.
He said: “The decision has been made. The British people decided on June 23 last year to leave the European Union. That is going to happen.”
The comments came as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted Britain had nothing to fear from a ‘Hard Brexit’ and the failure to agree an exit deal with the EU within the two year timeframe.
He said it wouldn’t be “apocalyptic” reverting to World Trade Organisation rules for trade. “We’d be perfectly OK,” he said.
Lord Heseltine dismissed this as “rubbish” and said Mr Johnson was full of “waffle”.
Trade Secretary Liam Fox said a failure to reach an agreement would be “bad” – “but it’s not just bad for the UK, it’s bad for Europe as a whole”.