Theresa May fights to remain PM as hardline Tories vow to make her pay for Brexit delay and seize power
DESPERATE Theresa May was last night fighting for her Premiership as hardline Tories vowed to avenge her Brexit delay and loyal ministers gave up hope of ever passing her deal.
The PM abandoned a Brussels summit early to rush back to London to try to whip up support for a third and final vote on her deal next week.
But after EU leaders forced her to agree to delay the UK’s exit date by two weeks until April 12 – and potentially pave the way for an even longer delay - diehard Tory MPs and the DUP showed no sign of switching to back her plan, and instead kept up their attacks on it.
Even Mrs May’s most loyal allies last night feared her No10 reign was doomed to end in a matter of days.
The final Commons showdown has been earmarked for either Tuesday or Wednesday, with senior backbench MPs waiting in the wings to carry out a political coup and seize Brexit powers from the Government after that.
The PM also sparked yet more fears of drift when she suggested there may be another delay to the third and final vote on her deal
One miserable Cabinet minister ally said last night: “No matter where she moves to, nothing happens, and nothing changes. It’s looking very bleak now”.
And despite increasing calls for Mrs May to agree to fall on her sword and promise to go in exchange for her deal passing, aides insisted she would still not contemplate it.
As No10 was yesterday dubbed in “panic mode”, also in Westminster:
- Remain Cabinet ministers broke ranks with No10 yesterday to insist MPs will be allowed to choose a softer type of Brexit if Theresa May’s deal falls.
- In yet another apparent volte face, the PM hinted she may pull the Meaningful Vote from being held yet again next week.
- Living diehard Tory Leavers from the European Research Group were plotting ways to halt Mrs May from making a law change to postpone exit date from March 29
- One senior Brexiteer branded the PM “a Chamberlain”, in a reference to the 1930s Tory premier who appeased Hitler.
Sending a letter to all MPs last night, Mrs May admitted the EU’s ‘flextension’ offer of two different Brexit delays was not what she wanted.
Instead of her bid for one short one until June 30, leaders offered one until May 22 if her deal passes, or a second until April 12 if it doesn’t – with the UK will then be given a further chance for a much longer delay to come up with a softer Brexit plan.
The PM also sparked yet more fears of drift when she suggested there may be another delay to the third and final vote on her deal.
MPs need to start ignoring the whip if it is not in the national interest
Nick Boles
She said it would be pulled if “it appears there is not sufficient support to bring the deal back next week”.
Remainer Tory MPs have revealed they will again ally with Labour during a Commons debate on Monday to begin a process to seize legal control of Brexit.
Labour MP and chair of the Brexit Committee Hilary Benn has tabled a motion that sets aside time on Wednesday for a series of ‘indicative votes’ to find a cross-party majority for an alternative and softer type of Brexit.
Ex-minister Nick Boles issued a plea to Tory backbenchers to back the new cross-party if the PM’s deal is voted down, saying: “MPs need to start ignoring the whip if it is not in the national interest”.
The PM’s aides have always insisted she is firmly opposed to indicative votes, as they would see her stripped of any control over policy making.
But as Downing Street’s authority continued to crumble, Business Secretary Greg Clark said the Commons will be allowed indicative votes.
The pro-EU Cabinet minister dubbed it “the right step”.
One plan has been drawn up for offering MPs seven different options
It also emerged the PM’s de facto deputy Cabinet Office minister David Lidington was carrying out talks about them with senior opposition MPs.
With the Government appearing to fracture, Sky News even revealed yesterday that some senior figures in No10 are now seriously considering indicative votes.
One plan has been drawn up for offering MPs seven different options – the PM’s deal, her deal with a customs union, her deal with a customs union and single market, a basic free trade deal, a second referendum, Article 50 revocation to immediately end Brexit, and No Deal.
In another version of choices to be put before MPs, the voting would be limited to just different versions of the future relationship with the EU, as others in No10 insisted the Withdrawal Agreement can’t be reopened.
A growing number of Government ministers now believe there is no way they can stop the power grab as there will be a Commons majority for it.
Hardline Brexiteers vowed to do their all to stop Mrs May’s delay
As many as 20 Remain ministers may even demand the right to a free vote so they could back the move.
One pro-Brexit minister given up hope, telling The Sun: “I’m convinced it’s going to be a soft Brexit now. There is no other way out of this because of the Commons numbers.
“This is what we have been warning the ERG about for months. So why should we resign,because they have f***ed it all up”?
Meanwhile hardline Brexiteers vowed to do their all to stop Mrs May’s delay – agreed late on Thursday night with EU leaders, who had ripped up her initial plan of one short extension of talks until June 30.
The PM must pass a mini-law statutory instrument – known as an SI – through the Commons and Lords next week to shift the legal exit date back from March 29.
'SHE SHOULD GO NOW'
But one senior Brexiteer rebel told The Sun: “There may be mechanisms that can be deployed to stop the SI being moved. They are being looked at very carefully now”.
Another prominent anti-EU rebel, Tory MP Michael Fabricant, was personally seething about the PM, saying: “At this difficult time we need a Churchill, not a Chamberlain”.
ERG deputy chair Mark Francois added: “I’ve never seen a shambles like this in all my life”.
He told Sky News: “I am very confident the Meaningful vote won’t go through and it’s the Prime Minister’s fault.
“No I have never voted for it and I never will.”
Brexiteer Tory MP Ben Bradley told Sky News she was “going to have to set a date” to step down since “we no longer have any mechanism as a parliamentary party . . . to get rid of her”.
He added: “It’s been openly discussed by pretty much everyone in the party over the last week or so. We now have to have that conversation.”
Several local Tory association chairs also spoke out to call on the PM to quit.
Chair of the Maidstone branch Andrea Thorpe told Radio 4’s World At One: “She should go now, somebody else needs to step in, take control of it and get on with it. That’s my personal view”.
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In another blow for the PM, the DUP – whose 10 MPs’ votes she desperately needs - accused the PM of having “missed an opportunity” at the EU Council to toughen up her deal by failing to press new changes to the backstop, and branded it “disappointing and inexcusable”
DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds also accused the Government of being “far too willing to capitulate”
Some wavering Labour MPs also now said they would no longer vote for the deal as they can see another path to deliver Brexit for their constituents.
One told The Sun: “I want a softer Brexit, so this delay works for me”.
Remained 'new plan'
By Tom Newton Dunn
TORY and Labour Remain MPs will join forces next week to try to get Parliament to seize control of Brexit.
Hilary Benn, Brexit Committee chairman, has tabled a motion to set aside time on Wednesday for a series of “indicative votes” to find a majority for a new plan.
Dozens of Tory backbenchers have pledged to join opposition MPs in voting for a softer EU exit if the PM’s deal fails again. Some at No 10 have drawn up a plan to offer MPs seven options.
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