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Tory ministers urge PM to quit next Spring to end Parliament’s Brexit deadlock
MINISTERS are trying to persuade Theresa May to resign next Spring as the only way to break Parliament’s deadlock over Brexit.
The Sun can reveal a growing number of senior loyalists now believe a pledge by the PM to step down within six months will persuade Tory Brexiteers and the DUP to back her Brexit deal.
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In exchange, the rebels would win the chance to put a Leaver in charge of future trade deal negotiations with a new Tory leadership contest sparked.
The ‘self-sacrifice’ strategy emerged as it became clear yesterday that Mrs May’s dramatic no confidence vote victory on Wednesday night failed to end the raging party civil war.
Hardline Brexiteers kept up their demand for the PM to go yesterday, as well as their determination to vote down her deal.
They were bolstered by Dominic Raab adding his name to the calls.
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The former Brexit Secretary and Tory leadership hopeful said: “It looks very difficult to see how this PM can lead us forward”.
One loyal senior minister told The Sun: “We are going to say to Theresa, ‘you’ve done your best, but the only way to get this thing over the line is for you to go next year’.
“Things have got very personal between her and the DUP which aren’t ever going to be fixed.
“It’s a compromise the Brexiteers will buy if they think it gives them Canada Plus, and it will be hard for her but Theresa will agree to it if it’s all that’s left.”
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Mrs May’s former policy chief, MP George Freeman, also called on her to sacrifice herself.
Mr Freeman said: “The PM needs to signal she will oversee an orderly Brexit Withdrawal by end March, and then stand aside for a summer leadership election, not go on and on until ‘22”.
The PM risked angering some Tory MPs yesterday by suggesting she could stay on in No10 for three more years, despite promising she will no longer fight the 2022 general election.
Asked whether that meant she is preparing to resign after Brexit happens, the PM snapped yesterday: “No. People try to talk about dates. What I’m clear about is the next general election is in 2022, and I think it is right that another party leader takes us into that general election”.
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Theresa May confirms she will not lead the Conservative Party into the next General Election in 2022
It also emerged last night that Mrs May is coming under fresh severe pressure from the Cabinet for a Plan B if her deal fails to ever pass the Commons.
Five former Remain-backing Cabinet ministers want her to hold an “indicative vote” in the Commons on a range of different Brexit options.
The non-binding move would allow a consensus to emerge on what MPs are prepared to back to break the current stand off, with there being just 105 days to go until Brexit day.
No10 now plans to push back the rescheduled meaningful vote on Mrs May’s deal to as late as January 21, in a bid to ratchet up maximum pressure on Tory rebels to fold.
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One senior Government figure yesterday claimed the confidence vote in Mrs May had whittled down the rebels’ number, saying: “The ERG is beginning to seriously alienate people after the chaos they created this week, and they are peeling off.
“There are actually only 12 to 15 utterly irreconcilable head bangers.”
Hitting back at calls for Mrs May to resign, a No10 spokesman said the PM “heard loud and clear the concerns of those who felt they were not able to support her” in the no confidence vote”.
The spokesman said the PM was “working incredibly hard to assuage their concerns on the backstop and that’s what she’s going to be continuing to do and that’ll be her number one focus”.
Prime Minister Theresa May shakes hands with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in Brussels
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