Theresa May tries to put on a brave face as her deal faces defeat
May’s hour of reckoning: PM faces defeat by up to 150 votes as the ERG prepares to deliver the fatal blow to her ‘last chance’ Brexit deal – after the DUP, Brexiteer ‘Star Chamber’ lawyers and Geoffrey Cox crush her hopes
Theresa May fought on today as Downing Street insisted she was ‘focused on winning’ despite facing a crushing defeat of up to 150 votes on her Brexit deal tonight.
If the deal is defeated MPs will vote again tomorrow on no deal and then on delaying Brexit on Thursday – votes set to unlock a cascade of unpredictable consequences.
The Prime Minister is scrambling to persuade Tory rebels to return to the fold in time for the showdown at 7pm – warning ‘Brexit could be lost’ if the divorce agreement is rejected again.
In another blow, Brexit hardliners in the European Research Group were told by their ‘star chamber’ of lawyers the concessions do not go far enough in changing the backstop. The ERG will decide how to vote at 5pm – effectively deciding the scale of defeat that will be imposed on the Prime Minister tonight.
Rebel ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg said the advice meant he could only back the deal if Brexit was at risk – a threat he branded a ‘phantom’ this afternoon despite Mrs May’s warning.
A handful of Conservatives who voted No on January 15 have said they will back the deal tonight. But the 14 switchers identified by MailOnline are far short of the 116 extra votes Mrs May needs to reverse the 230 vote loss.
Mrs May, who is losing her voice after her late night rescue mission to Strasbourg last night, said: ‘A lot of focus has been on the legal changes – but if this vote does not pass Brexit could be lost’.
In a last-ditch plea for support she told MPs: ‘This is the moment and this is the time – time for us to come together, back this motion and get the deal done. We cannot serve our country by overturning a democratic decision of the British people. We cannot serve by prolonging a debate the British people now wish to see settled’.
As MPs poked fun at her croaky voice and critics offered her throat sweets she hit back: ‘You may say that but you should hear Jean-Claude Juncker’s voice after our talks’.
Jeremy Corbyn, who has flirted with MPs campaigning for a second referendum and a softer Brexit, then confronted Mrs May and urged MPs to throw out her deal calling her negotiations a ‘failure’ and said he ‘looked forward to Parliament taking control’.
The Northern Irish DUP party, whose 10 MPs are propping up Mrs May’s Government, and the influential ERG group of around 100 Tories led by Mr Rees-Mogg are set to vote with Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour to oppose her divorce when the Commons votes at 7pm tonight.