PM deal
Theresa May hints at one last go for her Brexit deal but if Parliament rejects withdrawal agreement for a FOURTH time the UK could face a third election in just four years
Britain was last night facing the chaos of a general election to break the Brexit deadlock.
Minutes after her deal was rejected, the Prime Minister signalled a national poll could now be on its way.
‘I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House,’ Theresa May told MPs. She also hinted that she may have yet another attempt at pushing her withdrawal deal through the Commons next week.
She yesterday confirmed publicly that she will step down within weeks if Parliament approves her deal. She made the offer at a private meeting of Tory MPs, then told the Commons: ‘I have said I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended to secure the right outcome for this country.’ADVERTISING
Downing Street refused three times to deny the Prime Minister was now considering going to the country. If a national vote is held it would be the third general election in just four years.
The news comes after the European Commission said a ‘no-deal’ scenario on April 12 was now ‘likely’.
+14
Minutes after her deal was rejected, the Prime Minister signalled a national poll could now be on its way
+14
‘I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House,’ Theresa May told MPs today
Furious Theresa May blasts John Bercow for wrecking her Brexit withdrawal agreement by blocking all amendments before MPs rejected it for a third time
John Bercow delivered another blow to the Tories by blocking an amendment from Labour MPs that could have swing behind the deal. Mrs May was defeated
Furious Theresa May had a pop at John Bercow for wrecking her Brexit withdrawal agreement by blocking all amendments before MPs rejected it for a third time
Theresa May blasted John Bercow for intervening to wreck her Brexit plans again as he blocked all amendments to her deal today.
One of the proposals the Speaker barred was tabled by Labour backbencher Gareth Snell and sought to guarantee Parliament a say on the trade talks phase of the negotiations.
Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said the Government would have accepted the amendment if it had come to a vote – meaning it could have brought some Labour MPs on board and helped Mrs May win today.
Before the vote on her Brexit deal this afternoon, Theresa May said it was unfortunate that the Speaker had not selected the Labour amendment because the government would have accepted it.
She said: ‘Mr Speaker, if you had selected the amendment in the name of the honourable member for Stoke on Trent Central and others, the Government would have accepted it, and if this motion carries today we will bring forward a withdrawal agreement bill that will include commitments to implement that amendment and will discuss the specific drafting of that with those who supported the amendment.’
The Speaker has already come under fire for his alleged Remain sympathies, and was accused of sabotaging a third vote on May’s deal before the EU summit last week by saying she had to change the deal before it could be brought back to the commons.
In the hope of salvaging her concessions, Mrs May promised MPs she would make sure laws implementing the deal still reflect the plan in the event she pulls off an unlikely victory.
Rebel MPs will on Monday hold a second round of indicative votes on alternatives to her deal, such as staying in the customs union or holding a second referendum. The backbenchers led by Sir Oliver Letwin are planning to put through legislation forcing ministers to act if they find a majority.
That could precipitate a general election as Mrs May has warned she would not accept a soft Brexit that contradicts the party’s manifesto commitments on leaving single market and customs union.
But elections expert Sir John Curtice, who is president of the British Polling Council, yesterday warned that even an early election may not resolve the Brexit deadlock – predicting it would lead to another hung parliament.
He projected that neither of the main parties would get the 320 seats needed to have a working majority, with the Tories forecast to have 307 MPs, down seven, and Labour expected to gain 11 MPs to have 256.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the Prime Minister and Cabinet members would hold discussions over the weekend on how to go forward, but warned that an election would be a last resort because of the chaos it would bring.
He told Sky News: ‘I think the last thing this country needs right now is a general election, we have got to sort out the Brexit process. We cannot throw everything up in the air. I know Jeremy Corbyn might like it, it is why he has voted against his own policy today, but I do not see how this country benefits from the chaos of a six or seven week general election campaign.’
Mr Grayling, who ran Mrs May’s 2016 leadership campaign, said he did not believe she should step down yet.
‘Theresa May has already said she is going to go, but in the middle of this situation I do not think it would help to have an immediate Conservative leadership contest,’ he added. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, the Prime Minister could call an early election, giving just six weeks’ notice, if backed by two-thirds of MPs.
It could also happen if a motion of no confidence in the Government is passed by a majority of MPs and within 14 days an alternative government is not formed.
Cabinet ministers and Tory MPs are likely to demand that Mrs May is replaced by a new party leader before an election takes place.
The timetable and rules for a leadership contest would be decided by the 1922 executive committee and then approved by the Conservative party’s board.
It has previously been suggested the entire process could take 12 weeks, but it is expected the process would be speeded up if a general election was on the cards.