THERESA May faces arguably her biggest Commons showdown on Brexit to date next week when Tory rebels could spark a humiliating defeat on the UK Government’s flagship EU Withdrawal Bill.
The Prime Minister is expected to use the weekend contacting some of her pro-EU colleagues, who appear willing to back a rebel amendment that would give MPs the final say on Britain’s Brexit strategy in the event of a no deal with Brussels.
Earlier this week, Mrs May staved off a Commons defeat after privately meeting with Tory Remainers to assure them their concerns would be taken into account and that when the final deal was brokered with the European Commission, MPs would have a “meaningful vote” on it.
However, 48 hours later when the Government’s new amendment was published on Thursday evening, there were cries of “betrayal” with Conservative backbenchers claiming the PM had gone back on her word; that, effectively, MPs would simply have to accept a no-deal scenario and could not order UK ministers to get back around the table and renegotiate.
The Brexiteer faction has insisted that if Brussels realised Parliament and not the Government had the final say on the UK’s approach, then it would undermine Mrs May’s negotiating position.
But the PM has been warned by one pro-EU Tory MP, given she has a working Commons majority of just 13, the party leader is now pursuing a “high-risk strategy”.
Anna Soubry, the former Business Minister and a leading Remainer, denounced the Government’s new amendment as a "very serious betrayal". Her pro-EU colleague Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons Health Committee, branded it “sneaky”.
Dominic Grieve, the former Attorney General, who withdrew his own amendment in light of the assurances given by Mrs May, said the Government’s proposed change was “unacceptable” because it offered MPs a “meaningless” vote in the event of a no-deal scenario.
Fellow Remainer Antoinette Sandbach suggested the Brexit Department had “hijacked” the process and her party leader was pursuing a “very high-risk strategy".
Peers are now to debate the Government proposals on Monday, along with a rival amendment tabled by Lord Hailsham, which revives Mr Grieve's proposal for MPs to be enabled to direct the Government on what to do if no Brexit deal has been secured by February.
In what threatens to be a bloody round of "parliamentary ping-pong", amendments backed by the Lords will bounce back to the Commons next Wednesday.
Downing Street declined to comment on what was said at the PM’s private meeting with Tory rebels in her Commons office on Tuesday.
Asked three times if the PM was confident in getting her new amendment on the meaningful vote passed next week, her deputy spokesman failed to answer directly, saying: “Look, the PM listened to those across the House who called for the ability to express their views in a no-deal scenario and we have put forward an amendment, which will be debated next week.”
In other developments:
*Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, branded Mrs May’s handling of Brexit a “disaster” and suggested under her premiership it would be at least six or seven years before the UK could "reap any of the benefits of Brexit";
*the Commons Northern Ireland Committee accused UK ministers of failing to take seriously concerns around keeping open Irish border after Brexit;
*a poll suggested 66 per cent of people thought the Tory Government was making a mess of Brexit and
*Labour's newest MP Janet Daby, who won the Lewisham East by-election, vowed to oppose a "hard Brexit" after winning the London seat.
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