Theresa May faces down Tory MPs as Brexiteers say they’ll back PM’s deal if she names date to quit
THERESA May faced down her rebellious MPs this lunchtime as she comes under mounting pressure to quit. The Prime Minister could lay out a timetable for her departure when she addresses Tory backbenchers at 5pm. The bold move could persuade Brexiteers to back her deal in a third “meaningful vote” tomorrow or Friday. But Brexiteer […]
THERESA May faced down her rebellious MPs this lunchtime as she comes under mounting pressure to quit.
The Prime Minister could lay out a timetable for her departure when she addresses Tory backbenchers at 5pm.
The bold move could persuade Brexiteers to back her deal in a third “meaningful vote” tomorrow or Friday.
But Brexiteer Tory Andrew Bridgen told her that his constituents would never trust the PM again if she failed to take us out of the EU as planned on Friday.
“They are good people, but they are not stupid and they will never trust the Prime Minister again,” he blasted.
The PM told him in PMQs today that they could get the chance to finally deliver Brexit “if this week the House supports the deal” – a huge hint she will bring back her plan for a third vote in the coming days.
Jacob Rees-Mogg today apologised to fellow hardliners for performing a U-turn and promising to back the deal.
Other big beasts including Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith hinted they could also fall in line behind the PM.
Mrs May has been summoned to appear in front of the influential 1922 Committee at 5pm – just hours before MPs take part in a string of “indicative votes” on Brexit.
Committee chair Sir Graham Brady has asked her to reveal when she’ll stand down at the crunch summit.
More and more MPs have gone public with calls for Mrs May to quit, in exchange for a promise from MPs to back her Brexit deal.
Charlie Elphicke said today: “If the deal does get endorsed, it should be on condition Theresa May agrees to stand down.”
‘MORE RUNNERS THAN GRAND NATIONAL’
Senior backbencher Nigel Evans predicted her resignation would kick off a huge scramble from leadership contenders, joking: “There will be more runners and riders than the Grand National!”
A new poll today suggested Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and Liz Truss are the favoured candidates of Tory supporters, ahead of Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab.
But Mrs May was backed by Tory veteran Sir Roger Gale, who blasted: “To suggest that the PM should stand aside now is a demonstration of naked ambition not of national interest.”
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom confirmed there was a “real possibility” of a third meaningful vote taking place this week.
But she refused to back the PM continuing in office, telling the BBC: “I think that is a matter for her. I am not expressing a view.”
Mrs May received a boost yesterday as Jacob Rees-Mogg admitted he now has no choice but to vote for the deal at the third time of asking.
He said today: “I haven’t changed my mind that the deal is a bad deal. The only thing I’ve changed my mind about is that we can’t get to No Deal.”
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Boris Johnson hinted he may also back the deal, saying: “If we vote for the PM’s lamentable withdrawal agreement we are skewered.
“But if we vote it down again there is now I think an appreciable risk that we will not leave at all.”
The PM can only win the third meaningful vote if she gets the support of the DUP, who are still holding out for now.
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