UK PM May presses on with Brexit vote as lawmakers demand better deal

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UK PM May presses on with Brexit vote as lawmakers demand better deal

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street, London, Britain, December 4, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

By Kylie MacLellan

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Theresa May will push ahead with a crucial vote on her European Union exit deal, her Brexitminister said on Sunday, as senior lawmakers in her own party piled pressure on the British prime minister to go back to Brussels and seek a better offer.

 

May's deal, which would see Britain keep close economic ties with the EU, looks set to be rejected by parliament on Tuesday. That decision could throw plans for Britain's exit into turmoil and leave her own political future hanging in the balance.

 

The Sunday Times reported May was expected to say on Monday that she was delaying the vote to make a last-minute dash to Brussels to appeal to the EU to improve the deal.

 

With the country deeply divided, thousands of protesters joined a pro-Brexit march in central London on Sunday to demonstrate against May's deal. To the east of the city the "People's Vote" group held a rally calling for a second referendum.

 

"The vote is on Tuesday, that is what we are focused on," Brexit minister Stephen Barclay told BBC TV on Sunday.

 

"The risk for those who say simply go back and ask again, the risk is that isn't necessarily a one way street, the French the Spanish and others will turn round, if we seek to reopen the negotiation, and ask for more," he added.

 

Barclay said Britain would enter "uncharted waters" if it loses the vote, but May could stay on as prime minister.

 

There has been speculation May might use an EU summit on Dec. 13-14 to press for changes to the deal as Britain prepares to leave the EU at the end of next March.

 

TUSK TWEET

While EU diplomats have said they could consider helping May with "cosmetic" changes to the non-binding political agreement that accompanies the deal, the legally binding text of the exit deal itself would be off limits to renegotiation.

 

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Sunday he had spoken to May by phone ahead of what he said was "an important week for the fate of Brexit".

 

The strongest opposition to May's deal centres around the so-called backstop, an insurance policy designed to prevent a hard border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland.

 

Brexit supporters and May's nominal allies in Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) say it could leave Britain forced to accept EU regulations indefinitely, or Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the United Kingdom.

 

EU supporters say Britain would become little more than a rule-taker, offering the worst of all worlds.

 

Several lawmakers, including DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds, former Brexit minister Dominic Raab and former work and pensions minister Esther McVey, on Sunday called for May to go back to Brussels and seek to renegotiate the deal.

 

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, a leading Brexit campaigner, said lawmakers on all sides were united against the backstop and losing the vote in parliament would give May a mandate to ask the EU to remove it from the deal.

 

"Nothing is over until it is over," he told BBC TV.

 

"If the prime minister is able to go back to Brussels this week and say I'm afraid that the Irish backstop solution that you have come up with is very unpopular ... they will listen."

 

"GRAVE UNCERTAINTY"

In the latest blow to her efforts to win parliament's backing, May's deal was condemned as "a huge step into the unknown" by a cross-party committee of lawmakers.

 

But in an interview in the Mail on Sunday, May said the choice was her deal or the risk of "grave uncertainty" for Britain and the chance of either no deal or no Brexit.

 

Ahead of the vote, the EU's top court will say on Monday whether Britain can unilaterally halt its exit from the EU, due to take place on March 29, 2019.

 

May said rejecting her deal would also risk the opposition Labour Party getting into power. Labour, who could seek to take control by calling a vote of no confidence in the government, said on Sunday they were ready to form a minority administration.

 

May also risks being ousted by her own lawmakers.

 

Leading pro-Brexit Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has previously called for a leadership contest, wrote in the Mail on Sunday that May should stand down, whether her deal is defeated in parliament's House of Commons or she seeks to delay the vote.

 

"The humiliation of avoiding a Commons vote is as much a reason for her departure as defeat in an actual vote," he said.

 

But Johnson, who is seen as a possible successor to May, said she could stay on and go back to the EU to renegotiate the deal if she loses the vote.

 

(Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-10

[malagateddy]

It's " taxi for May " time I think.
Imo..she was sub-standard as Home Secy. ...and has been shambolic as PM re the Brexit negociations.
Mind you..Cameron..Obsorne etc were an utter disgrace..not preparing in any way for LEAVE winning the referendum

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[Loiner]

As a Remainer at heart Treasonous Theresa should absolutely not be in this position. She only managed to land the PM job by default anyway, when Dodgy Dave and the others were busy backstabbing each other. Between her and the other Remainer Tory MPs she is killing the Conservative party. Come the next election they are all toast. The mainstay of the Conservative party are Bexiteers so will never vote for that party again. How the party management are allowing this is unbelievable. Yes, they are probably Remainers too, but if their grass root membership swings against them then they will all be out of jobs at the next GE, which could be sooner than we think.

 

How is she still clinging onto the position at this stage? She should have been dumped months ago with a party vote of no confidence. Who is keeping her there with her ruinous policies? Surely not Boris, Gove, Davis, JRM or any other Brexiteers who would do a much better job? Have there really not been sufficient letters of No Confidence to the 1922 committee?  Is Sir Graham Brady hiding letters in order to prevent a vote that could oust the Maybot, or is there another agenda in play? With the dirty tricks currently being pulled (eg hiding the AG advice) it makes me wonder. 

 

Remember that UKIP made massive gains at the 2015 GE. (CON 36.9%; LAB 30.4%; UKIP 12.6%) With both the UK Electorate and Tory membership in favour of a full Brexit there could easily be another swing towards a Brexit committed party. Election of such a patriotic party would be a well earned kick in the teeth to both the duplicitous Tories and thinly disguised marxist Liebour. Bring it on.

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Loiner said:

As a Remainer at heart Treasonous Theresa should absolutely not be in this position. She only managed to land the PM job by default anyway, when Dodgy Dave and the others were busy backstabbing each other. Between her and the other Remainer Tory MPs she is killing the Conservative party. Come the next election they are all toast. The mainstay of the Conservative party are Bexiteers so will never vote for that party again. How the party management are allowing this is unbelievable. Yes, they are probably Remainers too, but if their grass root membership swings against them then they will all be out of jobs at the next GE, which could be sooner than we think.

 

How is she still clinging onto the position at this stage? She should have been dumped months ago with a party vote of no confidence. Who is keeping her there with her ruinous policies? Surely not Boris, Gove, Davis, JRM or any other Brexiteers who would do a much better job? Have there really not been sufficient letters of No Confidence to the 1922 committee?  Is Sir Graham Brady hiding letters in order to prevent a vote that could oust the Maybot, or is there another agenda in play? With the dirty tricks currently being pulled (eg hiding the AG advice) it makes me wonder. 

 

Remember that UKIP made massive gains at the 2015 GE. (CON 36.9%; LAB 30.4%; UKIP 12.6%) With both the UK Electorate and Tory membership in favour of a full Brexit there could easily be another swing towards a Brexit committed party. Election of such a patriotic party would be a well earned kick in the teeth to both the duplicitous Tories and thinly disguised marxist Liebour. Bring it on.

 

Be careful what you wish for! If many voters punished the Tories and voted in Comrade Corbyn and click the UK would end up like Venezuela!

[Basil B]

 

9 hours ago, malagateddy said:

It's " taxi for May " time I think.
Imo..she was sub-standard as Home Secy. ...and has been shambolic as PM re the Brexit negociations.
Mind you..Cameron..Obsorne etc were an utter disgrace..not preparing in any way for LEAVE winning the referendum

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Pickford's parked out the back...

 

The Tories may be divided about Brexit...

 

But very few are gunning to get rid of her, anyway looks like she is going to concede on tomorrows vote with a postponement/cancellation...

Quote

 

Theresa May is to call-off Tuesday's crucial vote on her Brexit deal in the face of what was expected to be a significant defeat by Tory rebels.

Government sources have said the prime minister is set to tell MPs about the delay in a statement at 15:30 GMT.

Downing Street had been insisting the vote would go ahead.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46509288

 

  The only answer, a peoples vote.

[malagateddy]

 
  The only answer, a peoples vote.

You had the vote coupla years ago

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[mommysboy]

7 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Be careful what you wish for! If many voters punished the Tories and voted in Comrade Corbyn and click the UK would end up like Venezuela!

Absolute rubbish! Labour is a democratic party that is accountable to the electorate.  In any case, it's highly unlikely Labour could either force an election, or achieve a working majority.

[Basil B]

56 minutes ago, malagateddy said:

You had the vote coupla years ago

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We were conned...