UK told to find ‘acceptable’ Brexit proposal within 48 hours

The UK has been urged to table fresh proposals within the next 48 hours to break the deadlock over Brexit.

As the clock ticks down to next week’s meaningful vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox returned empty-handed from talks in Brussels. He said “strong views” had been expressed during three hours of “robust” talks on the Irish backstop.

Downing Street said the discussions had been “difficult”, but insisted that the vote would still take place on Tuesday.

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Although there are currently no plans for Cox or May to return to Brussels, it is understood this could happen if required, reports the BBC. EU officials said they would work non-stop over the weekend if “acceptable” ideas were received by Friday.

May is considering a major speech on Friday to plead for support from MPs, but her cabinet “is resigned to her Brexit deal being defeated by up to 100 votes next week after talks in Brussels collapsed”, says The Daily Telegraph.

Downing Street is already making plans for a third “meaningful vote” on the deal, says the newspaper.

Advisers have reportedly told May that if she can lose by fewer that 60 votes she would stand a chance of winning a third vote. But if the defeat were by 100 or more, she would be in “serious difficulty”.

The news comes after Jeremy Corbyn met Conservative MPs who back a Norway-style Brexit, reports The Guardian. Former ministers Nick Boles and Oliver Letwin met Corbyn after Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday to discuss their “common market 2.0” plan, says the newspaper. The talks have been described as “constructive”. If Corbyn were to back such a plan, it could open up the possibility of a parliamentary majority to force May’s hand.

To further complicate the PM’s position, the House of Lords has voted for a customs union with the EU, defeating the Government by 207 votes to 141 in an amendment to the Trade Bill. This means she must overturn the amendment in the Commons if she is to avoid being forced into a customs union against her will.

As the stakes and tension rise, Chief Whip Julian Smith has warned MPs their Easter break could be cancelled if Brexit is delayed until June. Under such a scenario, MPs would only have three months to make a breakthrough and might lose their 18-day holiday.