Tories tell Theresa May to cancel tomorrow's meaningful vote
MPs fear a three-figure defeat as talks with European Union are deadlocked
Senior Tories are urging Theresa May to pull tomorrow’s meaningful vote on her Brexit deal if she fails to secure significant concessions from Brussels.
With talks between the UK and the EU deadlocked, leading Conservative MPs have warned that the prime minister could face another three-figure defeat if she presses ahead with her plan.
The BBC’s political correspondent Chris Mason agrees, saying: “the prospect of another big loss looms”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Tory MPs have advised May to replace the planned vote with a motion setting out the kind of Brexit deal that could keep the party together. They feel such a move would send a clear message to the European Union about the kind of concessions that might secure a parliamentary majority.
Senior party source told The Times: “It has been made clear to Downing Street that it would be eminently sensible to avoid defeat by proposing a motion that the party can support. Whether they listen or not is another matter.”
Former Tory chief whip Andrew Mitchell agreed with the proposal, saying: “Anything that avoids what looks like a massive defeat on Tuesday is worth considering.”
The Guardian paints a bleak picture for Theresa May, saying that “many of her Conservative colleagues are behaving as though it is only a matter of time before the removal men turn up at Downing Street”.
They quote one Conservative MP as saying: “Give it a few months and the only negotiations Theresa will be doing are how much she can get for an appearance on Celebrity Bake Off.”
Talks between the UK and Brussels will resume this morning with the aim of securing changes to the deal before the vote due tomorrow.
If Tuesday’s vote goes ahead and May's deal passes, the UK will leave the EU under the terms of the deal on 29 March. However, if as expected it is rejected, MPs will vote on whether the UK should leave without a deal.
If that vote sees them reject a no-deal Brexit they are then due to vote on whether to request a delay to Brexit from the EU.
However, the EU is preparing to impose “punitive conditions” on Britain as a price for agreeing a Brexit delay, the Daily Telegraph says.
Member states are reportedly “hardening” their attitudes towards a delay and will demand “legal and financial conditions” including a multi-billion pound increase to the £39bn divorce payment.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Britain's Labour Party wins in a landslide
Speed Read The Conservatives were unseated after 14 years of rule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will voter apathy and low turnout blight the election?
Today's Big Question Belief that result is 'foregone conclusion', or that politicians can't be trusted, could exacerbate long-term turnout decline
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published