© REUTERS/Peter NichollsTheresa May to propose delaying Brexit if her own deal and ‘no-deal’ rejected by MPs
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is seen outside of Downing Street in London, Britain, February 26, 2019.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is seen outside of Downing Street in London, Britain, February 26, 2019.
In a statement to parliament, to update politicians on Brexit negotiations with the EU, the prime minister promised to give MPs a vote on whether to accept a no-deal scenario, if her government loses a meaningful vote on her agreement by March 13.
May told the House, in the event parliamentarians reject a no-deal Brexit then they will have an opportunity to vote on extending Article 50, to delay the UK's withdrawal from the EU for a "short" period of time.
Asked by Tory backbencher Patrick Mcloughlin what exactly a "short" extension would mean in reality, the prime minister could only give a somewhat vague reply, insisting "as short as possible."
Comment: Reactions to May's announcement came fast and hard:
A Tory cabinet minister has warned Prime Minister Theresa May that she and other government colleagues are ready to resign if a 'catastrophic' no-deal Brexit is not ruled out.
Margot James, the digital minister, claims she and fellow ministers Richard Harrington and Claire Perry are ready to walk out if the prime minister fails to extend Article 50 to avoid the UK leaving the EU without a deal on March 29.
James, speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today program, warned: "All of us are agreed that we couldn't be part of a government that allowed the country to leave the European Union without a deal."
Asked whether she was prepared to quit, or be sacked, James said: "If it comes to that, yes."
May is due to give a statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday to update MPs on the status of Brexit negotiations with the EU after a weekend summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh. James hopes the prime minister will offer key concessions, including extending Article 50 to counter the threat of cabinet resignations.
The prime minister faces the prospect of widespread rebellion on Wednesday from Tory MPs on an amendment tabled by Conservative Oliver Letwin and Labour's Yvette Cooper that would effectively rule out a no-deal Brexit.
May has faced criticism from both politicians in London and Brussels after she rescheduled a "meaningful" vote on Brexit in the Commons that could take place as late as March 12 - just two weeks before the UK is due to leave the union.
The prime minister claimed that London and Brussels were still working on alternative proposals to the contentious Irish backstop - an issue that has given May endless problems as she seeks to finalize an agreement the majority of UK MPs can support.
May hit out at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for what she sees as reneging on his party's 2017 general election manifesto pledge; to honor the result of the EU referendum.
She accused Corbyn of wanting to hold a "divisive" referendum that would take the country "right back to square one."
In response, the Labour leader ridiculed the prime minister for promising a meaningful vote on her deal after assuring MPs there would be one "in December, in January, in February and in March," yet it was only in January when it took place.
Corbyn announced on Monday that his party will either table or support an amendment backing a second Brexit referendum this week.
He stated that his party would support a new referendum to avoid a "damaging Tory Brexit" and accused May of "recklessly running down the clock" in an attempt to force MPs to choose between her "botched deal" or a "disastrous no deal" scenario.
Comment: And more on Corbyn's response:
Jeremy Corbyn has finally thrown his party's weight behind a second EU referendum, backing moves for a fresh poll with remain on the ballot paper if Labour should fail to get its own version of a Brexit deal passed this week.
The decision to give the party's backing to a second referendum follows a concerted push by the shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, and the deputy leader, Tom Watson, who fear any further delay could have led to more defections to the breakaway Independent Group (TIG), whose members all back a second referendum.
Although the move has delighted MPs who are backing the People's Vote campaign, Corbyn is likely to face determined opposition from dozens of MPs in leave seats if the party whips to back a second referendum, including a significant number of frontbenchers.
The former shadow minister Lucy Powell said she believed at least 25 MPs would vote against any whip to back a second referendum, meaning that it would face an uphill struggle to pass the Commons without significant Conservative support.
A private briefing sent to Labour MPs on Monday night and seen by the Guardian makes it clear that Labour's policy would be to include remain as an option in any future referendum.
"We've always said that any referendum would need to have a credible leave option and remain," the briefing said. "Obviously at this stage that is yet to be decided and would have to be agreed by parliament."
The briefing also makes it clear that the party would not support no deal being included on the ballot paper. "There's no majority for a no-deal outcome and Labour would not countenance supporting no deal as an option," the briefing says. "What we are calling for is a referendum to confirm a Brexit deal, not to proceed to no deal."
The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, indicated on Monday evening that both she and Corbyn would campaign for remain if there were a future public vote.
"We would have a referendum on whatever deal it is that may or may not pass through parliament and we would be saying to people: 'Do you want this, or do you want to remain?'" she told Channel 4 News.
Thornberry said she "would certainly be campaigning for us to remain" in those circumstances and, when asked if Corbyn shared that view, she added: "If it's a choice between a disastrous Tory Brexit or no deal, and remaining, then that is what we will have to do."
The redrawing of Labour's objectives is likely to stem any fresh flood of resignations to TIG, whose members include the former Labour MPs Chuka Umunna and Chris Leslie as well as the ex-Tory MP Anna Soubry, all key figures in the People's Vote movement.
Corbyn told MPs the party would back a fresh poll as a final resort in order to stop "a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country".
Speaking to MPs on Monday night, a week after seven MPs who backed a referendum quit the party, Corbyn said Labour would first table its own version of a Brexit deal, including a permanent customs union.
That amendment is set to be tabled to the government's Brexit motion on Wednesday, when Labour will also whip to back another amendment tabled by Yvette Cooper and the Tory Oliver Letwin, which would legislate for a delay to the UK's exit date in order to avoid no deal.
Even Jeremy Corbin is talking about a second referendum, now a second referendum would solve all the problems, the people will be given a second choice, and by some fluke of circumstance, would you believe it, the people will finally get the right message, and like all second referendums with the EU in recent years, the people voted the right way.
Viola! problem solved, let the people go back to sleep like all good sheep are meant to do.