No10 locked in high-stakes talks with rebel Brexiteers ahead of third Commons vote on deal which is ‘last chance to free ourselves from Brussels’
THERESA May’s officials are locked in talks with Tory rebels as the PM battles to force her Brexit deal through this week.
No10 is desperate to win over the DUP and Conservative Brexiteers – warning that if they don’t back the deal Britain will be tied to Brussels for years more.
Philip Hammond could even offer more cash to the Northern Ireland Unionists to try and win their support.
As the PM gears up for another crunch week on Brexit:
- Ministers said they’ll only hold a third vote on the deal if Mrs May is likely to win
- Senior Brexiteers admitted they now have no choice but to back the deal
- A hard core of Leavers continued to hold out against the withdrawal agreement
- The Chancellor warned this week is the “final chance” to avoid a long delay to Brexit
- Leadership rivals jostled for position in the race to become the next Prime Minister
Mr Hammond urged Brexit-backing MPs to get behind the PM’s deal this week and help it pass at the third attempt.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “We have a very challenging situation in front of us but we are getting close to resolving this now and we have to do this so we can move on as a nation.
“It’s now physically impossible to leave on March 29, but we’re able to leave very soon – i can’t tell you if it will be April, May or June but it will be very soon.
“We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues and the DUP are supporting it to get it through Parliament. Significant numbers of colleagues have changed their view on this.”
Asked if he was confident of victory, the Chancellor replied: “Not yet – it’s a work in progress. We’re talking to a lot of colleagues about what the way forward is.”
Mr Hammond refused to deny that the Government will offer the DUP extra funding for Northern Ireland in return for the party’s support.
It’s a work in progress
Philip Hammond
His Labour shadow John McDonnell blasted: “It is blindingly obvious that Hammond is offering a bribe to the DUP in the forthcoming spending review. Gutter politics.”
The DUP are seen as crucial to the vote because if they do back the PM it’s likely a large number of Tories will follow them.
Today big beasts David Davis and Esther McVey both urged fellow Brexiteers to give in and back the deal, warning it’s the only way to take Britain out of the EU.
The ex-Brexit Secretary said: “The real risk is that the Remainer establishment will block Brexit, a betrayal that would reap a democratic whirlwind.”
Ms McVey added: “The choice before us is this deal or no Brexit whatsoever… Theresa May and Parliament conspired to take No Deal off the table.”
She said suggested the PM should announce her resignation in order to get the deal over the line.
Matthew Elliott, who ran the Vote Leave campaign, also came out in support of Mrs May’s deal, saying: “The best way forward is to support the withdrawal agreement and acknowledge the prize that is still on offer.”
Brexit-backing MP Daniel Kawcynski predicted enough of his colleagues would switch sides for the PM to win.
But there are still a number of holdouts in the Tory party who have vowed never to back the deal.
Andrea Jenkyns said today: “The British spirit is to fight on and not to back down to threats.”
Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who has remained loyal to Mrs May, suggested he may resign if Brexit gets delayed indefinitely.
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He told Sky News: “If we had an extension with no agreement and that was just kicking it into the long grass, I think that would be very very hard to swallow.”
Mrs May will head to Brussels on Thursday where she will formally request an extension to the Article 50 process.
The PM has said that if the deal isn’t agreed by then, she will have no choice but to ask for a delay lasting more than three months, meaning the UK would take part in European Parliament elections.
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