Downing Street ditch plan to give MPs a longer summer holiday in face of rebellion
2 min read
Ministers have ditched plans to send MPs on their summer holidays early after it emerged Theresa May was facing an embarrassing defeat.
In a further blow to the Prime Minister's authority, the Government withdrew a motion which would have seen Parliament break for the summer recess on Thursday rather than next Tuesday.
Earlier, her spokesman had said Downing Street were "considering all the representations which have been received" on the controversial proposal.
That followed an angry backlash from both Tory and opposition MPs when the plan was unveiled in a motion tabled by Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom
Labour had earlier confirmed that they would oppose the plan if it was put to a Commons vote tomorrow.
A source said: "With the NHS in crisis, the Tory's Brexit negotiations descending into farce and local councils on the brink, the last thing Theresa May should be trying to do is send her MPs on holiday early to try and escape them bringing her down. We'll be voting against her latest desperate move."
Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable told The Independent: "With the Tories languishing in a state of civil war, Theresa May is running scared of a leadership challenge with plans for an early recess."
Many Conservative MPs had also said they would oppose any change to the current Commons timetable.
The Prime Minister's spokesman suggested that opposition parties had gone back on an agreement to support the plan.
Asked whether the Government was still going ahead with it, the spokesman said: "The Government came forward with this proposal following discussions with other parties. We're considering all the representations which have been received."
He said they had come up with the plan because Parliament is not sitting on Friday "and there is no substantive government business next week".
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