Theresa May braced for fresh Commons rebellion over Brexit plan
3 min read
Theresa May is poised for a fresh rebellion over her controversial Brexit plan today, as eurosceptics try to kill off her proposals in the Commons.
MPs will vote on a string of amendments to the cross-border trade bill tabled by members of the powerful Tory Brexiteer European Research Group.
The rebels are aiming to torpedo Mrs May's plan - set out in a white paper last week - to negotiate for a "common rulebook" on goods traded with the EU, as well as a "UK-EU free trade area" that would keep close customs ties with Brussels.
While the amendments - which will not be supported by Labour - stand little chance of passing, they will shed light on the scale of the rebellion facing Mrs May over her plans.
Ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker - who quit the Government last week alongside his boss David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - is said to be coordinating the votes of a 100-strong group of Brexiteers through messaging service WhatsApp.
According to the Telegraph, Mr Baker has already told the group: "In today’s circumstances, we can afford no accidents.
"Government collective agreement is cumbersome. We can and will act with unprecedented speed."
Downing Street is already said to be considering giving ground on three of the amendments in a bid to placate the rebels.
According to the Sun, Number 10 will accept amendments on the need to legislate for a separate VAT policy from the EU, ruling out a border in the Irish Sea, and agreeing to primary legislation if the Government changes tack and decides it wants the UK to remain in a customs union with the EU.
Leading Brexiteer Priti Patel - who is proposing one of the four amendments - last night accused Mrs May of crossing her own "red lines" on Brexit.
"The British public voted to leave, and the Conservative Party stood on a manifesto which was very clear about the way we were going to leave the European Union, and quite frankly we’re not in that space anymore," she told the BBC's Westminster Hour.
But the ex-minister denied that rebels were pressing "for a replacement of the Prime Minister".
"I think we should be very clear about that," she added.
"Things have moved on from that very clear message that Brexit means Brexit, and that is why we are rightfully questioning the legislation, putting forward new clauses and amendments, and saying not just to the Prime Minister but the whole of government reconsider, look again and work with us."
Boris Johnson - who was at the weekend being urged to make a heavyweight Commons intervention on Brexit after quitting as Foreign Secretary - meanwhile appeared to be keeping his powder dry, using a new Telegraph column to resist "the temptation to bang on about Brexit".
Instead, he defended his record at the Foreign Office and urged politicians to "believe in the British people and what they can do".
Allies also briefed the Times that Mr Johnson would not be making a resignation statement in the chamber today.
Mrs May's troubled Brexit plans suffered a fresh blow overnight as Justine Greening, the former education secretary, rejected the deal and called for a second referendum.
The Prime Minister was also hit by another resignation, this time of Foreign Office ministerial aide Robert Courts, who vowed to join the rebels today and said he could not look at himself "in the mirror" if he backed the Chequers compromise.
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