Theresa May has warned Tory rebels they risk a Jeremy Corbyn government and the break-up of the UK if they reject her Brexit deal in tonight's crunch vote.
Allies of the Prime Minister acknowledged her plans could be rejected by a majority approaching 200 votes – eclipsing record government defeats of modern times.
They believe Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will then try to exploit Tory divisions by forcing a formal vote of no confidence in the Government tonight, which could usher in a general election.
Allies of Mrs May last night indicated she would tell MPs that she will continue to pursue her deal even if it is heavily defeated.
She acknowledged that the plan was not perfect, but added: 'When the history books are written, people will look at the decision of this House tomorrow and ask: Did we deliver on the country's vote to leave the European Union?'
On the eve of the vote:
- One of the Tory whips, Gareth Johnson, resigned saying he could not support the deal;
- EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk sent letters assuring the government that the Irish border backstop is only intended to be temporary - but insisted that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened;
- Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said Mrs May's deal was 'the only politically practicable and available means' of leaving the EU;
- Former Tory ministers Nick Boles, Nicky Morgan and Sir Oliver Letwin vowed to press ahead with plans to allow Parliament to seize control of Brexit;
- Boris Johnson warned that politicians will 'reap the whirlwind' if they try to defy the result of the referendum with procedural 'jiggery-pokery'.
- One Cabinet source told MailOnline the crunch vote would be the political equivalent of the FA Cup Final, adding: 'But there is going to be a replay.'
The PM made her stark warnings in a last-ditch bid to drum up some desperately needed support from her backbenchers in the last 24 hours before the historic vote.
She said the thorny issue of Brexit has divided the Tories for the many years she has been in politics - hinting that her deal could finally put the issue to rest.
And she warned the SNP will seize on any Brexit disarray to demand another referendum on Scottish independence.
Mrs May told MPs: 'We have to deliver Brexit – it is the instruction the British people gave us.'
The deal suffered its first official parliamentary defeat last night in the Lords, as peers registered their symbolic opposition to it by 321 votes to 152.
Mrs May's eleventh-hour plea came shortly after Treasury minister Mel Stride was pictured leaving Downing Street clutching a sheet of paper bearing the words 'No food. No Channel tunnel'.
ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said he expected 'a cascade' of MPs voting against the deal.
The North Somerset Conservative said: 'I think there will be a cascade of people going into the lobbies against this bad deal because it denies us the opportunities that will make Brexit a success.
'Instead we're tied into a protectionist racket that keeps prices high and makes our economy less efficient, that means the rest of the world is overtaking us and the whole of Europe because it becomes less competitive as it seeks an outmoded, anti-competitive system thinking it can simply protect itself.
'We risk denying ourselves these extraordinary opportunities and in doing so taking ourselves away from the electorate who we promised to deliver on Brexit for.'
How the Commons will vote: Theresa May's deal is expected to lose heavily on Tuesday night, which could lead to a no-confidence motion and potentially a general election
Speaking after Mrs May met with Tory MPs, Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi said Mrs May also warned of the economic dangers of a no deal Brexit.
He said: 'She wanted to focus minds that we must deliver Brexit and to keep Jeremy Corbyn as far away from Number 10 as possible, and to do that we have to hang together.
'And she pointed out that no deal would be a threat to the union with the SNP pushing for a second referendum.'
Mr Zahawi said she the PM was 'relaxed' as she addressed her backbenchers in Portcullis House last night.
He said: 'She was very relaxed and cracked a few jokes. It was one of her best performances.
'The room was focused and listening and absorbing and very reflective about what the realpolitik was.'
The Prime Minister hailed the 'assurances' from Brussels saying they showed the UK would not be trapped in the Irish border backstop
The PM also warned Tory MPs that business is desperate for the to get a Brexit deal and have warned of the risk to jobs and investment if they crash out of the EU.
And in a rare move, Mrs May spoke personally about how the bitter EU debate has divided the Conservative Party for many years.
Mr Zahawi said: 'She talked about her career in Parliament and how divisive the European issue has been for the country and of course the Conservative Party.'
But Brexiteers who were in the meeting were less than impressed and many left early.
Tory MP and Brexiteer Mark Francois left early and said he thinks her deal will still be rejected by Tory MPs in the crunch vote in 24 hours time.
A Tory minister was earlier accused of stunting up a picture showing his notes apparently predicting the dire consequences of a no-deal Brexit.
Treasury minister Mel Stride was pictured leaving Downing Street clutching a sheet of paper bearing the words 'No food. No Channel tunnel'.
It led critics to claim Mr Stride had deliberately exposed his notes as part of a scare campaign to get MPs to vote for Theresa May's Brexit deal, while his allies insisted they were points of discussion - not warnings in themselves.
Earlier Mrs May warned MPs that 'history' will judge them if they kill off her Brexit deal - as she insisted she has won new concessions from the EU.
In a desperate last-ditch plea in the Commons, the Prime Minister said in future people would look back and ask whether politicians had 'delivered' on the verdict of the referendum.
Mrs May hailed the latest 'assurances' from Brussels, saying they showed the UK would not be trapped in the Irish border backstop - although she also conceded she had not secured everything she hoped for.
The impassioned appeal came after a frantically grueling day in which Mrs May gave a Brexit speech in Stoke-on-Trent, before returning to London to face MPs for hours in the Commons. Later she is due to address Tory backbenchers and peers in what promises to be another pressure-cooked session.
But as tensions reached boiling point with just 24 hours to go before a vote that could define the country's future, Mrs May suffer another resignation from her government - as a whip quit to oppose her deal.
Gareth Johnson said he was putting his 'loyalty to the country above loyalty to the government'.
There are fears that the resignation could open the floodgates - with several other ministers and whips thought to be on the brink.
Addressing MPs last night, Mrs May again urged them to recognise that a no-deal Brexit represented the 'real threat' to the unity of the UK, as it would fuel calls for Scottish independence.
And she cautioned Eurosceptics that killing off her package and trying to force through departure without any agreement could mean the country never leaves the bloc.
'When the history books are written, people will look at the decision of this House tomorrow and ask, did we deliver on the country's vote to leave the European Union?
'Did we safeguard our economy, our security and our Union? Or did we let the British people down?
'I say we should deliver for the British people and get on with building a brighter future for our country by backing this deal tomorrow.'
Mrs May left Downing Street to head to Parliament earlier tonight knowing she is just over 24 hours from learning the fate of her Brexit deal
After taking the short drive to Parliament with her Chief of Staff Gavin Barwell (left) Mrs May faced almost two hours of hostile questions about her deal
Gareth Johnson (left) announced his resignation, saying in a letter to the PM (right) that he could not 'in good conscience' stay in government
Sources close to Mr Stride said the note was simply a list of topics which had come up in the national conversation which he wanted to raise at a meeting, rather than any kind of prediction
In his letter to Mrs May this afternoon, Mr Johnson said he believed the package thrashed out with Brussels would be 'detrimental to the national interest' and set Northern Ireland 'apart from the rest of the UK'.
'I have therefore decided the time has come to place my loyalty to my country above my loyalty to the government,' he wrote.
Government sources tried to play down the resignation - the 13th for Mrs May over Brexit - pointing out that Mr Johnson represents the heavily Leave-supporting Dartford constituency.
Earlier, Mrs May had appealed for Tory Eurosceptics to look at the mounting revolt by Remainers, and realise that Parliament is ready to block the country from crashing out.
In a speech in Leave-voting Stoke-on-Trent this morning, Mrs May said it was clear some politicians would use 'every device' to stop Brexit happening.
Underlining the dangers of the crisis wracking Westminster, she urged MPs to consider the 'consequences' of their actions for people's faith in democracy.
Mrs May also pointed to the letter from the EU chiefs, which insists the Irish border backstop - the most controversial part of the Brexit deal - will only be 'temporary'.
'We have secured valuable new clarifications and assurances,' Mrs May said, while admitting that the commitment 'did not go as far' as some MPs wanted.
Despite her scramble, Mrs May looks to be on track for a catastrophic defeat - with frantic manoeuvring under way over what happens next.
A dozen Tory former ministers including Boris Johnson have urged wavering colleagues to stand firm against the deal, saying leaving on World Trade Organisation terms would not be a disaster.
In her speech, Mrs May said she now believes if her deal is defeated, MPs blocking Brexit is more likely than leaving without a deal.
She said failure to pass her package could mean crashing out - but there was a 'bigger risk' of not leaving the EU at all.
Mrs May rejected the idea that alternatives to her Withdrawal Agreement were available.
'Nobody has yet come up with an alternative Brexit deal that is negotiable and that delivers on the result of the referendum,' she said.
'The only deal on the table is the one MPs will vote on tomorrow night.
In a message to Remainer rebels, she said: 'You can take no deal off the table by voting for that deal. 'If no deal is as bad as you believe it is, it will be the height of recklessness to do anything else.'
Mrs May brushed aside suggestions that the EU might extend the two-year withdrawal process under Article 50 to the summer to allow more time for the UK to settle its position.
'We are leaving on March 29,' she said. 'I have been clear I don't believe we should be extending Article 50 and I don't believe we should be having a second referendum.'
Mrs May said the letters from the EU carried 'legal force' and 'make absolutely clear that the backstop is not a threat or a trap'.
She added: 'I fully understand that the new legal and political assurances which are contained in the letters from Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker do not go as far as some MPs would like.
'But I'm convinced that MPs now have the clearest assurances that this is the best deal possible and is worthy of their support.'
The PM again ruled out a permanent customs union with the EU - floated by some MPs as a potential compromise that could command a Parliamentary majority.
'I have always been clear that we will not be in the customs union, because being in the customs union has with it other aspects which are not what people voted for,' she said.
Mrs May also offered an olive branch to Labour MPs who might consider backing her deal with an appeal over workers' rights and environmental standards.
She said: 'I could not have been clearer that far from wanting to see a reduction in our standards in these areas, the UK will instead continue to be a world leader.
'We have committed to addressing these concerns and will work with MPs from across the house on how best to implement them, looking at legislation where necessary to deliver the best possible results for workers across the UK.'
Mrs May added that while no-deal remained a serious risk, 'having observed events at Westminster over the last seven days it is now my judgment that the likely outcome is a paralysis in Parliament that risks there being no Brexit'.
Theresa May (pictured on delivering her speech in Stoke-on-Trent today) urged Tory Eurosceptics to look at the mounting revolt by Remainers, and realise that Parliament is ready to block the country from crashing out
A dozen Tory former ministers including Boris Johnson (pictured giving an interview in London today) have urged wavering colleagues to stand firm against the deal
The letter from EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and council president Donald Tusk insists the Irish border backstop will only be 'temporary'
It emerged over the weekend that Remainers from across parties are plotting an extraordinary bid to seize control from the government if it tries to push ahead with a no-deal
Brexit. Conservative MP Nick Boles today confirmed plans to tear up Commons rules so MPs could propose legislation - something the government currently has power over.
Ministers fear Speaker John Bercow would help the rebellion. Last week he flouted procedural convention to select an amendment from Tory former minister Dominic Grieve which attempts to speed up the process for the Government to reveal what it will do next if the PM's Brexit deal is rejected.
But the fledgling revolt was at risk of collapsing after it was dismissed by pro-EU MPs.
Senior Tory Sarah Wollaston, previously one of the most outspoken anti-Brexit rebels, said it would fly in the face of the constitution.
She pointed out that the Liaison Committee - on which she serves had no role in drafting legislation.
'Under our constitution, Parliament can either change the government's mind or change the government,' she said.
'It can propose legislation for government to take forward & it can amend or block it but back bench MPs cannot take over conducting a complex international negotiation.'
Asked during an LBC radio interview today what would happen, Mr Johnson said: 'I think the deal goes down.
'I think, possibly, some colleagues are being scared by this idea that there might be no Brexit as a result of voting it down.
'I think that's nonsense. Britain will leave in March, absolutely, and that's the bottom line.'
Mr Johnson said that defying the result of the referendum would be 'playing with fire'.
'If we think that by coming up with all sorts of complicated amendments and you know delaying tactics, we're gonna fool the British public, we're going to manage to frustrate Brexit, I think we will reap the whirlwind,' he said.
'People will feel betrayed and I think they will feel that there has been a great conspiracy by you know the deep state of the UK, the people who really run the country, to overturn the vote of the people.'
A dozen leading Brexiteers – including eight former members of Mrs May's Cabinet – have written to all Conservative MPs urging them to vote against the Prime Minister's deal.
In a joint letter sent to every Tory MP, former ministers including Boris Johnson, David Davis and Dominic Raab call upon Mrs May to stage one final attempt to persuade the EU to drop the Irish backstop which threatens to halt Britain's exit from the custom union indefinitely.
But if the EU fails to comply on agreeing such a deal, the Britain must 'have the confidence' to leave on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms on March 29.
The letter is also signed by other former Cabinet members including Iain Duncan Smith, Esther McVey and Priti Patel.
They write: 'It is right to vote down this bad deal and that in doing so we will unlock a better future for our party, our country and its people.'
They add: 'A managed WTO Brexit may give rise to some short-term inconvenience and disruption, but the much greater risks arise from being locked into a very bad deal.'
Mr Johnson repeated the message in his column in the Daily Telegraph today, where he writes: 'This deal is still the worst of both worlds, by which we somehow leave the EU but end up being run by the EU. It is still a complete stinker.'
Warning his fellow MPs about trying to force a second referendum, he adds: 'If they now engage in ludicrous parliamentary jiggery pokery, endlessly tabling amendments designed to frustrate Brexit, they will risk a very serious backlash indeed.
'The answer is not to leave it to Parliament; the answer is for the executive to do its job, as some of us have been advising for months: to accept that the deal is dead, and to move on.'
Is May's deal already sunk? 100 Tories, the DUP and Labour have come out against - leaving her staring at defeat on December 11
Theresa May's task of getting her Brexit deal past the House of Commons is looking near-impossible as opposition mounts.
The 'meaningful vote' promised to MPs will happen on December 11 and is the single biggest hurdle to the Brexit deal happening - as well as being the key to Mrs May' fate as PM.
But despite opinion polls suggesting the public might be coming round to her deal, there is little sign of a shift among politicians.
Remainers have been stepping up calls for a second referendum in the wake of Sam Gyimah's resignation as universities minister over the weekend - while Brexiteers including Boris Johnson have accused Mrs May of betrayal.
Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes.
The number is less than half because the four Speakers, 7 Sinn Fein MPs and four tellers will not take part.
The situation looks grim for Mrs May and her whips: now the deal has been published, over 100 of her own MPs and the 10 DUP MPs have publicly stated they will join the Opposition parties in voting No.
This means the PM could have as few as 225 votes in her corner - leaving 410 votes on the other side, a landslide majority 185.
This is how the House of Commons might break down:
Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes.
Mrs May needs at least 318 votes in the Commons if all 650 MPs turns up - but can probably only be confident of around 230 votes.
The Government (plus various hangers-on)
Who are they: All members of the Government are the so-called 'payroll' vote and are obliged to follow the whips orders or resign. It includes the Cabinet, all junior ministers, the whips and unpaid parliamentary aides.
There are also a dozen Tory party 'vice-chairs and 17 MPs appointed by the PM to be 'trade envoys'.
How many of them are there? 178.
What do they want? For the Prime Minister to survive, get her deal and reach exit day with the minimum of fuss.
Many junior ministers want promotion while many of the Cabinet want to be in a position to take the top job when Mrs May goes.
How will they vote? With the Prime Minister.
European Research Group Brexiteers demanding a No Confidence Vote
Who are they: The most hard line of the Brexiteers, they launched a coup against Mrs May after seeing the divorce. Led by Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker.
How many of them are there: 26
What do they want: The removal of Mrs May and a 'proper Brexit'. Probably no deal now, with hopes for a Canada-style deal later.
How will they vote: Against the Prime Minister.
Other Brexiteers in the ERG
Who are they: There is a large block of Brexiteer Tory MPs who hate the deal but have so far stopped short of moving to remove Mrs May - believing that can destroy the deal instead. They include ex Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and ex minister Owen Paterson.
Ex ministers like Boris Johnson and David Davis are also in this group - they probably want to replace Mrs May but have not publicly moved against her.
How many of them are there? Around 50.
What do they want? The ERG has said Mrs May should abandon her plans for a unique trade deal and instead negotiate a 'Canada plus plus plus' deal.
This is based on a trade deal signed between the EU and Canada in August 2014 that eliminated 98 per cent of tariffs and taxes charged on goods shipped across the Atlantic.
The EU has long said it would be happy to do a deal based on Canada - but warn it would only work for Great Britain and not Northern Ireland.
How will they vote: Against the Prime Minister.
Remain including the People's Vote supporters
Who are they: Tory MPs who believe the deal is just not good enough for Britain. They include the group of unrepentant Remainers who want a new referendum like Anna Soubry and ex-ministers who quit over the deal including Jo Johnson and Phillip Lee.
How many of them are there: Maybe around 10.
What do they want? To stop Brexit. Some want a new referendum, some think Parliament should step up and say no.
A new referendum would take about six months from start to finish and they group wants Remain as an option on the ballot paper, probably with Mrs May's deal as the alternative.
How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister.
Moderates in the Brexit Delivery Group (BDG) and other Loyalists
Who are they? A newer group, the BDG counts members from across the Brexit divide inside the Tory Party. It includes former minister Nick Boles and MPs including Remainer Simon Hart and Brexiteer Andrew Percy.
There are also lots of unaligned Tory MPs who are desperate to talk about anything else.
How many of them are there? Based on public declarations, about 48 MPs have either said nothing or backed the deal.
What do they want? The BDG prioritises delivering on Brexit and getting to exit day on March 29, 2019, without destroying the Tory Party or the Government. If the PM gets a deal the group will probably vote for it.
It is less interested in the exact form of the deal but many in it have said Mrs May's Chequers plan will not work.
Mr Boles has set out a proposal for Britain to stay in the European Economic Area (EEA) until a free trade deal be negotiated - effectively to leave the EU but stay in close orbit as a member of the single market.
How will they vote? With the Prime Minister.
The DUP
Who are they? The Northern Ireland Party signed up to a 'confidence and supply' agreement with the Conservative Party to prop up the Government.
They are Unionist and say Brexit is good but must not carve Northern Ireland out of the Union.
How many of them are there? 10.
What do they want? A Brexit deal that protects Northern Ireland inside the UK.
How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister on the grounds they believe the deal breaches the red line of a border in the Irish Sea.
Labour Loyalists
Who are they? Labour MPs who are loyal to Jeremy Corbyn and willing to follow his whipping orders.
How many of them are there? Up to 250 MPs depending on exactly what Mr Corbyn orders them to do.
What do they want? Labour policy is to demand a general election and if the Government refuses, 'all options are on the table', including a second referendum.
Labour insists it wants a 'jobs first Brexit' that includes a permanent customs union with the EU. It says it is ready to restart negotiations with the EU with a short extension to the Article 50 process.
The party says Mrs May's deal fails its six tests for being acceptable.
How will they vote? Against the Prime Minister's current deal.
Labour Rebels
Who are they? A mix of MPs totally opposed to Mr Corbyn's leadership, some Labour Leave supporters who want a deal and some MPs who think any deal will do at this point.
How many of them are there? Maybe 10 to 20 MPs but this group is diminishing fast - at least for the first vote on the deal.
What do they want? An orderly Brexit and to spite Mr Corbyn.
How will they vote? With the Prime Minister.
Other Opposition parties
Who are they? The SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Green Caroline Lucas and assorted independents.
How many of them are there? About 60 MPs.
How will they vote? Mostly against the Prime Minister - though two of the independents are suspended Tories and two are Brexiteer former Labour MPs.
https://hienalouca.com/2019/01/15/theresa-may-makes-last-ditch-plea-to-save-brexit-deal/
Main photo article Theresa May has warned Tory rebels they risk a Jeremy Corbyn government and the break-up of the UK if they reject her Brexit deal in tonight’s crunch vote.
Allies of the Prime Minister acknowledged her plans could be rejected by a majority approaching 200 votes – eclipsing record go...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/01/14/22/8524582-6588937-image-a-29_1547505487086.jpg
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий