«Breaking News» May's Brexit Plan B: PM says she won't rule out a no-deal

Theresa May today refused to rule out a no deal Brexit and blasted calls for a second referendum - as she unveiled her Brexit Plan B.  

She vowed to go back to Brussels to try to win new concessions on the hated Irish backstop as she scrambles to win back the support of the DUP and Tory benches. 

And although this is the same strategy she tried to win support for her deal first time round, she hopes the added time pressure before Britain leaves the EU on March 29 will bring fresh concessions.

She hit out at calls for Brexit to be delayed, and said MPs must be 'honest' and admit the only way to avoid crashing out is by passing her deal or revoking Article 50.  

And she lashed Mr Corbyn for refusing to join cross-party Brexit talks - urging him to reconsider, while she scrapped the £65 fee charged to EU citizens who want to stay in the UK after Brexit following an outcry at the charge.

Tory Brexiteers rallied round her plan to return to the EU, with Boris Johnson praising her 'determination' and Penny Mordaunt hailing her for keeping no deal on the table.

But Tory Remainers slammed her for not giving any new information or plan, with Heidi Allen warning her leader she cannot go on delaying and delaying. 

Jeremy Corbyn mocked the PM's Plan B and compared it to 'Groundhog Day', as he pointed out it looks a lot like her 'Plan A' deal - which was defeated by a staggering 230 votes just a week ago.   

The PM has been scrambling to find a way through after her deal was humiliatingly crushed in the Commons last week.

But in a statement to MPs this afternoon, Mrs May suggested she will focus on bringing the DUP and Tories back onside rather than cross-party talks.

The plan received warm words from Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, who said he thinks a deal can be done if the backstop is 'sorted'.

While Tory Brexiteer rebel in chief Jacob Rees-Mogg hinted at a softening of his stance when he said the PMs deal is better than no Brexit at all.

The PM (pictured in the Commons today) has been scrambling to find a way through after her deal was crushed in the Commons last week

Mrs May conceded there was 'widespread concern about the possibility of the UK leaving without a deal'.

'There are those on both sides of the House who want the Government to rule this out,' she said.

'But we need to be honest with the British people about what that means.

'The right way to rule out No Deal is for this House to approve a deal with the European Union. That is what this Government is seeking to achieve.

'The only other guaranteed way to avoid a No Deal Brexit is to revoke Article 50 – which would mean staying in the EU.'

The premier said other politicians were calling for Article 50 to be extended beyond March so that there was 'longer for Parliament to debate how we should leave and what a deal should look like'.

'This is not ruling out no deal, but simply deferring the point of decision,' she warned.

May sets out key Brexit issues in Commons

NO DEAL

Mrs May admitted there was 'widespread concern' about the prospect of no deal. But she warned that politicians had to be 'honest' with the public.

She said the 'right way' to rule out no deal was to approve her deal.

Mrs May insisted the only other guaranteed way to avoid crashing out was to revoke Article 50 – which would mean staying in the EU.

DELAYING ARTICLE 50

Mrs May said other politicians wanted to push back the Brexit date so give longer for 'debate and decision'.

'This is not ruling out no deal, but simply deferring the point of decision,' she said.

And the EU are very unlikely simply to agree to extend Article 50 without a plan for how we are going approve a deal.

SECOND REFERENDUM

Mrs May said another national poll could 'damage social cohesion'.

But she hinted she might accept one if the House voted for it. 

'I do not believe there is a majority for a Second Referendum,' she said.

'And if I am right, then just as the Government is having to think again about its approach going forwards, then so too do those Members who believe this is the answer.'

IRISH BORDER BACKSTOP 

Mrs May admitted there were fears the UK could be 'trapped permanently' in the Irish border backstop, and concerns about Northern Ireland being 'treated differently from the rest of the UK'.

'So I will be talking further this week to colleagues - including in the DUP – to consider how we might meet our obligations to the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland in a way that can command the greatest possible support in the House,' she said.

FUTURE TRADE 

Mrs May said she will bring a 'wider range of voices' to the next phase of talks if her divorce deal is passed.

'That must include ensuring Parliament has a proper say, and fuller involvement, in these decisions,' she said.

TRANSPARENCY 

Mrs May acknowledged that Parliament was unhappy with the level of transparency the government had shown so far.

'So as the negotiations progress, we will also look to deliver confidential committee sessions that can ensure Parliament has the most up-to-date information, while not undermining the negotiations,' she said. 

'And the EU are very unlikely simply to agree to extend Article 50 without a plan for how we are going approve a deal.

'So when people say 'rule out No Deal' the consequences of what they are actually saying are that if we in Parliament can't approve a deal we should revoke Article 50.

Mrs May added: 'I believe this would go against the referendum result and I do not believe that is a course of action that we should take, or which this House should support.' 

Mrs May condemned the idea of a second referendum saying she did not believe the majority of MPs supported it - although she appeared to hint that if Parliament did vote in favour she might accept the verdict.   

'If I am right, then just as the Government is having to think again about its approach going forwards, then so too do those Members who believe this is the answer,' she said. 

Pointing out that Mr Corbyn was the only Westminster party leader to refuse her invitation to talks, Mrs May jibed: 'I regret that (he) has not chosen to take part so far. I hope he will reflect on that decision.

'Given the importance of this issue we should all be prepared to work together to find a way forward.'

Mrs May said she had identified three key changes to her deal to get it past the Commons. 

'First, we will be more flexible, open and inclusive in the future in how we engage parliament in our approach to negotiating our future partnership with the European Union,' she said.

'Second, we will embed the strongest possible protections on workers' rights and the environment.

'And third, we will work to identify how we can ensure that our commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland and Ireland can be delivered in a way that commands the support of this House, and the European Union.'

The 'Plan B' approach has been branded 'one more heave' by ministers, but it is far from clear that the EU is willing to give enough ground on the crucial Irish border backstop issue. 

However, it received an early boost from leading Tory Brexiteers today who hailed the PM for returning to Brussels.

Mr Johnson said praised Mrs May for her 'determination' to negotiate further with Brussels on the Irish backstop, to boos and hisses from opposition benches.

And he urged her to get a 'legally binding change to the text of that backstop and to the text of the Withdrawal Agreement itself'. 

Ms Mordaunt, the Brexit-backing Aid Secretary, tweeted her suport for the PM's stance.

She wrote:  'Prime Minister rightly confirms no deal is the default if we can't agree a deal, article 50 won't be extended and rules out a second referendum. 

'We will deliver on referendum result. So if we want to leave with a deal we need to come together and agree one.'

But Tory Reminaers poured scotrn on the PM's Plan B.

Ms Allen, Tory MP for South Cambridgeshire, said Mrs May has given 'no further information'.

She said: 'Surely we cannot go on for yet another week, wasting another two weeks in total without some direction, so many members of this House today have suggested a customs union, people's vote, indicative votes, the Prime Minister must commit to one of those next week.' 

Tory former Cabinet minister Justine Greening said: 'Isn't it time for all of us to be honest, that Parliament's run out of road, we've been debating for two-and-a-half years, we could debate for another two-and-a-half years and we still wouldn't reach a resolution on Brexit - the only people who can do that now surely are the British people?' 

Mrs May is tabling a 'neutral' motion in the House that will be debated and voted on - along with any amendments tabled by MPs - on January 29.

But Mr Corbyn has refused to hold discussions with the PM, and there has been little success for the government in trying to peel off Opposition MPs. The deal was hammered by a record margin of 230 votes in the Commons last week. 

There have also been fears that forcing through a package with Labour support will split the Tories and cause an election. 

Mrs May is now pushing changes to the Northern Ireland backstop in the hope she can win round Tory Brexiteers and her allies in the DUP.

The Daily Telegraph reported she was even considering trying to amend the Good Friday Agreement - although No10 sources dismissed the idea as 'mad' and a 'non-starter'.

Mrs May told the Commons this afternoon that she had not considered the move. 

Mrs May dodged when asked by Boris Johnson (pictured) whether she would confirm that mean amending the Withdrawal Agreement

Mrs May held talks with New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern in Downing Street earlier today

She admitted there were fears the UK could be 'trapped permanently' in the Irish border backstop, and concerns about Northern Ireland being 'treated differently from the rest of the UK'.

'So I will be talking further this week to colleagues - including in the DUP – to consider how we might meet our obligations to the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland in a way that can command the greatest possible support in the House,' she said.

Ministers 'could ask queen to block' MPs' law delaying Brexit 

Ministers could urge the Queen to block a bid by MPs to delay or cancel Brexit, a constitutional expert warned today.

Remainers from across parties are launching a bid to seize control of Parliamentary business from the government so they can rule out a no-deal departure from the EU. 

But Sir Stephen Laws, who used to be the government's legislation chief and now works at the Policy Exchange think-tank, said there was a risk of the monarch being asked to 'veto' the plan.  

'It could raise a question whether the government would be entitled or might feel required to reassert its constitutional veto by advising the Queen not to grant royal assent to the bill,' he said.

'How should the monarch react to such advice? The answer is not straightforward and the prospect of it needing to be considered in a real life political crisis is unthinkably awful.

'It is a sacred duty of all UK politicians not to involve the monarch in politics. They have a constitutional responsibility to resolve difficulties between themselves in accordance with the rules, and so as not to call on the ultimate referee.'

However, she dodged when asked by Boris Johnson whether she would confirm that mean amending the Withdrawal Agreement. 

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney was adamant over the weekend the backstop - intended to ensure there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic - was an essential part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

Arriving at an EU summit in Brussels this morning, German foreign minister Heiko Maas insisted the 'ball is in London'. 

'So far, unfortunately, the British Parliament has only said what it does not want. What we need now are concrete proposals from the British,' he said. 

'The ball is (in London's court), there is not a lot of time left.' 

In evidence of deepening Tory splits, business minister Richard Harrington today publicly urged the PM to rule out a no-deal Brexit. 

'It's an absolute disaster for the country and it's supported by a minority of a minority of people,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 

Mr Harrington urged MRs May to take a fresh approach: 'She should in my view say 'we are responsible people, we're going to do our duty to business, and we're going to rule out a no deal because we want a great deal'.' 

He also said he was 'afraid' of Jaguar and Mini closing if there was a no-deal Brexit. 

However, in a glimmer of hope for Mrs May there are signs some Brexiteers could reluctantly back her deal amid concerns a cross-party grouping of MPs are plotting to impose a 'softer' Brexit - or stop it altogether.

Graham Brady, who chairs the powerful Tory 1922 committee, said he thought Mrs May could get her Brexit deal past Conservative rebels if the Irish backstop 'can be sorted out'.

'So much of the vote against was from people who simply cannot support a potentially permanent backstop, if that can be sorted out then I think we might get that withdrawal agreement through,' he told BBC radio.

He said it was in Ireland's interests to help Britain leave the EU with a deal, saying they would be far more hurt by a no-deal Brexit that Britain as most of their trade comes through the UK. 

Writing in The Mail on Sunday, leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'Even Mrs May's deal would be better than not leaving at all.'

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (centre) speaks with the Mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart (right) and Eurotunnel director general Jacques Gounon (left) in Calais today, as Brexit preparations are stepped up

Mrs May attacked Mr Corbyn (pictured leaving his London home today) for snubbing cross-party Brexit talks

Remainers including Chuka Umunna (left) and Anna Soubry (right) are pushing for Mrs May to rule out no-deal Brexit

There was anger among pro-Leave MPs at moves to enable backbenchers to take control of the Commons business from the Government - in breach of normal conventions - through a series of amendments to the neutral motion.

One group including senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory former minister Nick Boles is seeking to give time for a bill to suspend the Article 50 withdrawal process if there is no new deal with Brussels by the end of February.

Another more radical amendment drawn up by former attorney general Dominic Grieve would allow a motion by a minority of 300 MPs - from at least five parties and including 10 Tories - to be debated as the first item of Commons business the next day.

Downing St dismisses claim Good Friday agreement could be amended 

Downing Street has flatly dismissed claims Theresa May is considering rewriting the  Good Friday agreement to get her Brexit deal through Parliament. 

The Daily Telegraph reported that ministers were considering amending the peace deal for Northern Ireland would avoid having to commit the UK to the Irish border backstop.

But No10 sources said the idea was 'mad' and not under consideration. 

Any move in that direction would be hugely controversial and would require consensus among all of the parties involved in Northern Ireland.

Mr Grieve said it would enable the Commons to stage a series of 'indicative votes' on the various alternatives, such as a 'soft' Norway-style deal or a second referendum to establish which could command a majority.

He denied claims he was seeking to prevent Britain leaving the EU after International Trade Secretary Liam Fox accused pro-Remain MPs of trying to 'hijack' the 2016 referendum vote.

Mrs May is expected to use her statement to explain how she intends to proceed in the run up to the vote on January 29, rather than setting out a detailed 'plan B'.

Amid a bitter blame game over who was responsible for the deadlock, Mr Corbyn has been refusing to talk unless Mrs May rules out a no-deal Brexit.

He said: 'May's no-deal threat is empty and hugely expensive, wasting billions of pounds we should be spending on vital public services.

'It's a pointless and damaging attempt to appease a faction in her own party when she now needs to reach out to overcome this crisis.

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford MP said: 'Rather than listening to other options the Prime Minister is instead closing them down, intent on cutting off any alternatives and leaving a false choice between her defeated dead deal and a disastrous no-deal.'

'It would be the height of irresponsibility and economic self-harm if Theresa May does not categorically rule out a no-deal Brexit today. Her attempt to run down the clock must be stopped.'

 

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Main photo article Theresa May today refused to rule out a no deal Brexit and blasted calls for a second referendum – as she unveiled her Brexit Plan B.  
She vowed to go back to Brussels to try to win new concessions on the hated Irish backstop as she scrambles to win back the support of the DUP and Tory be...

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