Theresa May surrendered to a Remainer revolt today by promising that MPs will get a vote on whether to delay Brexit.
With negotiations deadlocked in Brussels and the clock running down, the PM told the Commons no deal would only happen with 'explicit consent' and it will get a chance to extend Article 50 within a fortnight.
The climbdown came as Mrs May scrambles to avert mass resignations by ministers who have been vowing to rule out no deal in crunch votes tomorrow.
She tried to soothe angry Eurosceptics by insisting that a delay could only be a 'one-off' and was not something she wanted to do. She stressed she will never cancel the Brexit process altogether, arguing that the UK could make a 'success' of no deal if it has to.
But the concession leaves Tory hardliners with a stark choice of either backing Mrs May's plan in the next showdown, which will happen by March 12, or accepting an almost inevitable delay to the UK's departure.
Under the new timetable, a vote effectively ruling out no deal would then be staged on March 13, and a vote on an extension the following day - March 14. Mrs May refused to say whether the government would back the delay.
Without revoking Article 50 no delay to Brexit can last forever - meaning MPs would have to agree a deal eventually. Unless Britain takes part in European Parliament elections in May, a delay cannot extend past the end of June.
Brexiteer ringleader Mr Rees-Mogg warned a delay could not be cover for cancelling Brexit - insisting it would be a 'grievous error' that would 'undermine democracy'.
On the Remain side, Tory Nick Boles and Labour's Yvette Cooper questioned whether the PM could be trusted to abide by her word - but this afternoon abandoned their plan to change the law to force a vote on delaying Brexit if there is no deal.
Ahead of Mrs May's shift, ministers had heated exchanges at Cabinet in Downing Street this morning as the PM laid out her proposals.
Chief Secretary Liz Truss accused Remain supporting ministers Amber Rudd, Greg Clark and David Gauke of taking a 'kamikaze' approach after they defied convention to publicly demand no deal was stopped.
Meanwhile Commons leader Andrea Leadsom reportedly shouted in anger as a string of ministers lashed the trio for speaking out over no deal.
Theresa May is scrambling to avert mass resignations by ministers who are determined to rule out no deal in crunch votes tomorrow
With negotiations deadlocked in Brussels and the clock running down, the PM (pictured in the Commons today) told the Commons no deal would only happen with 'explicit consent' and it will get a chance to extend Article 50 within a fortnight
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the PM was continuing to run down the clock on Brexit with just a month until exit day
The PM again drew a blank after a frantic round of Brexit talks with EU counterparts at a summit in Egypt over the past two days.
EU council chief Donald Tusk heaped pressure on the PM by urging her to take the 'rational solution' of an extension.
One proposal favoured in Brussels is a 21-month delay, which would essentially replace the transition period.
However, the PM suggested a postponement would only be possible for around two months, up to the European Parliamentary elections.
Mrs May said: 'Let me be clear, I do not want to see Article 50 extended.
'Our absolute focus should be on working to get a deal and leaving on 29 March.
'An extension beyond the end of June would mean the UK taking part in the European Parliament elections.
'What kind of message would that send to the more than 17 million people who voted to leave the EU nearly three years ago now?
'And the House should be clear that a short extension – not beyond the end of June – would almost certainly have to be a one-off.
'If we had not taken part in the European Parliament elections, it would be extremely difficult to extend again, so it would create a much sharper cliff edge in a few months' time.
'An extension cannot take no deal off the table. The only way to do that is to revoke Article 50, which I shall not do, or agree a deal.'
Mrs May refused to say how she would order her MPs to vote on March 13 and 14 despite emotional pleas from MPs.
Remain supporter Labour's Jess Phillips said she felt 'so enraged' about the 'complete and utter lack of bravery to do the right thing for our country',
The PM spent the morning locked in talks with ministers before heading to her latest House of Commons grilling
Mrs May refused to say how she would order her MPs to vote on March 13 and 14 despite emotional pleas from MPs
Labour's Jess Phillips (pictured in the Commons today )said she felt 'so enraged' about the 'complete and utter lack of bravery to do the right thing for our country'
She said she spent last week 'trying to put out the burning injustices that the Prime Minister's Government has started' in her area, adding: 'I will not sit one more day and listen to her crow about employment going up where where I live employment is falling and hunger is rising.
'I have one midwife for the entirety of my constituency currently. There are people in my constituency living in hotels and they have to move out because Crufts is coming to Birmingham.
'Will the Prime Minister do a brave thing and do once what is best for the country, not what is best for any of us - will she be brave and at least answer the question of my colleague, will she at least vote herself against no-deal?'
Labour MP Owen Smith - who backs a new referendum - said the Prime Minister had carried out a 'screeching U-turn' in allowing MPs to have a chance to vote against no-deal, asking: 'Could she be clear - because she hasn't been thus far - if we have that vote on March 12 or 13, will her Government be voting in favour of no-deal or against it?'
Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve, who opposes no deal, accused the PM of 'brow-beating' MPs into backing her deal, saying she should consider putting it to a public vote.
He said an extension of Article 50 would not change the Parliamentary arithmetic, which is not in favour of her Withdrawal Agreement, as it is a 'second-rate outcome for our country'.
A group of 23 Tory rebels met secretly at the Commons last night to discuss how to stop Britain leaving the EU without an agreement on March 29, with as many as 15 said to be ready to resign.
In an article for the Mail today, three of the ministers involved said they were prepared to back a Commons move tomorrow to force the Prime Minister to seek a Brexit delay if her deal is voted down.
Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory Sir Oliver Letwin said Mrs May's concession today was enough for them to withdraw their attempt to change the law to block no deal
Polls have suggested the public's views on Brexit have not shifted dramatically since 2016
Industry minister Richard Harrington, digital minister Margot James and energy minister Claire Perry 'implored' Mrs May to concede that Article 50 could be extended.
They warned bluntly that if she did not they 'will have no choice other than to join MPs of all parties and fellow ministers in acting in the national interest to prevent a disaster in less than five weeks that we may regret forever'.
The manoeuvring came as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was accused of 'cynical betrayal' after performing a U-turn and backing a second referendum – breaking a manifesto vow by his party.
This morning the Cabinet discussed the proposals for extending Article 50 if the PM's deal is voted down by MPs again.
Mrs May then formally unveiled the plan in a statement to Parliament this afternoon.
There would be two votes on March 12 - one on whether to proceed with no deal, and another on whether to extend Article 50.
It is not yet clear if the move will stave off the mass rebellion by ministers and avert a looming Commons defeat tomorrow over the motion put forward by Labour's Yvette Cooper and Tory Sir Oliver Letwin.
Their amendment would empower Parliament to force a Brexit delay on the Government.
Justice Secretary David Gauke (pictured right today) is thought to be ready to resign if the government does not rule out no deal. Liz Truss (left) is one of the Brexiteers in the Cabinet
Leading Remainers Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (left) and Business Secretary Greg Clark (right) were at Cabinet this morning
Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at his London home today) has upped pressure on Mrs May by lining up behind a second referendum
As many as 15 ministers could resign and vote for the motion unless Mrs May provides assurances on No Deal today, including anti-Brexit Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark.
Other Tories believed to be on the brink of resigning to stop No Deal include Scottish Secretary David Mundell, Defence minister Tobias Ellwood, Solicitor General Robert Buckland and Disabilities minister Sarah Newton. All are thought to have attended yesterday's Commons meeting.
Up to 25 Tory backbenchers are also threatening to back tomorrow's revolt. It means around 40 Tory rebels could vote against the Government which, with Opposition support, is more than enough to defeat Mrs May.
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom (left) is likely to resist any effort to delay the Brexit date. Education Secretary Damian Hinds (right) is a May loyalist
Brexiteer Penny Mordaunt was also at the gathering in Downing Street this morning
Industry minister Richard Harrington (left), digital minister Margot James (right) and energy minister Claire Perry 'implore' Mrs May to say that if there is no deal agreed by Parliament by March 13 then she must seek a way to extend Article 50
Other Tories believed to be on the brink of resigning to stop No Deal include Defence minister Tobias Ellwood, left. Energy minister Claire Perry, right, 'implores' Mrs May to say that if there is no deal agreed by Parliament by March 13 then she must seek a way to extend Article 50
At the weekend, Miss Rudd, Mr Clark and Mr Gauke made clear in the Mail that they opposed a No Deal departure and Brexit must be delayed unless there was a breakthrough on Mrs May's deal this week.
Tomorrow's vote would empower Parliament to force a Brexit delay on the Government if Mrs May has failed to get a deal passed by March 13.
The Prime Minister remains unconvinced that a delay to Brexit will help the process, warning yesterday that an extension of Article 50 'doesn't deliver a decision in Parliament and it doesn't deliver a deal.'
Speaking at an EU summit in Egypt where she held emergency Brexit talks with fellow leaders, Mrs May said progress was being made and a deal to take the UK out on March 29 remained 'within our grasp'.
But she refused to explicitly rule out a Brexit delay. One ally of the PM said: 'It's either accept the possibility of a delay or face a potentially heavy defeat in parliament and have it forced on you anyway.
'It isn't taking No Deal off the table – you still have to get a deal to do that.'
Another senior Tory said: 'If 20 ministers have to resign to force this through then they will, but it would have a catastrophic impact on the Government.'
One leading Remainer last night said: 'I don't want to resign but if I don't get the assurances I need from the PM then I will. The Government is not ready to leave without a deal next month – it would be irresponsible.
'There are enough of us who feel that way to get the Cooper amendment through and everyone knows that.'
We can't simply have No Deal, Theresa - a new devastating intervention by ministers Richard Harrington, Claire Perry and Margot James
Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, Claire Perry
Now that we know that there will be no parliamentary vote on a deal for Britain to exit the European Union until March 12 three things are clear.
First, if an agreement is not reached and endorsed by then, Britain would crash out on the most basic and disruptive terms on March 29.
Second, even if an agreement were to be reached by March 12, it would be too late to have it ratified by the European Council of Ministers, the UK Parliament and the European Parliament before Brexit day, just over a fortnight later.
Third, British businesses have been plunged into depths of uncertainty and dismay that is ruinous for the interests of the millions of working men and women whose livelihoods depend on the confidence of their employers.
The British Chambers of Commerce, representing small firms in every part of the UK said it is 'unbelievable' that there is just '17 days' notice for businesses, employees, investors and communities on what may be the biggest economic and trading change they face in a generation'.
We can't go on like this. All three facts point to the same conclusion: we must act immediately to ensure that we are not swept over the precipice on March 29.
The way to do that is to seek a short extension to Article 50 to allow the negotiations to be completed, the legislation to pass and for the panic that businesses face to subside.
It would not take No Deal off the table – only an agreed deal can do that. It would not affect the conduct of the negotiation – both sides are fully aware of the impossibility of ratifying a deal done after this week without an extension to Article 50.
But what it would do is to help save the jobs of thousands of people whose employers risk taking flight rather than putting up any longer with the enforced ignorance they have of how to trade with their most important suppliers and customers.
The best way to do this is for the Government to take a cool-headed, sensible step.
It should say that if there is no deal agreed, it will seek a way to extend Article 50 to avoid leaving with No Deal on March 29. It is a commitment that would be greeted with relief by the vast majority of MPs, businesses and their employees.
We implore the Government to take that step this week.
But if the Prime Minister is not able to make this commitment, we will have no choice other than to join MPs of all parties in the House of Commons, including fellow ministers, in acting in the national interest to prevent a disaster in less than five weeks' time that we may regret forever.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/02/26/brexit-can-be-delayed-if-deal-fails-may-tells-mps/
Main photo article Theresa May surrendered to a Remainer revolt today by promising that MPs will get a vote on whether to delay Brexit.
With negotiations deadlocked in Brussels and the clock running down, the PM told the Commons no deal would only happen with ‘explicit consent’ and it will get a chance ...
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/2019/02/26/12/10306376-6746049-image-a-31_1551185066418.jpg
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