12 December 2017

Financial Times: Theresa May faces Europhile revolt on EU withdrawal bill

Theresa May is fighting to avoid her first significant legislative defeat since becoming prime minister as pro-European Conservatives press her to agree to a full parliamentary vote on the terms of Brexit, even if there were no deal.

MPs will debate key amendments to the EU withdrawal bill, which sets the legal framework for Brexit, on Wednesday. Dominic Grieve, the former attorney-general who has tabled the key amendment, said there were enough potential Tory rebels to defeat the government and that he did not see “any possibility” of backing down.

The government has offered concessions, giving parliament more scrutiny over ministerial preparations for Brexit and agreeing to pass any exit deal with the EU as primary legislation. But it has not guaranteed that MPs would be able to vote on the deal before Brexit happens, in March 2019, or that they would have a vote in the eventuality of no exit deal being agreed, as Mr Grieve has requested.

Ahead of the vote, the Conservatives sought to strengthen their numbers in the Commons, restoring the whip to an MP who used racially abusive language earlier this year. Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot, said her language was “a mistake and I regret it unreservedly”.

The Conservatives and their allies, the Democratic Unionist party, have a working majority of 16 in the House of Commons, and can count on the support of up to 10 pro-Brexit Labour MPs. That means about 10 to 20 pro-EU Tories would have to rebel to defeat the government.

A defeat would dispel the rare unity that has broken out between the pro-European and pro-Brexit wings of the Tory party since Mrs May struck a divorce deal with the EU last week. Her government has previously lost on opposition day motions, which it argues are not binding, and conceded on other issues where it faced defeat before votes were held. [...]

Full article on Financial Times (subscription required)

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