MAY SEEKS HONOURABLE COMPROMISE
BREXIT ENDGAME: UK PRIME MINISTER HAS BEEN MEETING GROUP OF MPS
LONDON : If renewed talks with rebel Conservative MPS and other allies succeed, Prime Minister Theresa May will introduce the EU withdrawal agreement for the third time in the House of Commons next week, hoping it will pass before the European Council summit on Thursday.
May is due to attend what could be her last summit as leader of an EU member-state. The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, but even if the deal is passed next week, the exit date will have to be extended to allow time to pass necessary legislation. Seeking an ‘honourable compromise’, May on Sunday told rebel MPS that failure to pass the agreement would mean the UK not leaving the EU “for many months, if ever”. Ministers said the agreement may not be reintroduced if minds do not change soon.
Chancellor Philip Hammond told Sunday TV shows that even if the agreement musters a majority, a short extension will be needed: “It is physically impossible to leave on 29 March, but we would be able to leave very soon”.
“But if we are unable to do that - if we are unable to bring a majority together to support what in my view is a very good deal for Britain - then we will have to look at a longer extension and we are in uncharted territory,” he said.
Asked if a vote would be sought on the agreement next week, he told BBC it would depend on the growth in support from among the MPS who voted against it in January and last week, including the Democratic Unionist Party that is propping up the minority May government. “We will only bring the deal back if we are confident that enough of our colleagues and the DUP are prepared to support it so we can get it through Parliament. We are not just going to keep presenting it if we haven’t moved the dial.”
Holding the prospect of Brexit not happening at all, May has been meeting groups of MPS and used an article in The Sunday Telegraph to try and change minds. Some rebels have indicated they would now support the agreement by “holding the nose”, if only to ensure the UK leaves the EU on March 29. Opposition Labour seeking support for the idea that the agreement could be supported subject to a new ‘confirmatory referendum’.