MAY SAYS BREXIT DEAL DEFEAT COULD TOPPLE UK GOVT
Prime Minister Theresa May warned on Sunday that parliament’s rejection of her Brexit deal could leave Britain in the European Union and bring the opposition to power. The leader’s message came with her government fearing a defeat on Tuesday of the draft withdrawal agreement she signed with Brussels.
With two days to go for the crucial Brexit vote in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday cautioned her own and opposition MPs that the UK will be thrown into “uncharted waters” if the withdrawal agreement is rejected.
There will be “grave uncertainty”, May said, if on Tuesday the British parliament doesn’t pass May’s agreement secured from Brussels after over two years of negotiations following the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union.
For different reasons, over 100 ruling Conservative MPs have declared their intention to vote against the agreement, besides the opposition Labour, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party and the Northern Irelandbased Democratic Unionist Party, which is propping up the minority May government.
Westminster is abuzz with reports that May is likely to resign on Wednesday if the vote is rejected the previous day.
Esther McVey, who resigned from May’s cabinet last week, said it would be “very difficult” for May to stay on in the aftermath.
After canvassing support across the country over the last week, May told The Mail on Sunday that the UK “would truly be in uncharted waters” if the deal is voted down. “It would mean grave uncertainty for the nation with a very real risk of no Brexit,” she said.
“We have a leader of the opposition who thinks of nothing but attempting to bring about a general election, no matter what the cost to the country...I believe Jeremy Corbyn getting his hands on power is a risk we cannot afford to take.”
Addressing her MPs, she said, “If you want Brexit, make sure you get it, and that’s about this deal.”