Gove backing May to end cabinet Brexodus
THERESA May stemmed the cabinet ‘Brexodus’ yesterday as Michael Gove, Penny Mordaunt and Chris Grayling indicated they would stay – for now.
Mr Gove, who turned down the job of Brexit Secretary after Dominic Raab quit, finally announced he was staying in the British cabinet after considering for 36 hours about whether he could support Mrs May’s draft agreement with Brussels.
Ms Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling also ended speculation by indicating they would stay in post to fight for better exit terms.
Dominic Raab and Esther McVey sparked fears of a ‘Brexodus’ that could bring down the Mrs May when they quit hours after a stormy cabinet meeting on Wednesday approved Mrs May’s proposals. Downing Street then feared Mr Gove, Ms Mordaunt and Mr Grayling would all resign, potentially making Mrs May’s position untenable.
But Tory sources yesterday said all three ministers, along with Commons leader Andrea Leadsom and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox had agreed an informal pact to push Mrs May to rethink elements of her plans. Mrs Leadsom is expected to convene a meeting of the five to discuss tactics. A cabinet source said the five were determined to secure improvements to the Ireland backstop – which could see all the UK locked into a customs union after Brexit – without the unilateral right to leave. The five could still quit if, as expected, Mrs May digs in.
The source said: ‘There will be discussions over the weekend or Monday to decide how they can get this deal into a better place before considering their next steps. Whether that is possible remains to be seen.’
And Mrs May took personal charge of negotiations with Brussels last night as she appointed an unknown junior minister as her third Brexit Secretary in four months. In a surprise move, junior health minister Stephen Barclay was promoted to the cabinet to take over from Mr Raab, who quit this week in protest at Mrs May’s Brexit agreement.
Informal pact to push for rethink
Sources said Mr Barclay will take on a slimmed-down role, with Mrs May taking personal charge of the final stage of the Brexit negotiations. The former banker, who backed Leave in the 2016 referendum, will not be involved in talks with Brussels, but will instead focus on domestic preparations.
Other ministers to voice concerns about aspects of the draft agreement at the cabinet meeting could be invited to join the meeting of five and these may include Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Gavin Williamson and Geoffrey Cox.
The lack of a unilateral exit clause from the backstop is one of the most contentious elements in the withdrawal agreement, with even Mrs May acknowledging there are concerns.
Steve Baker, shop steward for the European Research Group of Brexiteer Tories, yesterday piled fresh pressure on ministers.
He said: ‘You can’t be a plausible leadership candidate if you stay in Cabinet.’
But Dr Fox, who is a close ally of Mrs May, said: ‘I hope that we all take a rational and reasonable view of this. We are not elected to do what we want. We are elected to do what’s in the national interest.
‘Ultimately I hope that across Parliament we’ll recognise that a deal is better than no deal.
Downing Street yesterday made it clear there was no prospect of the agreement being redrawn ahead of an emergency summit in Brussels on November 25.
Mrs May’s official spokesman said: ‘The focus is now on the future framework.’
Downing Street also ruled out giving MPs a free vote on the final Brexit agreement, which has been a key demand of Ms Mordaunt.
Mr Gove’s decision to stay came after 36 hours of soul-searching.
Friends said he had been ‘tortured’ about what to do.
But one Brexiteer delivered a scathing verdict on his decision to stay in the cabinet, saying: ‘Michael’s wrestling bouts with his conscience constitute the longest winning-streak in British sporting history.’