Mayday! Theresa calls Leo as deal vote nears

‘No.10 had hoped to shift the mood’

BRITISH prime minister Theresa May spoke last night with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, after the British side sought the call on the eve of a defining week for her career and the whole of the UK.

Mr Varadkar welcomed her determination to see her draft Brexit deal through to a ‘Meaningful Vote’ in the Commons tomorrow night, which she is expected to lose and which could cost her her job.

The conversation, at about 7pm last night, lasted for at least ten minutes as Ms May and the Fine Gael leader discussed the current situation on Brexit, including the planned vote in Westminster tomorrow.

Ms May continues to share Ireland’s belief that a EU customs deal for Northern Ireland is necessary to preserve the peace dividend achieved by the Good Friday Agreement.

They also discussed preparations for this week’s European Council and looked forward to seeing each other in Brussels on Thursday.

The British side sought the call ahead of tomorrow’s crucial House of Commons vote.

The Taoiseach’s spokesman did answer a query as to whether she might have been discussing alternatives to the existing ‘backstop’ deal for Northern Ireland, in anticipated of her deal being voted down.

Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin thanked European colleagues for their solidarity on the proposed Northern Ireland deal.

Speaking after the Party of European Socialists (PES) bloc meeting in Lisbon, he said: ‘Our friends from across Europe have assured me of their continued support for Ireland’s non-negotiable requirement for the border to remain open. There is likewise great solidarity for the working people of the UK, who are currently being led down a path that will make them poorer.’

With opponents of the EU-UK deal focusing on the Irish border backstop, there is a real risk it could be diluted, he warned.

It could occur over time as the UK moves further and further away from EU rules and regulations once outside the bloc, he said.

Mr Howlin said the views of hardline Brexiteers such as Priti Patel, in attempting to use economic leverage to undermine Ireland’s position on the border backstop, underlined ‘how these Tory politicians are not interested in mutually beneficial negotiation or sensible compromise’.

They were instead wedded to their extreme view of how the UK should go it alone in the world, he said.

Meanwhile, Ms May was on the brink of delaying the vote on her Brexit deal last night as she also held talks with Donald Tusk, the European Council president, in a final bid to secure concessions from Brussels.

The British prime minister is due to consult the chief whip and senior colleagues this morning before taking a final decision on whether to go ahead with tomorrow’s vote.

But amid warnings that she faces a humiliating defeat, it is understood she is now most likely to delay and head back to Brussels in hope of a better deal.

Dozens of Tories have told her they will not back any agreement which does not include a time limit on the controversial Irish backstop, or a mechanism to allow Britain to leave unilaterally.

No.10 had hoped to shift the mood of MPs before tomorrow’s vote on the agreement.

However, it appeared clear last night that few had changed their mind and that without further changes, the UK government is heading for a heavy defeat.

At the same time, Downing Street fears that pushing ahead with the vote could lead to more letters of no-confidence from Tory MPs. If the number reaches 48, a no-confidence vote would follow.

Last night Mr Tusk tweeted: ‘I had a phone call with PM Theresa May. It will be an important week for the fate of Brexit.’

Yesterday, senior Eurosceptics effectively began openly pitching for Ms May’s job, with Boris Johnson and Esther McVey taking to the TV studios to urge the PM to go back to Brussels and secure a better deal.