May to make last-ditch plea to MPs on Brexit deal
Prime Minister Theresa May spent Monday ramping up warnings to MPs poised to reject her EU divorce deal that failing to deliver Brexit would be “catastrophic” for British democracy.
On the eve of Tuesday’s monumental vote in parliament on her withdrawal agreement – forged from 18 months of gruelling negotiations with European leaders – May is set to address factory workers in Stoke, a Brexit-backing city in central England.
The embattled leader, expected to widely lose the House of Commons vote, will make a final bid for support by warning Brexit-supporting MPs that they risk sabotaging the whole process, and reminding EU supporters of their democratic responsibilities. “We all have a duty to implement the result of the referendum,” she was to say, according to extracts released early. “I ask MPs to consider the consequences of their actions on the faith of the UK people in our democracy.”
May is also set to make a statement to parliament, setting out reassurances from Brussels over contentious aspects of the deal, although there is little prospect of her unveiling anything with legal force.
Leave-supporting MPs fear one provision in the deal for a “backstop”, designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, would keep Britain indefinitely tied into a form of EU customs union.
Britain is set to leave the EU on March 29 but, with 11 weeks left, has yet to finalise the terms of its departure.
May’s deal agrees a 21-month transition period under current terms while the future relationship with the bloc is negotiated, but it has drawn steadfast opposition from both Brexiteers and Remainers.
The prime minister has said rejecting it will throw Britain into “uncharted territory” and put the country at risk of crashing out without an agreement, or no Brexit at all.
The opposition Labour Party, which favours remaining in a permanent customs union with the EU, has suggested it will seek a no-confidence vote in the government if MPs throw out the plan. If government loses a noconfidence motion, there will be a period of 14 days in which parties can try find an alternative working majority in parliament. Failing that, a general election would be called.
“We will table a motion of no confidence in the government at a time of our choosing, but it’s going to be soon,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said.
Corbyn conceded that, if the party won power, parliament would likely need to delay Brexit beyond March 29 so it could renegotiate the withdrawal agreement.
Lawmakers who believe the deal leaves Britain either too close or too distant from the bloc fired ominous warning shots this week, voting to force May to quickly set out an alternative plan for Brexit if she loses the vote. –