BREXIT REBELS THREAT TO TOPPLE PM
Cross ‘red lines’ and we’ll bring govt down say Brexiteer Tories
SENIOR Tory MPs have made clear they are prepared to bring down Theresa May’s government if she compromises on Brexit.
Ahead of Friday’s crucial summit with her warring Cabinet, pro-Brexit MPs – including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson – defended Jacob Rees-Mogg after he warned of a coup if Mrs May
breaches her Brexit red lines. The backbencher was criticised by several Tories, including Mr Johnson’s Foreign Office deputy Sir Alan Duncan who accused Mr Rees-Mogg of “insolence”.
But as one former minister warned pro-Brexit MPs “are ready and willing to pull the trigger”. Mr Johnson openly supported Mr Rees-Mogg, tweeting: “It’s vital that all MPs are able to air their views on Brexit.
“Whatever your position, I hope we can all agree Jacob Rees-Mogg is a principled and dedicated MP who wants the best for our country.”
At the Prime Minister’s Chequers country retreat on Friday, Mrs May aims to hammer out with her Cabinet an agreed position on future customs relations with the EU.
But a senior Tory MP said: “We could find the government collapses on Friday night.
“If she crosses the Brexit red lines, and it looks like she is going to, then the Brexiteers will withdraw their support for her and Boris, [Brexit secretary] David Davis and the other Brexit ministers will walk.”
One former minister said: “MPs are ready and willing to pull the trigger. Friday looks as though it could be the day that decides the Prime Minister’s fate.”
Mrs May yesterday faced a string of questions from pro-Brexit Tories concerned about her strategy. In Commons exchanges after she made a statement on last week’s Brussels summit with other EU leaders, the Prime Minister sought to reassure MPs talks with Brussels had made good progress and that she was committed to delivering a clean Brexit deal that let Britain regain control over its destiny and strike new trade deals with countries around the world.
It came after Mr Rees-Mogg warned the PM she was in danger of splitting the party like predecessor Sir Robert Peel, who plunged the Tories into the political wilderness for nearly three decades in the 19th century following bitter divisions over trade reforms.
The chairman of the European Research Group of Brexit-backing Tories wrote: “At least he did so for a policy that works. At Chequers [Mrs May] must stick to her righteous cause and deliver what she has said she would, she must use her undoubted grace to persevere.”
The reference to Peel was interpreted as a threat, because that PM was removed from office after defying his party. And yesterday’s Daily Express revealed a £750,000 leadership campaign fund has been set up by Mr Rees-Mogg’s supporters to prepare for Mrs May’s overthrow.
The fund is the latest evidence that Brexiteers are ready to seize control of the Conservative Party and install Mr Rees-Mogg to save a so-called hard Brexit.
Concerns grew after leaks suggested Mrs May’s key Brexit adviser Olly Robbins has said the UK will have to choose between a Norwaystyle trade deal or a Canada-type version, as Brussels continues to dig in its heels.
He is reportedly “leaning towards” a Norway-style option, under which Britain would stay in the single market and accept Brussels rules – with no say in making them.
Mrs May last night denied being ready to accept such an option.
There are also reports that Downing Street has drawn up a “third way” option on customs to present to ministers, in a bid to break the deadlock between her preferred option and that favoured by Brexiteers.
The issue is seen as crucial to avoiding the restoration of a “hard border” between Northern Ireland and its EU neighbour Ireland. Some Cabinet ministers are said to be furious at being kept in the dark about the existence of a third model.
Downing Street last night remained tight-lipped.
MP and Grassroots Out founder Peter Bone said: “I don’t trust anything called ‘the third way’ after the Tony Blair years.
“The Prime Minister just needs to get on with it and give us the Brexit the people of Britain voted for, which is maintaining her red lines of no to the customs union, no to the single market and no to rulings from European Court of Justice.”
Mrs May yesterday held nearly 90 minutes of talks in Downing Street with her political allies the Democratic Unionist Party.
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border issue was discussed but Mrs May did not go into any details, beyond insisting she would not let the UK be broken up “economically, politically or constitutionally”.
Mrs May staunchly rejects an EU “backstop” proposal to keep Ulster in the customs union if another solution is not found in time, effectively drawing a border between it and the rest of the UK.
Mr Dodds stressed that his party, which supports Mrs May’s minority government in crucial votes in the House of Commons, gave no-one “blank cheques”.