Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Shutdown defeat for May over Brexit plan
But PM ‘ready to back no-deal’
THE Government suffered a punishing blow last night as MPS fought to ensure a no-deal Brexit is taken off the table.
The move to restrict the Treasury’s taxation powers in the event of no deal was won by 303 votes to 296.
The cross-party amendment to the finance bill, backed by 20 Tory rebels, was the first attempt to obstruct legislation before Brexit Day.
It came as Cabinet Brexiteers revealed they believe Theresa May will back a no-deal Brexit if her own deal falls. And the PM acknowledged for the first time she could lose next Tuesday’s crunch vote.
A senior Cabinet minister told the Mirror the PM feels it is her responsibility to deliver the UK’S departure from the EU “come what may”.
Mrs May told her Cabinet she would “move quickly” if the deal failed but she did not set out her plans beyond that.
One Cabinet minister said: “There was a real sense that we’re boxed in. Every option was raised and then roundly quashed.”
The PM has said in the past no deal could be catastrophic.
If she backed it she would face dozens of ministerial resignations.
More than
40 Tory MPS have indicated they would try to stop it. Welfare secretary Amber Rudd warned: “History will take a dim view of a Cabinet that presses ahead with no deal.” Earlier, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay insisted the UK will leave the EU on March 29 despite claims it could extend Article 50.
Another Cabinet minister told the Mirror they were prepared to delay five bills in order to deliver Brexit.
Meanwhile, the Government has launched radio adverts to prepare the public for a no-deal scenario. The clips asked questions about leaving the EU but failed to answer them.