Revolting Tories
Leaders dismiss PM deal plea amid oust threat
Insiders claim rebels have the 48-letter trigger for a no-confidence vote in May
THERESA May’s frantic tour of EU leaders ended in humiliation after they laughed off her call for more Brexit concessions.
The Prime Minister yesterday begged them to bail her out with deal changes to buy off Tory rebels.
It came amid speculation at Westminster that Mrs May will face a fresh bid from Brexiteers to oust her.
Senior Tory sources claimed the 48 letters needed for a vote of no-confidence had been reached, putting her premiership in jeopardy.
In heavy a blow to the PM’s Brexit plans, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said there was “no room whatsoever” to re-open the withdrawal agreement.
European Parliament leader Guy Verhofstadt added it was “out of the question” to renegotiate the controversial Irish backstop.
Mrs May faced further embarrassment when her car door got stuck as Angela Merkel stood waiting ahead of talks in Berlin. She, too, said there was “no way to change” the deal. Mrs May also met Dutch leader Mark Rutte in the Hague and later went to Brussels for talks with EU Council President Donald Tusk.
The PM insisted she was “just at the start of the negotiations”, adding: “What I am discussing with European leaders is how we can provide assurances that the backstop in Northern Ireland, were it to be used, will only be temporary.”
Cabinet Minister Andrea Leadsom said
Mrs May was seeking a legally binding change. But senior
Tories fear the tour is pointless as EU leaders do not believe Mrs May is serious about her threat of crashing out of the EU without a deal.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn branded the trip a “waste of public money”. It follows Mrs May shelving her Brexit vote to avoid defeat. No10 said it will happen before January 21.
Meanwhile, friends of Tory backbench chief Sir Graham Brady claimed the 48 letters for a no-confidence vote had not been reached. Other senior sources later claimed it had and Sir Graham asked to see Mrs May after today’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith hinted he could push for the vote if Mrs May failed to secure the legally binding exit clause to the backstop.
Ex-Brexit Minister Steve Baker, who submitted a letter, said: “The only way to change the policy is to change the PM.” Mrs May today flies to Dublin for crunch talks with Irish leader Leo Varadkar, then Brussels for tomorrow’s EU summit.
The only way to change to the policy is to change the PM STEVE BAKER, FORMER BREXIT MINISTER