Tory rebels battle PM in Brexit vote

TORY rebels have vowed to defeat the Government on its flagship Brexit legislation tonight unless ministers grant them a veto on the final deal with Brussels.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve, ringleader of a group of about 20 rebel MPs, said Theresa May faced a ‘real possibility’ of a Commons defeat unless she bows to his demands.

With Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP offering support, Mr Grieve claimed he had the necessary backing to force through his amendment giving MPs a ‘meaningful vote’ on the final Brexit deal.

‘I think there are quite a few who may support me – I think enough, if this comes to a vote, to defeat the Government,’ he said. ‘I think there is a real possibility that that will happen.’

Mr Grieve insisted he was not trying to stop Brexit and said he did not want to inflict a defeat on the Government. But he added: ‘I don’t see any possibility of my backing down on this at all…I don’t know whether I will be successful or not.’

Former party leader Iain Duncan Smith accused Mr Grieve and his supporters of grandstanding. ‘I think this is looking for ways to derail the Bill,’ he told the BBC’s World At One. ‘There comes a moment when really grandstanding has to stop. Tying the Government’s hands in the way that he would wish to tie them so early on is quite wrong.’

Ministers were last night divided on whether to face down the rebels or try to buy them off.

One Government source warned backing down would risk giving the rebels the chance to block Brexit at the last moment. ‘There can be no surrender on this,’ the source said.

‘We need to put the squeeze on them and see what they are made of. It will be tight, but when it comes to the crunch I suspect few of them will be willing to vote against the Government.’

But Downing Street hinted at a possible compromise. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: ‘What the MPs are asking for is clarity. We are looking at the amendment and will respond in due course.’

Brexit Secretary David Davis has already promised MPs the chance to vote on a piece of legislation implementing the final deal negotiated by Mrs May. But rebels claim powers in the Brexit legislation could let ministers push through the deal without Parliament’s approval.