May refuses to say if Government has been told Article 50 can be reversed

‘I have made clear that we have no intention of revoking Article 50’

THERESA MAY repeatedly refused to disclose whether the Government has been told it can reverse Article 50 last night, as remain-backing Labour MPS demanded she publish the guidance.

Asked five times in the House of Commons to confirm reports that ministers have been advised the process could be reversed, Mrs May said: “I have made clear that we have no intention of revoking that [Article 50]”.

Labour sources believe Mrs May has been told by lawyers that the process can be halted to prevent the UK from leaving the EU altogether if there is no deal at the end of negotiations. One MP said that knowing the UK can “stop the clock” would allow Mrs May to avoid a “damaging” no deal scenario.

But pro-brexit MPS fear the questions betray a plot to derail leaving the EU, after Labour refused to rule out holding a second referendum.

During the Article 50 Supreme Court case, both legal teams agreed to proceed on the basis that the decision is not reversible but did not issue their own guidance.

Lord Kerr, the architect of Article 50, believes it is reversible while Liz Truss the former justice secretary, has claimed it is not. David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, has refused to state either way.

Asked by Ben Bradshaw, a former Labour minister, if she understood that “if necessary it is possible to halt Article 50”, Mrs May said the Government “made clear that we have no intention of revoking that”.

Chris Leslie, the former shadow chancellor, pushed Mrs May on the issue and asked her “to clarify her answer to [Mr Bradshaw] as he wasn’t asking about policy, he was asking a straightforward question.”

The Prime Minister replied: “The position in relation to the revocation of Article 50 was addressed by the Supreme Court.” She later added she would not comment on legal advice issued to the Government as she was not allowed to do so.

It came as Mrs May laid down the gauntlet to Brussels and insisted the UK is preparing for “every eventuality”.