Cameron’s ‘fixer’ brokers Brexit peace deal
Sir Oliver Letwin heads off Tory rebellion over leaving date with amendment to allow greater flexibility
‘I’m confident that the Government will accept it. This is not something I’ve just dreamed up in the bath’
DAVID CAMERON’S former “fixer” last night brokered a potential peace deal between Theresa May and Tory rebels that could avoid a second Brexit rebellion in the space of a week.
The Prime Minister is understood to be willing to accept a compromise proposed by Sir Oliver Letwin over the Brexit date being enshrined in law following talks with both sides. An amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill tabled by Sir Oliver would enable Mrs May to save face by keeping the Brexit date of March 29 2019 on the Bill, while also allowing Parliament to vote to change the official Brexit date if negotiations with Brussels over-run.
Sir Oliver said last night he was “absolutely confident” his amendment would be passed when it is put to a vote next Wednesday.
Crucially, his amendment was cosigned by Bernard Jenkin, one of the most vocal Eurosceptics on the Tory backbenches, and Jeremy Lefroy, one of the Tories who was planning to rebel. Dominic Grieve, the rebels’ ringleader and a former attorney general, last night gave his support to the plan, and Government sources indicated Mrs May was receptive to the idea, though one Tory rebel described it as a “serious step down for the Prime Minister”.
Mrs May, who suffered her first Parliamentary defeat on Brexit this week when 11 Tory rebels joined Labour in demanding a “meaningful vote” on the final deal with Brussels, had been facing a second defeat after the mutineers said the Brexit date must not appear on the Bill.
They argue that enshrining Brexit day in law will give the Government no flexibility, meaning Britain could crash out without a deal if negotiations with the EU over-run by a matter of days or weeks.
Sir Oliver’s amendment allows for the date of Brexit to be changed by Parliament if necessary, mirroring the process for extending the Brexit negotiations, which can only be done if all 28 EU member states agree to extend the two-year period specified under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Sir Oliver told The Daily Telegraph: “It means that the date remains on the face of the Bill but if the UK Government or the EU uses the Article 50 process to create extra time for negotiations then the Government doesn’t have to start all over again.”
Sir Oliver was David Cameron’s policy chief and is a former chairman of the Conservative Research Department.
He no longer holds any official position within the party, but remains one of the most influential voices on the backbenches.
He added: “I’ve talked to Dominic Grieve and he and his friends are likely to be content with it. I haven’t spoken to anyone in Downing Street but I’m confident that the Government will accept it. This is not something I’ve just dreamed up in the bath.”
Government sources said they were “looking closely” at the amendment but had not yet accepted it.
Vicky Ford, a Conservative MP who came close to rebelling this week before deciding to vote with the Government, said: “I hope that there is some flexibility and I know that the Government is listening.
“We should try and get this all resolved over the next few days so that we can all go away for Christmas and then get down to the hard work of getting this trade deal agreed.”