May to face down fierce critics after Cabinet discord over transition
THERESA MAY will today try to face down her fiercest critics at a meeting in Parliament after a “heated” debate with her Cabinet about Brexit.
Yesterday’s Cabinet was dominated by no-deal preparations, and Mrs May was challenged by more than half a dozen “impassioned” ministers to set an end-date so that Britain does not remain in a customs union indefinitely after a 21-month transition period.
Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, warned that if Britain did not agree a deal and left purely under the terms of Article 50, it would be like being stuck in Dante’s “first circle of hell”.
Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, is understood to have spoken very forcefully about how the UK could not be stuck in an indefinite backstop.
But David Lidington, Mrs May’s effective deputy, warned that the Government had to get Brexit right.
Ministers heard that the Department for Transport is considering new rollon-roll-off ferry services to bring in emergency food and medicines in the event of a no-deal.
This is because of fears that France could impose new customs controls, cutting traffic levels on the busy Dovercalais route by more than 80 per cent.
One idea could involve empty lorries travelling through Dover and Calais – roughly 30 per cent are not carrying any cargo – being waved through without checks “to reduce queues”.
The Financial Times reported last night that Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, has discussed the possibility of chartering ships to bring supplies into other British ports. Mrs May agreed ministers will now receive weekly updates to discuss progress towards a deal and a no-deal from Dominic Raab, the Brexit Secretary. Previously Cabinet has discussed nodeal preparations only at Chequers in July and at a meeting last month.
Donald Tusk, the European Council president, was ready to call a special Brexit summit if there were “decisive” progress in negotiations, she said.
The Government was working “intensively” to find a way forward on the backstop, which the EU is demanding to keep the Irish border open, she said.
Last night, it was revealed that plans are being considered that would tie the UK to the EU for years, according to leaked cabinet papers seen by The Times. A Downing Street spokesman said the plans were “nothing more than a partial reflection of advice to ministers”.
Hours after yesterday’s meeting, Downing Street said Mrs May would attend the weekly meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPS.
Her decision to attend comes despite one MP telling a Sunday tabloid that she should “bring her own noose”.
Last night, at least one MP said they were considering challenging Mrs May directly to quit to spark a change of direction on Brexit.
The Daily Telegraph understands that an MP from the 2017 intake yesterday submitted a letter of no confidence.
Writing on The Telegraph’s website, Andrea Jenkyn says: “The Prime Minister should not feel our pity, they should feel our support and that’s why, with heavy heart, I say it’s time to stand aside for the good of our country.”
Friends of Sir Graham Brady, the committee’s chairman, played down claims that the necessary 48 Tory MPS had formally contacted him to trigger the vote of no confidence.