MPS to try to pass Brexit delay bill in just one day

Cross-party team attempts to force Prime Minister to extend negotiating process to a date of her choosing

MPS launched another plan to delay Brexit by seizing control of Parliament again as John Bercow, the Speaker, was accused of allowing the “unconstitutional” plot to go ahead.

A cross-party group of senior MPS began an attempt to force Theresa May to stop a no-deal Brexit by tabling draft legislation requiring the Prime Minister to extend the negotiation process.

Following the failure of MPS to unite behind an alternative to her plan on Monday, the group, including Conservative grandee Sir Oliver Letwin and Labour’s Yvette Cooper, aims to push the bill through the Commons in a single day tomorrow.

The move was announced as Mrs May and her senior ministers gathered in Downing Street for a crisis session of the Cabinet to try to break the Brexit deadlock. No 10 made clear yesterday that leaving the EU without agreement in 10 days’ time remained the legal default unless MPS approved a deal.

But instead of initiating a third round of indicative votes today, when Parliament controls the Commons timetable, Sir Oliver will table a paving motion for approval by MPS which would allow debate and votes on Ms Cooper’s bill tomorrow.

The single-clause bill requires the Prime Minister to table a motion seeking MPS’ approval for an extension to the Article 50 process of Brexit talks to a date of her choosing.

The group behind the bill, which also includes Dame Caroline Spelman, the former party chairman; Hilary Benn, chairman of the Commons Brexit Committee; Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general; and Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat, aims to push it through all of its Commons stages in the hope the House of Lords would then approve it in time for an emergency EU summit on April 10.

Ms Cooper said: “We are now in a really dangerous situation with a serious and growing risk of no deal in 10 days’ time. The Prime Minister has a responsibility to prevent that happening.” She added: “For the sake of jobs, public services and our national security we need to avert no deal.”

Sir Oliver said: “This is a last-ditch attempt to prevent our country being exposed to the risks inherent in a nodeal exit. We realise this is difficult – but it is definitely worth trying.”

Sir Bill Cash, the veteran Tory chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, said he had “grave concerns” about the idea of a bill “effectively being rammed through in one day”. He said: “This is a reprehensible procedure … it is unconstitutional.

However, Mr Bercow defended the plans, saying: “I rather imagine anyone within a 50-mile radius of this place would be aware of your views on this important matter given the force and frequency with which you have raised them.

“The House voted to give precedence tomorrow to a business of the House motion which has not yet been tabled. So we await that.

“Although this is an unusual state of affairs, it is not unknown for a bill to be pushed through the House in one day,” he said.