Defeat looms as date branded ‘idiotic’

Theresa May is facing defeat on her “idiotic” plan to enshrine the Brexit date in law as up to 27 Tory MPs could rebel, one of the proposal’s leading critics has said.

Downing Street said the prime minister will not back down over her demand for March 29 2019 to be fixed in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

But former attorney general Dominic Grieve said there were “at least half a dozen to potentially a dozen more” rebels than the 15 labelled “Brexit mutineers” by the Daily Telegraph who could oppose the move in a Commons vote.

A rebellion of 27 Tory MPs would almost certainly

“It’s rather like hoisting a flag and anchoring yourself to it”

lead to defeat for the government even if pro-Brexit Labour MPs vote for the date to be put in law.

The Beaconsfield MP said he hoped the government would compromise but the PM’s official spokesman said that while she would “listen to parliament” it was important to provide certainty about the date of the UK’s departure from the bloc.

Mr Grieve said: “It’s completely mad because it doesn’t allow for the possibility of the need for last-minute changes and adjustments.

“It’s a totem, it’s rather like hoisting a flag and anchoring yourself to it, it’s just completely idiotic.”

Asked how many MPs could rebel, he said: “Well 15 have signed the letter to the Daily Telegraph in response to their photographs having appeared on the front page.

“Actually there are more.

“I think there are at least half a dozen to potentially a dozen more who might take the view.”