May gets ready to make further concessions to beat off rebellion
Divisions grow over Brexit bill among MPs
THERESA MAY has signalled that ministers are prepared to make further concessions on Brexit legislation amid reports that a rebellion by disgruntled Tory MPs is gaining momemtum.
Addressing the Commons in the wake of the first of several late-night debates on the EU Withdrawal Bill, Mrs May said the Government was “listening carefully” to those who have expressed concerns.
Her comments follow a number of heated exchanges by MPs across the House, with divisions emerging in both major parties.
The Government has already made a minor concession on calls for Parliament to be guaranteed a vote on the final deal with the EU, but it is facing a fresh challenge over attempts to fix the exact date of Brexit in law.
According to reports, up to 21 Tory MPs are threatening to rebel over this amendment, including former Business Minister Anna Soubry, the former Attorney General Dominic Grieve and the former Chancellor Ken Clarke.
The Telegraph came under fire yesterday after it published the images of 15 of these MPs on its front page under the headline “Brexit Mutineers”.
This gave rise to accusations of “bullying”, with Ms Soubry revealing that her office had reported at least five threatening tweets following its publication. Senior Conservatives also condemned “media attempts to divide” the party, while the Speaker of the House, John Bercow, dismissed any attempt to threaten or intimidate MPs as “repugnant” and “doomed to fail”.
In an apparent defence of his backbench colleagues, the proBrexit MP Michael Tomlinson used yesterday’s PMQs to ask Mrs May whether she agreed that it was the duty of members of Parliament to scrutinise the Bill and debate “considered amendments which seek to improve (it)”.
The Prime Minister replied that there were “strong views held... on both sides of (the) House” and it was “right and proper” for MPs to engage in “lively debate”.
She went on to defend the Government’s efforts to enshrine the date of Britain’s exit in legislation, stressing that the UK “will be leaving the European Union on the 29 March 2019”.
However, hinting that there may be room for compromise on other aspects of the Bill, she also told MPs that the Government is “listening carefully to those who wish to improve the Bill” and to “the contributions that are being made”.
Later that afternoon Mrs May met with the German MEP and ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Manfred Weber.
Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Weber warned that it was unlikely that European leaders will give the go ahead for the next phase of Brexit talks when they meet to discuss progress next month.
He repeated this warning again yesterday when he called on the UK to spell out which financial obligations to the EU it is prepared to honour. He told reporters: “The most important thing is not the figure .... (it is) the areas where Great Britain has to see its commitments”.
The Prime Minister also met with representatives of some of the country’s most successful tech firms as she offered assurances about access to talent and investment after Brexit.
It followed the unveiling of a £60m package of support for the industry and plans to double the number of visas available for “exceptionally” workers in the digital sector, sciences or the arts.
Mrs May told the group that although many people had predicted “real problems” after the referendum vote last year, recent investment figures demonstrated the strength of the sector.
Addressing them alongside Philip Hammond, she also reaffirmed her commitment to securing a “comprehensive and ambitious trade agreement”.