Furious MPs confront May over Brexit talks amid shouts of ‘liar’
PM tells MPs to hold their nerve amid claims she is ‘running down the clock’
ANGRY MPS rounded on Theresa May in a heated Commons debate yesterday, as she appealed for more time to get concessions on her Brexit deal from Brussels.
The Prime Minister urged colleagues to “hold their nerves” despite the deadlock over Brexit and insisted Britain would be leaving the EU on 29 March even if Commons rules had to be broken achieve the departure on time.
But Mrs May’s statement prompted angry outbursts from MPs, with SNP leader Ian Blackford narrowly avoiding being thrown out by the Speaker for branding her a “liar”.
In highly-charged scenes, he was ordered to withdraw the remark – which is banned under parliamentary convention. Mr Blackford called the Prime Minister a “liar” after she told the MPs the Government had published an economic analysis of her Brexit deal.
Elsewhere in the debate, Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn tore into
Mrs May over her refusal to rule out a no-deal Brexit.
He said: “While strength in pursuit of a principle is to be admired, inflexibility and denial in the face of the facts is not, especially when the future of the country is at stake.
He added: “I do not believe that the Prime Minister would do that to our country... so why does she continue to pretend she might?”
PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has been accused of “running down the clock” on Brexit as she set out plans to short circuit parliamentary rules in order to get a deal ratified in time for the UK to leave the EU on March 29.
Mrs May told MPs that she would enable the House of Commons to lift a requirement for a 21-day cooling off period following any vote to approve an international treaty.
The announcement came as Mrs May urged MPs to “hold their nerve” and support her efforts to secure a withdrawal deal which will deliver Brexit on time.
In a statement updating the Commons on progress in talks, Mrs May acknowledged she would need “some time” to seek legally-binding changes from the EU to the controversial Irish backstop – an emergency plan to keep the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic open after Brexit.
She also confirmed that she will table an amendable motion for debate tomorrow, seeking the House’s continued support for her to demand “alternative arrangements” to maintain an border in the region.
This will give MPs the chance to vote on their own alternative Brexit plans, which could include delaying the exit date beyond 29 March.
In her statement, the Prime Minister pledged to return on February 26 with a further update – triggering another debate and votes the following day – if she has not secured a deal by then. If a deal is agreed, MPs will have a second meaningful vote, like the one in January which saw Mrs May’s original plan rejected by a record-breaking 230 votes.
The February 27 votes are expected to come shortly after Mrs May’s planned meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, at which changes or additions to the Withdrawal Agreement could be agreed.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn suggested Mrs May was “running down the clock” on Brexit in the hope that MPs will be “blackmailed” by the fear of a no-deal outcome into supporting “a deeply flawed deal”.
“This is an irresponsible act,” he said. “She is playing for time and playing with people’s jobs, our economic security and the future of our industry.”
With 45 days to go, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve warned that time was running perilously short for ratification of any deal under the terms of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act.
The Act, passed by the coalition government in 2010, requires 21 sitting days before the ratification of any international treaty.
But Mrs May responded: “In most circumstances, that period may be important in order for this House to have an opportunity to study that agreement. But of course, in this instance MPs will already have debated and approved the agreement as part of the meaningful vote.
“So while we will follow normal procedure if we can, where there is insufficient time remaining following a successful meaningful vote, we will make provision in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill – with Parliament’s consent – to ensure that we are able to ratify on
time to guarantee our exit in an orderly way.”
Earlier, Mr Corbyn had come under fire over his own Brexit stance, with campaign group Led by Donkeys posting a critical advert in his north London constituency.
The billboard featured a blank tweet, which the protesters said symbolised his lack of leadership on Brexit.
Confronting the Labour leader on social media, the group said: “Jezza, this poster was put up more in sorrow than anger. Time is running out... Listen to your members.”