May warned of mass revolt by Tory MPs unhappy over no deal
THERESA MAY has been warned she could face a mass revolt of Conservative MPs if the country appears on course for a no-deal Brexit.
The leaders of the 100-strong Brexit Delivery Group of moderate Conservatives wrote to Chief Whip Julian Smith setting out widespread discontent at the prospect of a no-deal departure.
Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy, one of the group’s leaders, said dozens of his colleagues would be prepared to vote for measures to delay the March 29 exit date if the “intransigence” of hard-line Brexiteers meant Mrs May’s deal was again rejected by MPs.
Fresh Brexit talks have been scheduled for early next week as Mrs May heads towards another Commons showdown on her EU withdrawal stance. In comments apparently aimed at the European
Research Group (ERG) of Brexiteers, Mr Percy warned they risked the prospect of Brexit not happening at all unless they compromised and backed a deal.
“Some of my colleagues have got to recognise that the game they have thus far been playing with regards to this whole process is not going to end well for them and could potentially end with the delaying of, perhaps even no Brexit – which some of us have spent a lot of our parliamentary and political careers campaigning for,” he said.
Any move by members of the Brexit Delivery Group would be contingent on it becoming clear any revised deal brought back to the Commons would not be passed.
In their letter, leaked to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Percy and coleader Simon Hart urged the Government to consider a free vote so that the MPs could express their views without the damage of a rebellion.
Former Tory leader Lord Howard dismissed suggestions that Brexit should be delayed and insisted warnings about the impact of a no-deal departure had been exaggerated.