May edges toward Brexit-bill compromise
Theresa May’s government is in advanced talks to head off a rebellion by pro-European members of her Conservative Party, edging toward a deal on Brexit that could hold her divided party together through a week of perilous voting.
Brexit Secretary David Davis gave his backing to a compromise amendment on customs arrangements with the EU late Monday, according to a person familiar with the talks, but it wasn’t yet clear that the government had managed to see off all possible challenges from its own ranks. Ms. May’s Brexit legislation goes to Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday and rebels had been plotting to defeat her and force her to maintain closer trading ties to the bloc.
An agreement is being hashed out that could see the government backing an amendment calling for the U.K. to have a customs “arrangement” with the EU after the split, according to Brexit Minister Steve Baker. Leading Conservatives on both ends of the Brexit spectrum said they are ready to back the wording, which sounds vague enough to please everybody, and the official said that Mr. Davis will put his name to it.
If a deal is made, it’s a major relief for Ms. May, buying her time and showing she is capable of uniting her party, if only temporarily. Ms. May faces pro-EU rebels on one side and pro-Brexit campaigners on the other and both potentially have the power to oust her.
Ms. May’s position has been looking increasingly precarious, leading some pro-EU rebels to hint last week that they didn’t want to risk destabilizing her further. They fear that if she goes, a Brexit hardliner could take over.
The prime minister spoke to lawmakers in Parliament on Monday at a dramatic meeting where loud cheers and foot stomping could be heard in signs of support. Ms. May walked into the packed meeting to applause.
Two key amendments are being voted on this week — one that would call on the government to keep the U.K. in the EU’s customs union, in breach of Ms. May’s negotiating red lines. Pro-Brexit lawmakers are also staunchly opposed to staying in the customs union as it would limit the U.K.’s ability to make its own trade policy.
The other would give unprecedented power to Parliament to direct the Brexit process if lawmakers veto the divorce deal Ms. May brings back from Brussels later this year — known as the meaningful vote amendment. This is seen as potentially the most dangerous clause for Ms. May and Brexit backers fear it would give lawmakers the power to stop the divorce happening.
Mr. Baker said he was confident the government would defeat both. But it wasn’t immediately clear what ministers have offered to get rebels to stand down on the so-called meaningful vote clause.
Potential rebels spent the weekend and Monday discussing their strategy. Two said privately they didn’t want to destabilize Ms. May, a point that was also taken up by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd and former Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who wrote a joint article warning that defeat could usher in a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn. But others rejected the idea that a defeat could lead to her being forced out.
Rebels will have another opportunity in July to try to change Ms. May’s Brexit policy and maintain closer ties to Europe when the Trade Bill heads back to Parliament.