May faces new quit threat by five ministers
THERESA MAY is making a direct appeal to the British people to back her Brexit deal, as she faces new pressure from both Brexiteers and from those who will not tolerate a no-deal departure from the EU.
The British prime minister has published an impassioned letter promising to campaign with her ‘heart and soul’ for agreement in next month’s crunch House of Commons showdown, which will decide her political future.
But even as she arrived in Brussels last night for today’s EU Council summit, intended to seal the deal, she was forced to give Spain a veto over Gibraltar’s inclusion in any future UK-EU trade deal. Tory MPs have warned that her agreement could fatally weaken her shaky grip on No.10.
And Downing Street has been warned that the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond will quit if Mrs May tries to leave the EU with no deal, and he will be joined by four other ministers opposed to a hard Brexit: Amber Rudd, David Lidington, Greg Clark and David Gauke.
Mrs May uses her letter to promise that her deal will lead to a ‘brighter future’, saying Brexit day ‘must mark the point when we put aside the labels of “Leave” and “Remain” for good and come together again as one people.’ She also said she will be ‘campaigning with my heart and soul’ to win the MPs’ vote on the deal, pencilled in for the December 11 or 12.
She is ‘determined to deliver a Brexit deal that works for every part of our country’ as well as areas such as Gibraltar, she tells her readers.
But some Tory MPs reacted with fury after the British ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow wrote to the Spanish to concede that Gibraltar would not necessarily be covered by a future trade deal with the EU.
The move was designed to save today’s EU summit, after the Spanish prime minister threatened to veto the Brexit deal.
Pedro Sánchez claimed the UK would now have to open talks on the ‘joint sovereignty’ of the Rock. And Spain’s Europe Minister Josep Borrell Fontelles said last night’s pact said Gibraltar
Tory MPs furious over Gibraltar compromise
would automatically be outside of the ‘territorial scope’ of the UK and was the most important change since the Utrecht Treaty’ of 1713, which handed sovereignty of the Rock to the British.
Andrew Rosindell MP said: ‘The prime minister has to show that she will be utterly true to her words that there will be no compromise on Britain’s right to defend and negotiate on behalf of Gibraltar.’
Meanwhile, Chancellor Hammond will quit the Cabinet and take at least the four other named ministers with him if Mrs May tries to move towards a no-deal Brexit, Downing Street has been warned. The Chancellor’s allies say they will ‘walk’ if Mrs May reacts to losing next month’s Commons vote by quitting the EU with no formal agreement.
They say Mr Hammond’s stance is one reason why Mrs May has ‘downgraded’ her warnings about crashing out of the bloc with no deal and now tells her MPs there could be no Brexit at all if they reject the withdrawal agreement she has struck with Brussels.
The claims came as Mr Hammond openly said the UK faces ‘economic chaos’ if MPs blocks Mrs May’s compromise and raised fears of ‘very serious’ consequences from a no-deal scenario, including job losses.
The Mail on Sunday understands all five have been placed on ‘resignation watch’ by No 10 if Mrs May countenances no deal.
One Hammond ally predicted that the Chancellor would want no part of any no-deal exit because he believes it would be so catastrophic.