40 Tories threaten plot with Labour to defeat May on Article 50 secrecy

REBEL Tories have threatened to join forces tomorrow with Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP to make Theresa May reveal her negotiating position before her talks with Brussels.

Labour is to force a vote on a motion tomorrow calling on Mrs May to ‘publish the Government’s plan for leaving the EU before Article 50 is invoked’.

Pro-EU Conservative Anna Soubry claimed yesterday that up to 40 Tory MPs could join ranks with the Opposition to inflict a Commons defeat on the issue.

Miss Soubry said the plan was the first sign that Labour was becoming a ‘credible opposition’ – and said she would support it unless the Government gave way.

But one Tory source said the number of Tories who support the Labour motion was more like 20.

Downing Street last night warned pro- Brussels MPs to abandon plans to scupper the Brexit proc- ess. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘While others are seeming to make clear that they want to frustrate the will of the British people by slowing down the process of leaving and trying to tie the Government’s hand in the negotiation, the Government is getting on with respecting what the British people decided and making a success of Brexit.

‘What is important is that the Government’s hand is not tied in the negotiation. If you are backing the UK team you want them to be able to go into the negotiation and get the best deal possible.’

Transport Secretary Chris Gray- ling accused opposition parties of ‘political opportunism’.

He added: ‘It is absolutely unacceptable for Labour and the Liberal Democrats to be trying to put barriers in the way of us fulfilling the verdict of the referendum.’

Miss Soubry, who was a business minister until she was sacked by Mrs May in July, told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme that ministers had ‘nothing to fear’, and insisted she was not trying to ‘thwart the will of the people’.

But she said MPs had the right to full details of the Government’s plans before negotiations start.

She added: ‘We need a White

paper from the Government that sets out the options available for Brexit... so we can scrutinise it on behalf of our constituents.’

Ministers believe that publishing Mrs May’s negotiating stance would wreck any hope of getting the best deal from Brussels.

But Sir Keir Starmer, Labour’s Brexit spokesman, dismissed the idea that Labour was trying to hijack Brexit, adding: ‘The purpose of the motion is straightforward – to bring a basic level of scrutiny and accountability to the process.

‘I hope members across the House will feel able to support the motion.’ Shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti also insisted Labour would not prevent Brexit, but warned: ‘There is not a simple question of “in and out of the European Union” – there are many questions that Parliament has to scrutinise about what happens next.’

Former Tory leader Michael Howard said Mrs May was right to resist calls to reveal her negotiating hand. Lord Howard added: ‘I don’t think it’s reasonable to expect the Government to disclose its negotiating position.

‘If you are entering into a negotiation, the last thing you want to do is to disclose your hand before you start negotiating.’

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who wants a second referendum, said it was ‘silly’ to suggest he was undermining Britain’s interests. Mr Farron also hit out at the Government’s ‘ hostile’ approach on the issue.

Meanwhile, the Government took the first step towards leaving the EU yesterday when it told the World Trade Organisation that Britain would be taking up its own seat at the negotiating table when it leaves the EU. The UK is currently represented by Brussels at WTO talks.