Mail poll: Tory voters want MPs to save May

THERESA May’s hopes of getting her Brexit deal through at the third attempt next week received a boost last night when Conservative voters piled pressure on rebel MPs to rescue her.

They want hard-line Brexiteer and Remainer Tories threatening to defeat the Prime Minister to toe the line and prefer her deal to all the possible alternatives, including leaving with No Deal, a ‘softer’ Brexit, a second referendum and a two- year delay in leaving.

And Mrs May can kiss goodbye to calling a snap election to get her plan approved: the mass revolts by ministers in shambolic scenes in the Commons in recent days have put Labour ahead in the polls.

These are the main findings of a Survation poll for the Daily Mail. Asked if MPs should back Mrs May in next week’s vote on her EU Withdrawal Agreement, 57 per cent of Tory voters say they should, with 26 against, a margin of more than two to one in her favour.

There are similar majorities among Conservative supporters in favour of Mrs May’s deal to most of the alternatives such as a ‘Customs Union Brexit’, a People’s Vote-style second referendum and putting Brexit back to 2021.

A total of 41 per cent of Tories back her deal with 40 per cent preferring leaving with No Deal.

Across all voters, 39 per cent say MPs should not back Mrs May deal in next week’s vote, with 36 per cent backing her.

The survey demonstrates the damage caused by this week’s series of Tory rebellions in Parliament including by four pro-Remain Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd, David Gauke, Greg Clark and David Mundell, who defied Mrs May by helping Labour to kill off the possibility of leaving the EU with No Deal.

A total of 57 per cent of Conservative voters said they should have resigned, while 28 per cent said they were entitled to hold on to their Cabinet seats.

Jeremy Corbyn appears to have benefited from the Tory turmoil: Labour is ahead in the poll on 39, which is 3 per cent up since February, with the Conservatives on 35, 5 per cent down. Nor is there any appetite for a snap election among Tory supporters if Mrs May’s deal is defeated next week. An overwhelming 65 per cent say it is a bad idea; only 25 per cent say she should take a gamble on it.

If she does stand down Boris Johnson is clear favourite to succeed her. A total of 23 per cent of Tories back him with Sajid Javid on 10 per cent, followed by Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Amber Rudd. The survey also spells out a grim warning to all MPs on the dangers of stopping Brexit altogether by accident or design.

A total of 48 per cent of all voters say there would be a risk of civil disorder; 25 per cent disagree. The public does not foresee a similar hazard if the UK leaves without a deal.

Survation interviewed 1,007 people yesterday.

‘Kiss goodbye to a snap election’