One last go... or (heaven help us) a third election in only four years
BRITAIN was last night facing the chaos of a general election to break the Brexit deadlock.
Minutes after her deal was rejected, the Prime Minister signalled a national poll could now be on its way.
‘I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House,’ Theresa May told MPs. She also hinted that she may have yet another attempt at pushing her withdrawal deal through the Commons next week.
She yesterday confirmed publicly that she will step down within weeks if Parliament approves her deal. She made the offer at a private meeting of Tory MPs, then told the Commons: ‘I have said I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended to secure the right outcome for this country.’
Downing Street refused three times to deny the Prime Minister was now considering going to the country. If a national vote is held it would be the third general election in just four years.
Rebel MPs will on Monday hold a second round of indicative votes on alternatives to her deal, such as staying in the customs union or holding a second referendum. The backbenchers led by Sir Oliver Letwin are planning to put through legislation forcing ministers to act if they find a majority. That could precipitate a general election as Mrs May has warned she would not accept a soft Brexit that contradicts the party’s manifesto commitments on leaving single market and customs union.
But elections expert Sir John Curtice, who is president of the British Polling Council, yesterday warned that even an early election may not resolve the Brexit deadlock – predicting it would lead to another hung parliament.
He projected that neither of the main parties would get the 320 seats needed to have a working majority, with the Tories forecast to have 307 MPs, down seven, and Labour expected to gain 11 MPs to have 256.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the Prime Minister and Cabinet members would hold discussions over the weekend on how to go forward, but warned that an election would be a last resort because of the chaos it would bring.
He told Sky News: ‘I think the last thing this country needs right now is a general election, we have got to sort out the Brexit process. We cannot throw everything up in the air. I know Jeremy Corbyn might like it, it is why he has voted against his own policy today, but I do not see how this country benefits from the chaos of a six or seven week general election campaign.’
Mr Grayling, who ran Mrs May’s 2016 leadership campaign, said he did not believe she should step down yet.
‘Theresa May has already said she is going to go, but in the middle of this situation I do not think it would help to have an immediate Conservative leadership contest,’ he added. Under the Fixedterm Parliaments Act, the Prime Minister could call an early election, giving just six weeks’ notice, if backed by two-thirds of MPs.
It could also happen if a motion of no confidence in the Government is passed by a majority of MPs and within 14 days an alternative government is not formed.
Cabinet ministers and Tory MPs are likely to demand that Mrs May is replaced by a new party leader before an election takes place.
The timetable and rules for a leadership contest would be decided by the 1922 executive committee and then approved by the Conservative party’s board.
It has previously been suggested the entire process could take 12 weeks, but it is expected the process would be speeded up if a general election was on the cards.
There are likely to be disagreements over what the party would have as its manifesto policy on Brexit, with many backbenchers likely to stand with their own individual pledges on the way forward.
If a general election took place, it could see voters facing three ballots in quick succession as it would require a delay to Brexit, meaning the country would be required to hold European Parliament elections on May 23. Local elections are scheduled to take place across much of the country on May 2.
Labour leader Mr Corbyn yesterday demanded that Mrs May step aside so a general election can be held. Following the Government defeat, he told the Commons: ‘This is now the third time the Prime Minister’s deal has been rejected. When it was defeated the first time, the Prime Minister said it was clear this House does not support the deal.
‘Does she now finally accept this House does not support the deal? Because she seemed to indicate just now that she is going to return to this issue again.
‘The House has been clear this deal now has to change. If the Prime Minister can’t accept that then she must go.’
‘Last thing this country needs is an election’