HOW GOVE SWUNG IT FOR THE PM
He brokers a breakthrough as Brexiteers called ‘nutters’ at 7hr Cabinet
MICHAEL Gove made the critical intervention yesterday in a marathon, seven-hour Cabinet meeting that led to the Prime Minister’s dramatic offer to Jeremy Corbyn last night.
Despite several Cabinet ministers pushing hard for Theresa May to sanction a No Deal departure, the Environment Secretary was one of the key voices to call for a compromise approach.
‘We have to change the way we do this,’ he told her. ‘We have to deal with the facts as we find them, not as we wish them to be.’
There were also two significant flash points. Several sources described a clash between energy minister Claire Perry and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox after she ‘went on a rant about Right-wing extremists’ and ‘nutters’ in the Conservative Party.
A source said: ‘Geoffrey Cox boomed from the other end of the Cabinet table “enough of the language, that is not the way to speak”. The Prime Minister had to step in and say “enough”.’ In a second clash, Treasury chief secretary Liz Truss asked for an economic and societal impact assessment of not leaving the EU. Her boss, Chancellor Philip Hammond, snapped ‘we know all the economic facts’.
Despite the meeting starting at 9.30am yesterday, it didn’t break up until after 5pm after an extraordinary showdown on Britain’s Brexit strategy.
And although there were no immediate resignations after the PM’s statement last night, Mrs May’s decision to reach out to the Labour leader was met with fierce resistance from many. One source said claimed the proposal ‘didn’t go down well’ and accused the PM of ‘not listening’. The source said: ‘There weren’t the numbers to support what the PM said. MPs are not happy.’
One minister predicted resignations within days. ‘It’s hard to tell the calculations that ministers will make, but there’s a lot of anger.’
Mrs May opened yesterday’s meeting with a clear statement of intent. The first stage was the political Cabinet, at which no officials were present. She firmly ruled out No Deal, warning it would lead to a border poll in Northern Ireland, and possibly a Scottish independence referendum.
‘I do not want to be the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,’ she told ministers.
Just before the meeting began, ministers were handed a nine-page document written by Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, which set out the painful steps the UK would have to take to pursue No Deal, including imposing direct rule in Northern Ireland.
No- one was left in any doubt about Mrs May’s determination to avoid the No Deal cliff edge.
Then ministers listened to a lengthy presentation from Tory Party chairman Brandon Lewis and Sir Mick Davis, the chief executive of the Conservative Party, on General Election planning.
They listed a series of ‘scary’ facts about the party’s position in the country, including polling, focus groups, details of target seats, and party fundraising. Ministers, one source said, have ‘never appeared more united as they were against the prospect of a General Election’. Having ruled out an election, they turned to discussing the Brexit alternatives.
Despite Mrs May’s clear intention to avoid No Deal, Brexiteers combined with the ‘ born again’ Brexiteers – Remainers who have converted to Brexit – to urge the PM to push ahead with the idea in an attempt to make the Commons choose between it and her original agreement.
But Chief Whip Julian Smith argued that the Commons would not allow it, and Parliament would – one way or another – ensure there was always a Remain option, whether to Revoke Article 50 or ensure a second referendum. In the afternoon, after a lunch of sandwiches, discussion turned to whether to seek another extension of Article 50, meaning Brexit would be delayed and, most toxically, whether to speak to Jeremy Corbyn to try to attract Labour votes. This met with fierce opposition.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson spoke out forcefully. He said: ‘Our whole strategy is that Corbyn is completely unfit to govern. But when we’re dealing with the biggest issue facing the country we’re now asking him to help. It’s completely ridiculous.’
The argument of the hard line Brexiteers was that Mrs May should push ahead with No Deal next week and see if the EU cracked. Trade Secretary Liam Fox, whose job could become redundant if the UK ends up in a Customs Union, told the meeting that if Parliament took control of
‘We all know the economic facts’
‘Corbyn is unfit to govern’
the process it would lead to a long Brexit delay, extending further the distance between the referendum and Brexit happening.
Sources described two critical interventions from leading Brexiteers, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Mr Gove.
Mr Cox told the meeting: ‘I want to leave. I’m passionate about leaving. I campaigned to leave. But Prime Minister, we have to do this differently.’ He was backed by Mr Gove.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock also opposed No Deal, saying: ‘Whether we like it or not Parliament is going to block it. This is the only way to deliver Brexit.’
There was no formal vote, but one source claimed 14 ministers spoke out against extending Article 50, and ten in favour. These numbers were disputed.
The meeting wound up shortly after 5pm, but ministers were kept in No10 while Mrs May prepared her statement, and to stop them from briefing the media. Officials served Chilean red wine as Mrs May walked to the podium to announce her last roll of the dice.