It’s lame duck for Christmas
» Wounded May fends off rebels only by promising to quit » Brexit deal hangs by thread as second referendum looms
BATTERED Theresa May survived a confidence vote – only by promising not to fight the next election.
With her Brexit plan set to be rejected by MPs, a second referendum or a no-deal are becoming more likely.
It’s a terrible result for the Prime Minister. She ought to see the Queen and resign JACOB REES-MOGG BREXITEER MP ON LAST NIGHT’S NO CONFIDENCE VOTE
THERESA May last night won the fight to keep her job, but the taste of victory was bittersweet after the vote revealed onethird of her own MPs have no faith in her.
The weakened PM managed to cling to power by promising her mutinous colleagues she would quit before the next election.
And although she bought off the majority of Tory MPs with that pledge, she was left in no doubt that many of her backbenchers wanted her out over her disastrous Brexit deal, denting her authority.
As a lame duck PM, Mrs May flies to Brussels today in a vain bid to get concessions for her EU withdrawal plans, Labour could launch its own motion of no confidence in her.
The vote result leaves the prospect of the PM’s deal being accepted, a second referendum or a no deal as the possible choices facing Britain.
And despite winning last night’s vote of no confidence in her leadership by 200 votes to 117, Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg still called for her to quit. The arch-Brexiteer said: “It’s a terrible result for the Prime Minister, it really is. Of course I accept this result. But the Prime Minister must realise that under all constitutional norms, she ought to go and see the Queen urgently and resign.” The result of the vote means another bid to topple her by her own MPs cannot be brought against her for another year. Tory MPs were also embroiled in a row after the party restored the whip to two suspended MPs just in time to help save Mrs May’s job.
They were former business minister Andrew Griffiths, suspended six months ago over 2,000 sex texts he sent to two barmaids, and Brexiteer Charlie Elphicke, who was quizzed by police earlier this year over alleged sex offences and has always maintained his innocence.
While Mrs May praised loyal colleagues for sticking by her, the result was put in context by the no confidence motion against Margaret
Thatcher. She beat Michael Heseltine by 204 votes to 152 in a leadership contest in November 1990. She quit because the majority was four short of the 56 needed to stay.
Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd was at the meeting where Mrs May promised to step down before the next election to secure her position.
She said: “She did say she wouldn’t be fighting the next general election. It was quite emotional the way she put it, she said in my heart I wanted to do that but now I recognise that I am not going to.” Tory party deputy chair James Cleverly added: “She recognises a lot of people are not comfortable with her leading us into a future general election.”
One critic of the PM said: “Some of her ministers were crying in there. It was bad.” But Cabinet minister present at the meeting denied the report. Mr Rees-Mogg feared Mrs May’s wording of her promise to quit left the door open for a U-turn. The MP, who was one of at least 48 who submitted a letter of no confidence in his boss to trigger the vote, said she “didn’t quite” say she was going to go.
He added: “Intention is one of those politicians’ dangerous words that one should never rely on,” Mrs May’s decision to quit before
the next election in exchange for more time in power is in stark contrast to her pledge in January when she said on a trip to China: “I’m not a quitter.”
Speaking outside No 10 after the result, the PM admitted it had been a “long and challenging” day but she was “pleased” to have won. She added: “Whilst I’m grateful for their support, a significant number of colleagues did cast a vote against me and I’ve listened to what they said.
“Following this ballot we now need to get on with the job of delivering Brexit for the British people and delivering a better future for this country.”
But her EU withdrawal plans still face defeat in the Commons when she finally allows the vote she ducked out of this week to go ahead. She tried to buy off Tory critics by telling them she was seeking “legally binding” changes to the Irish border backstop to keep it temporary.
Downing Street insiders revealed she was pressing Brussels for a letter confirming the plan would avoid a hard border.
But Mrs May was set for more humiliation after EU chiefs again ruled out the withdrawal agreement being renegotiated.
A frantic tour of EU leaders earlier this week had already ended in disappointment after they rejected her calls for more concessions. And Jeremy Corbyn insisted the result made no difference to the lives of ordinary people.
Mr Corbyn told the Commons earlier: “The Prime Minister has lost her majority in Parliament, her government is in chaos and she is unable to deliver a Brexit deal that works for the country and puts jobs and the economy first.
“She must now bring her dismal deal back to the House of Commons next week so Parliament can take back control.”