Now May targets Labour MPs to win Brexit vote

THERESA May launched a last-ditch bid to persuade Labour waverers to back her Brussels deal last night, despite anger from Tory Brexiteers.

Labour MPs were invited to attend a special briefing in the Commons with her chief of staff Gavin Barwell and senior Cabinet minister David Lidington.

With so many of her own MPs pledging to vote against her withdrawal agreement in December, the Prime Minister needs the support of Labour MPs to get it through.

But Mrs May received a blow yesterday when Gareth Snell, a Labour MP who had considered supporting the deal, said he would vote against.

And Conservative backbenchers accused the Prime Minister of putting more effort into winning Labour round than into winning support from her own party.

Nadine Dorries, Tory MP for Mid Bedfordshire, said: ‘Labour will lead Barwell up the garden path and at the last minute, they will turn into the other voting lobby.’

Critics have previously warned that Mrs May would increase the risk of the Tory party splitting if she tries to get her deal through Parliament on Labour votes.

Labour MPs were called to the meeting at 8pm yesterday to discuss the withdrawal deal. Downing Street said it was not a political event because civil servants were present.

Mrs May hopes she can persuade a significant number of Labour MPs to defy Jeremy Corbyn and back her. But Labour MPs lined up to pour cold water over the hopes.

Mr Snell, MP for Stoke on Trent Central, said in an article: ‘I can’t support a deal that fails to meet the expectations of the referendum, and I’m confident it will be voted down.’ Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North, said it was ‘not clear what No10 are hoping to achieve’ with the session. ‘We told the PM we wouldn’t support Chequers but she went off to negotiate for it anyway,’ he said. ‘She’s now come back with something worse, so she shouldn’t be surprised to know that we will be voting against it.

‘Boris Johnson resigned during the last No 10 Brexit briefing for Labour MPs. It’s hard to see this briefing being any more successful and will probably be less entertaining.’

Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said he was ‘unlikely to be won around’ by the briefing.

Labour itself, however, has also experienced bitter infighting over Brexit between supporters of a second referendum and those who argue that the 2016 result should be respected.