Corbyn calling for confidence vote
THERESA MAY has set the timetable for a decisive showdown with MPS over her Brexit deal in January, but was met by a call to vote on her future by Jeremy Corbyn.
The Labour leader tabled a long-threatened motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister yesterday after she set out the timetable for MPS to pass judgment on her deal with Brussels.
The Prime Minister said the Commons would have the chance to debate her Withdrawal Agreement in the week MPS return to Westminster after Christmas on January 7.
The crucial vote – which was postponed earlier this month to avoid a heavy defeat – will take place the following week.
Mr Corbyn told Mrs May: “A responsible prime minister would, for the good of this country, put this deal before the House this week so we could move on from this Government’s disastrous negotiation.”
He said it was “unacceptable” to delay the vote and confirmed he was tabling a motion “that this House has no confidence in the Prime Minister”.
The wording of the motion, targeted at Mrs May rather than the Government as a whole, would not trigger the process set out under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act which could eventually lead to a general election.
But Labour said it was clearly a confidence motion and should be allocated time for debate by the Government.
Setting out the timetable for the Brexit vote, Mrs May told the Commons: “It is now only just over 14 weeks until the UK leaves the EU and I know many members of this House are concerned that we need to take a decision soon.”
She added: “I can confirm today that we intend to return to the meaningful vote debate in the week commencing January 7 and hold the vote the following week.”
The Prime Minister’s statement came as Cabinet ministers openly speculated about how to proceed if the deal is rejected, while Brussels appeared to dispute claims that negotiations were continuing over the terms of the deal.
Planning for a no-deal Brexit was being stepped up, with the Cabinet discussing “the next phase in ensuring we are ready for that scenario” today.
The Prime Minister warned MPS that rejecting her deal would not result in an alternative “miraculously” appearing.
“Avoiding ‘no deal’ is only possible if we can reach an agreement or if we abandon Brexit entirely,” she said.
And in a warning to campaigners calling for a second referendum, she said it would “break faith with the British people” and do “irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics”.
But one of Mrs May’s closest allies said “all options” should remain open if the deal is rejected. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said it would be important to find out the “will of Parliament” on how to proceed, adding that “nothing should be off the table”.