Eurosceptics tell PM to ‘go now’ as Labour abandons talks

TORY Eurosceptic MPS have told Theresa May she should quit now after compromise talks with Labour collapsed, in all likelihood dooming her Brexit deal to another defeat.

Brexiteers said it would be “pointless” to hold a crunch vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the first week of June because the Prime Minister had no chance of winning.

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, pulled the plug yesterday on six weeks of talks as he told Mrs May discussions had “gone as far as they can” because of “the increasing weakness and instability” of the Government.

One of the reasons he cited for calling time on the talks was speculation that chlorine-washed chicken could be imported into the UK as part of a postbrexit trade deal with the US.

This means Mrs May is facing the

prospect of having to ask MPS to vote in effect for the agreement they have already rejected three times.

Downing Street sources said the Bill would “contain new features”, but it was not expected to include a commitment to a customs union or a solution to the backstop.

Mrs May has committed to setting out a resignation timetable regardless of whether she wins the vote, but critics want her to leave now to give her successor as much time as possible before the Brexit delay expires on Oct 31.

Iain Duncan Smith said Mrs May needed to “accept that we have to start the leadership election”.

Peter Bone, a Tory Eurosceptic, said: “I have no idea why they are bringing the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in. If the Prime Minister has decided she is going to go, why not just go now and let the new person decide what happens next? It is a pointless exercise and she is going to be humiliated.”

The Government’s plan B was to give MPS “definitive votes” with Opposition backing. But the sides could not agree and it was unclear if the Government would still proceed with the votes.