Cable says it’s now more likely that Brexit will not happen

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has cast doubt on Brexit becoming a reality, insisting it was “more likely that it won’t happen”, as Prime Minister Theresa May risked losing a crunch vote in Parliament over her deal.

The former coalition business secretary warned there would be a “hell of a backlash from people who want to Remain and who feel that their future’s being put at risk” if Mrs May’s “economically damaging” Brexit was “imposed” without a second EU referendum.

He said moderates in the Conservative Party were “fighting back”, but the

Norwegian option which was being floated “has all kind of problems with it”.

Sir Vince said: “It’s possible that the Tory Party could split in the way that they did over the Corn Laws.”

And he said Labour’s “claim that they’re gagging for a general election just isn’t believable”.

The Liberal Democrats have launched a bid to force a second Brexit referendum by tabling an amendment to tomorrow’s crucial House of Commons vote. But the move has exposed divisions among supporters of a fresh poll, with the People’s Vote campaign denouncing it as “deeply unhelpful” and accusing the Lib Dems of “political point-scoring”.

Asked whether Brexit would happen, Sir Vince said: “I think increasingly I doubt it. I think it more likely that it won’t happen … the possibility of crashing out has been I think almost completely taken now off the table, reduces the risk of a Brexit and the increased probability of a People’s Vote also makes it likely that the Remain option can prevail.

“I’m not taking it for granted, even if we won a referendum, we’d have to win it and it would be very competitive, but I think it can be done with better campaigning than last time.”

The country he said was “already divided”, adding: “If we don’t have it and a Brexit is imposed without a People’s Vote, this anger and division will continue and it will probably grow because young people who are quite highly motivated to Remain … are going to feel very let down, particularly if the economic consequences are serious.”

Parliament, he said, had “reasserted control” after this week’s historic triple defeat in the Commons exposed a “minority government without authority”.

On Labour’s stance, the MP for Twickenham added: “We do agree that if there is a call for a general election, we will support it, but I think it’s unlikely.” He said his party had “absolutely no intention of getting into a coalition with [Jeremy] Corbyn’s Labour Party”.