May resumes efforts to win Brexit support
Theresa May is stepping up efforts to win support from Tory critics as MPs resume debating her Brexit deal this week.
However both wings of the party have warned it is unlikely the Prime Minister will get backing for her withdrawal agreement.
Former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood again said he could not support the agreement and that a no-deal Brexit scenario would “work just fine”.
He added: “Many of us in the country just want to move on and talk about something else, we want to be out [of Europe].”
On the other side of the Tory divide, pro-EU veteran Ken Clarke said the deal – which he would be prepared to support – is “dying”.
He said he would be “amazed” if the mood of MPs had changed over the Christmas break and called for Brexit to be delayed until a way forward can be found.
He added: “Nobody can deal with us on the continent until the British have agreed amongst themselves on some sort of consensus.”
The Prime Minister, who had a call with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday, is said to be considering offering MPs further safeguards about the Irish backstop.
She will host Conservative Brexiteers for drinks on Monday and Wednesday as part of a charm offensive.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said nothing had changed over Christmas, with the Tory Government “wasting a month of precious time.”