MAY ‘COUP’ LATEST:
LEADING Tory Brexiteers have dismissed claims of a plot to oust Theresa May over her controversial Chequers blueprint for leaving the European Union (EU).
Around 50 Conservative MPs are understood to have attended a meeting on Tuesday of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) where a possible leadership challenge was said to have been discussed.
At the launch yesterday of the ERG’s plan to avoid the return of a hard border in Northern Ireland, leading figures in the group were at pains to stress they were not questioning the Prime Minister’s position.
ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted he was seeking a change of Government policy, not a change in leadership.
“I have long said, and repeated again and again, that the policy needs to be changed but I am supporting the person,” he said.
His comments were echoed by former Brexit secretary David Davis, who quit the Government over the Chequers plan which would see Britain maintain a “common rule book” with the EU for trade in goods and agriculture.
“I disagree with her on one issue – this issue.
“She should stay in place because we need stability and we need decent government as the backdrop to what we are doing in the coming six months,” he said.
Former Brexit minister Steve Baker, who also resigned over Chequers and warned earlier this week that up to 80 Tory MPs could vote against it, said they were trying to “stay off” the leadership issue.
“I think the grave threat to the security and prosperity in the UK is a Marxist Labour Party in government,” he told the Press Association.
“So, we all need to just be cautious in what we do and what we say, and support Theresa May (and) invite her to change the policy.
“We really aren’t getting into the territory now of if she doesn’t, because we don’t want to be there.”
The apparent unwillingness of the Brexiteers to provoke a leadership challenge is likely to embolden Mrs May in her determination to press on with the Chequers plan.
At the ERG meeting on Tuesday a number of MPs were understood to have said they had already handed letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, while others suggested they could follow suit.
Under party rules, if 48 MPs – 15% or the parliamentary party – submit letters, a vote of no confidence would be triggered.
However, Tory backbencher Michael Fabricant – who was at the meeting – played down the prospect of a challenge.
“Reports of Theresa May’s demise are greatly exaggerated,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Of the 40-50 there, only five to six people discussed letters to the chairman of the 1922 and they wrote ages ago. The rest of us sat in uncomfortable silence.
“Though most are unhappy with Chequers.”
Michael Gove – one of the leaders of the official Leave campaign – also rallied behind the Prime Minister.
The Environment Secretary described rumours of a direct leadership challenge “whether it was Boris (Johnson) or any other individual” as “loose talk” that might undermine the mandate for Brexit.
Mr Gove, a Brexiteer who unsuccessfully stood against Mrs May for the leadership in 2016 after David Cameron stood down, told BBC Radio 4’s Today she was doing a “great job at the moment”.
Asked whether it would be better for Mrs May to tackle any leadership challenge head-on, he replied: “No. This is loose talk, you always have loose talk.
“The critical thing is to ensure that we deliver on that Brexit mandate.
“Any diversion or any distraction from that mission means that our ability to ensure that the referendum mandate that we were given is delivered, is undermined.”
As well as the ERG meeting, “leadership issues” were raised by MPs at
a dinner with the PM’s senior aides.
Backbenchers told the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Gavin Barwell that his boss must “chuck Chequers” over a dinner at No.10.
The flurry of activity came after former foreign secretary Boris Johnson launched a fresh attack on the PM’s Brexit plan, claiming it would be “substantially worse than the status quo” for British businesses.
Speaking after the No.10 dinner, Tory MP Andrew Bridgen did not deny suggestions the PM would face a coup.
He told ITV News: “I’ve been told that she will get a full appraisal of comments that were made over the dinner.”
Asked if there would be a coup, he replied: “I think we will just have to wait and see.
“I hope that the Prime Minister will take on board what she’s heard and chuck Chequers.”
And Conservative Brexiteer John Baron told ITV: “We were discussing leadership issues.”