Brexit: Key group rejects Theresa May's revised deal - BBC News

A key group of Brexiteer Tory MPs say they will be voting against Theresa May's Brexit deal in the Commons later.

The European Research Group say they are not convinced by legal assurances secured by the PM in 11th hour talks with EU officials.

Mrs May had hoped the group, which helped vote down her deal in January, would change their minds.

It comes after the attorney general said the risk of being tied to the EU after Brexit "remains unchanged".

Theresa May - who is suffering from a sore throat after late night talks in Strasbourg - is currently briefing MPs in the Commons on her "improved deal" which she says "deserves the support" of every MP.

"If this deal does not go through tonight, then this House risks no Brexit at all," she told MPs.

Charles Walker, vice chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, said defeat in the vote later would lead to a general election.

He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: "If it doesn't go through tonight, as sure as night follows day, there will be a general election within a matter of days or weeks.

"It is not sustainable, the current situation in Parliament."

It comes after Attorney General Geoffrey Cox the new assurances secured by the PM did "reduce the risk that the United Kingdom could be indefinitely and involuntarily detained" in the Irish backstop if talks on the two sides future relationship broke down due to "bad faith" by the EU.

He defined "bad faith" as a "pattern of refusing to accept reasonable proposals" on the Irish backstop.

But he said the question of whether a satisfactory post-Brexit deal on a permanent trading relationship can be reached remained "a political judgment" - and he said MPs should back the PM's deal.

ERG chairman Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "We've always been able to ask to leave the backstop, that is not in any sense an improvement or a development."

In a statement, the group said: "In the light of our own legal analysis and others we do not recommend accepting the government's motion today."

In his advice, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said "the legal risk remains unchanged" that if a post-Brexit trade agreement can not be reached due to "intractable differences", the UK would have "no internationally lawful means" of leaving the backstop without EU agreement.

In a statement to the Commons, Mr Cox later said: "Were such a situation to occur, let me make it clear, the legal risk as I set it out in my letter of November 13 remains unchanged."

More reaction from MPs

The last time Mrs May's withdrawal agreement was put to Parliament in January, it was voted down by a margin of 230.

The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said it would be a "political miracle of historic proportions" if Mrs May could overturn such a heavy defeat.

Mrs May earlier addressed a meeting of Conservative MPs, in an effort to change the minds of those opposed to her deal.

Conservative MPs leaving the meeting suggested half of those who voted against deal last time will switch to support it later, said BBC's Chief Political Correspondent Vicky Young.

Former minister Grant Shapps said the vote would be close and Mrs May "needed the DUP" to back her deal.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said she believed the prime minister's deal would go through "otherwise instability will follow which would be so unwelcome".

Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: "The government's strategy is now in tatters."

What was agreed with the EU?

Documents were agreed after Mrs May flew to the European Parliament with Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay for last-minute talks with Mr Juncker and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

A "joint legally binding instrument" on the withdrawal agreement which the UK could use to start a "formal dispute" against the EU if it tried to keep the UK tied into the backstop indefinitely.
A joint statement about the UK and EU's future relationship which commits to replacing the backstop with an alternative by December 2020.
A "unilateral declaration". stating there is nothing to stop the UK from leaving the backstop if discussions on a future relationship with the EU break down and there is no prospect of an agreement.

Many MPs fear the backstop, initially agreed by the UK government in December 2017, would keep the country in a customs arrangement with the EU indefinitely.

The PM has claimed the new documents addresses this issue and urged MPs to back the "improved deal".

And leading Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve, a former attorney general, said the UK would still not be able to terminate the backstop at a time of its own choosing.

The EU warns 'this is it'

The UK is set to leave the EU on 29 March 2019 after voting to leave by nearly 52% to 48% - 17.4m votes to 16.1m - in 2016.

Mr Juncker has warned MPs they would be putting everything at risk if they voted down the deal.

"In politics sometimes you get a second chance," he said. "It is what we do with that second chance that counts. There will be no third chance."

The Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the new agreements showed both sides' "good faith" - although he made clear they did "not undermine" the principle of the backstop or how it might come into force.

Please upgrade your browser

Your guide to Brexit jargon

Use the list below or select a button

What could happen this week?

Theresa May's deal to face a "meaningful vote" in Parliament later on Tuesday
If it's rejected, a further vote has been promised for Wednesday on whether the UK should leave without a deal
If that no-deal option is rejected, MPs could get a vote on Thursday on whether to request a delay to Brexit from the EU.

Let's block ads! (Why?)