Two thirds of Tory Brexit rebels vow to stay firm in major blow for Theresa May
TWO thirds of Tory Brexit rebels have vowed to stay firm – in a major blow to Theresa May’s hopes of passing her beleaguered Brexit deal.
In a Sun survey of all 75 rebels who voted against the deal last week, 46 responded.
Of those who have made up their mind, 32 declared they would not back the PM’s deal if it was brought back to the Commons unchanged.
A further five said their support was dependent on the Government winning the backing of the DUP.
And another two Tory MPs said they would only back the deal if Mrs May announced her departure.
That means that as things stand, 39 Tory rebels remain opposed to her deal.
Just three have announced they are now prepared to vote for the PM’s deal – former Cabinet minister Esther McVey and backbenchers James Gray and Daniel Kawczynski.
Four Tory MPs said they are undecided over whether to swing behind the PM’s deal.
Meanwhile a maximum of just ten Labour MPs are prepared to switch and back the PM’s deal – and join three of their colleagues who voted for it last week.
It leaves the PM considerably short and if she were to press ahead with another Meaningful Vote on her current deal today she would lose by at least 11 votes.
But Labour MPs said the PM would only win the backing of up to 10 additional Labour MPs if there was a genuine chance of victory.
One told The Sun: “I’ll back Theresa May if it gets Brexit over the line – but I’m not into gesture politics.”
‘NO DEAL OR NO BREXIT’
Emma Lewell Buck – who resigned last week as a Shadow Minister to vote against a second referendum – admitted she may have to back the PM because of the threat of No Brexit. The Labour MP for South Shields said: “The scenario now could be her deal, No deal or No Brexit.
“In that scenario I’m going to be stuck and it’s going to have to be her deal.”
Sources claimed daily meetings were taking place between Tory party chiefs and Labour MPs ahead of a possible Meaningful Vote 3.
Just three Labour MPs backed the PM’s deal last week – Kevin Barron, John Mann and Caroline Flint – along with two ex-Labour MPs who now sit as ‘independents’ – Frank Field and Ian Austin.
The number of Tory MPs still vehemently opposed to the PM surprised Downing Street yesterday and comes despite the PM conducting a last minute ring-round to plead rebels to change their minds.
One Tory MP who spoke to the PM yesterday said: “I told her I won’t budge. She accepted my position and signalled she will pull the vote for this week.”
Former Tory chairman Grant Shapps said the price of his support was the PM announcing her departure.
He told The Sun: “Once bitten, twice shy – so it isn’t acceptable to let the same people who agreed the faulty Withdrawal Agreement let loose on negotiating Britain’s future Trading Relationship.”
MOST READ IN BREXIT
But another rebel said: “I’ve been approached by the whip saying she’ll announce she’s standing down if you back the deal. That doesn’t commend me to voting for it because she’s effectively admitting that her deal is so bad that she’s got to quit.”
Boris Johnson and former Cabinet minister Priti Patel say they will only back the deal if there are changes to the Irish backstop.
Ms Patel said: “Until I see that change i can’t see myself voting for that agreement.”
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well if they back Goonybirds deal that will ensure No Brexit. Do these dumbos every actually read any of their paperwork, and actually understand it? Seems not.
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