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| Davis promises swift vote on EU deal to placate Tory rebels | Davis promises swift vote on EU deal to placate Tory rebels |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Brexit secretary, David Davis, has promised Conservative MPs a vote on the Brexit deal “as soon as possible” after negotiations are concluded in an attempt to head off a serious rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill. | The Brexit secretary, David Davis, has promised Conservative MPs a vote on the Brexit deal “as soon as possible” after negotiations are concluded in an attempt to head off a serious rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill. |
| Davis moved to placate around a dozen Tory rebels threatening to defy the government on Wednesday night. | Davis moved to placate around a dozen Tory rebels threatening to defy the government on Wednesday night. |
| A Conservative source said rebel MPs were being called into No 10 in a last ditch attempt to allay their concerns. | |
| Davis said: “The government has committed to hold a vote on the final deal in parliament as soon as possible after the negotiations have concluded. This vote will take the form of a resolution in both houses of parliament and will cover both the withdrawal agreement and the terms for our future relationship.” | |
| He also promised the vote on May’s Brexit deal would take place before any part of the withdrawal agreement was implemented. | He also promised the vote on May’s Brexit deal would take place before any part of the withdrawal agreement was implemented. |
| His assurances, however, may not be enough to placate all the rebel Conservative MPs, who want a legally guaranteed vote on the draft agreement before Brexit day on 29 March 2019. | His assurances, however, may not be enough to placate all the rebel Conservative MPs, who want a legally guaranteed vote on the draft agreement before Brexit day on 29 March 2019. |
| Wednesday’s vote is expected to be extremely tight, because the Conservatives only hold a majority of around seven with the help of Democratic Unionist party (DUP) MPs. | Wednesday’s vote is expected to be extremely tight, because the Conservatives only hold a majority of around seven with the help of Democratic Unionist party (DUP) MPs. |
| On Tuesday night, the rebel group said it believed it had the numbers to defeat Theresa May’s government. If proved right, it would represent the first major Commons rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill. | On Tuesday night, the rebel group said it believed it had the numbers to defeat Theresa May’s government. If proved right, it would represent the first major Commons rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill. |
| Several politicians told the Guardian they were ready to swing behind the demands of Dominic Grieve unless ministers took last-minute steps to amend the legislation themselves. | Several politicians told the Guardian they were ready to swing behind the demands of Dominic Grieve unless ministers took last-minute steps to amend the legislation themselves. |
| Grieve, a former attorney general, made clear on Tuesday evening that he was ready to press ahead with the rebellion. “I remain hopeful that the government will listen to what I’ve said, but failing that I’m prepared to push to a vote,” he told the Guardian. | Grieve, a former attorney general, made clear on Tuesday evening that he was ready to press ahead with the rebellion. “I remain hopeful that the government will listen to what I’ve said, but failing that I’m prepared to push to a vote,” he told the Guardian. |
| Grieve objects to clause nine of the EU withdrawal bill, which hands ministers so-called Henry VIII powers to enact the Brexit legislation without a parliamentary vote. His amendment would not allow that to happen until MPs and peers had voted in favour of a fresh piece of legislation. | Grieve objects to clause nine of the EU withdrawal bill, which hands ministers so-called Henry VIII powers to enact the Brexit legislation without a parliamentary vote. His amendment would not allow that to happen until MPs and peers had voted in favour of a fresh piece of legislation. |
| “The government has not come up with a legislative alternative to amending clause nine, but it must be amended,” he said. “Because it is incompatible with the government’s own stated position as to how the final withdrawal agreement will be agreed by parliament.” | “The government has not come up with a legislative alternative to amending clause nine, but it must be amended,” he said. “Because it is incompatible with the government’s own stated position as to how the final withdrawal agreement will be agreed by parliament.” |
| Other Tory MPs who have signed up to the amendment made clear they were also ready to push ahead. Heidi Allen said she would vote for the amendment without further concessions. “A lot of us are very firm on this,” she said. | Other Tory MPs who have signed up to the amendment made clear they were also ready to push ahead. Heidi Allen said she would vote for the amendment without further concessions. “A lot of us are very firm on this,” she said. |
| Her colleague Antoinette Sandbach said: “It is vital that parliament is not denied the opportunity for scrutiny of the deal. All the other EU country parliaments will get that opportunity.” | Her colleague Antoinette Sandbach said: “It is vital that parliament is not denied the opportunity for scrutiny of the deal. All the other EU country parliaments will get that opportunity.” |
| She said the amendment would allow parliament to vote on the outcome of EU negotiations before the withdrawal agreement was implemented. | She said the amendment would allow parliament to vote on the outcome of EU negotiations before the withdrawal agreement was implemented. |
| At least one Tory MP who had not signed the amendment and had never previously threatened to rebel was also ready to back Grieve. | At least one Tory MP who had not signed the amendment and had never previously threatened to rebel was also ready to back Grieve. |
| The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, is ready to give Grieve the the Labour party’s support, whipping opposition MPs to vote in favour of the amendment. This makes it much more likely to result in a government defeat if the vote goes ahead. | The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, is ready to give Grieve the the Labour party’s support, whipping opposition MPs to vote in favour of the amendment. This makes it much more likely to result in a government defeat if the vote goes ahead. |
| Matthew Pennycook, a shadow Brexit minister, urged Tories not to back down. He called on ministers to give a cast-iron guarantee that parliament would have a final say on the Brexit agreement. “If they fail to do so, then Tory MPs should deliver on their promises and vote with Labour,” he said. | Matthew Pennycook, a shadow Brexit minister, urged Tories not to back down. He called on ministers to give a cast-iron guarantee that parliament would have a final say on the Brexit agreement. “If they fail to do so, then Tory MPs should deliver on their promises and vote with Labour,” he said. |
| “Tory rebels have talked the talk, now they must walk the walk. The decision MPs make … will determine whether or not the UK goes down the path of a Brexit that respects parliamentary democracy. | “Tory rebels have talked the talk, now they must walk the walk. The decision MPs make … will determine whether or not the UK goes down the path of a Brexit that respects parliamentary democracy. |
| “Warm words and woolly concessions from ministers” would not be enough, he said. | “Warm words and woolly concessions from ministers” would not be enough, he said. |
| In a last-minute attempt to scupper a rebellion, the Tory chief whip, Julian Smith, demanded to see those considering opposing the government. Whips argue that May achieved a positive deal in Brussels last week in the divorce talks, resulting in a polling boost that ought to be celebrated in the run-up to Christmas. | In a last-minute attempt to scupper a rebellion, the Tory chief whip, Julian Smith, demanded to see those considering opposing the government. Whips argue that May achieved a positive deal in Brussels last week in the divorce talks, resulting in a polling boost that ought to be celebrated in the run-up to Christmas. |
| Government sources also insisted, however, that they wanted to listen to Tory MPs. One said: “It’s clear [MPs] really want clarity about how the final votes would fall and what would happen when.” The source said they were seeing what ministers could do, but the government did not lay down a compromise amendment as expected on Friday. | Government sources also insisted, however, that they wanted to listen to Tory MPs. One said: “It’s clear [MPs] really want clarity about how the final votes would fall and what would happen when.” The source said they were seeing what ministers could do, but the government did not lay down a compromise amendment as expected on Friday. |
| One potential rebel complained that some leave campaigners in the Commons were trying to paint the intervention as an act of sabotage, but insisted: “It is nothing of the kind. This is all part of the hysteria.” | One potential rebel complained that some leave campaigners in the Commons were trying to paint the intervention as an act of sabotage, but insisted: “It is nothing of the kind. This is all part of the hysteria.” |
| A Labour MP backing the Tory backbench amendment said: “It’ll be tight, but we have the numbers at the moment.” | A Labour MP backing the Tory backbench amendment said: “It’ll be tight, but we have the numbers at the moment.” |
| The vote is unpredictable because a handful of Labour MPs are expected to vote the other way with the government or abstain. One of them, Frank Field, a Brexitsupporter, said he would not back Grieve’s amendment because he was concerned it would be a platform for further changes in the House of Lords, such as trying to force a second referendum. | The vote is unpredictable because a handful of Labour MPs are expected to vote the other way with the government or abstain. One of them, Frank Field, a Brexitsupporter, said he would not back Grieve’s amendment because he was concerned it would be a platform for further changes in the House of Lords, such as trying to force a second referendum. |
| Sources suggested only two or three Labour MPs would vote with the government, with one leaver – John Mann – making clear he was ready to back Grieve. “I voted to return powers to the British parliament,” he said. | Sources suggested only two or three Labour MPs would vote with the government, with one leaver – John Mann – making clear he was ready to back Grieve. “I voted to return powers to the British parliament,” he said. |
| Mann recently argued in the Guardian that leave voters would be let down if the UK failed to secure a Brexit deal, and instead suggested looking to a Norway or Swiss-style model inside the single market. | Mann recently argued in the Guardian that leave voters would be let down if the UK failed to secure a Brexit deal, and instead suggested looking to a Norway or Swiss-style model inside the single market. |
| May faces another potential rebellion next week over a government-led amendment that attempts to enshrine the exit day of 29 March 2019 in British law. | May faces another potential rebellion next week over a government-led amendment that attempts to enshrine the exit day of 29 March 2019 in British law. |