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| Tory whips make legal threat to rebels before crucial Brexit vote | Tory whips make legal threat to rebels before crucial Brexit vote |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Conservative rebels have been threatened with legal action if they make false public comments about the activities of the government’s whips in the run-up to Wednesday night’s crunch vote in parliament, the Guardian understands. | Conservative rebels have been threatened with legal action if they make false public comments about the activities of the government’s whips in the run-up to Wednesday night’s crunch vote in parliament, the Guardian understands. |
| In an indication of the toxic atmosphere at Westminster as Theresa May seeks to avoid an embarrassing defeat over MPs’ demands for a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal, at least one potential mutineer was warned by the chief whip, Julian Smith, that they could be sued if they made defamatory comments about the whips’ activities. | In an indication of the toxic atmosphere at Westminster as Theresa May seeks to avoid an embarrassing defeat over MPs’ demands for a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal, at least one potential mutineer was warned by the chief whip, Julian Smith, that they could be sued if they made defamatory comments about the whips’ activities. |
| Another backbencher described the approach of the whips, who are responsible for party discipline, as “bullying junior MPs”. | Another backbencher described the approach of the whips, who are responsible for party discipline, as “bullying junior MPs”. |
| The vote is over an amendment to the EU withdrawal bill laid by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve in an effort to force the government to give MPs a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal. | The vote is over an amendment to the EU withdrawal bill laid by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve in an effort to force the government to give MPs a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal. |
| The “mutineers”, as they were dubbed by the Daily Telegraph, appeared not to have been satisfied by a concession on Wednesday morning from David Davis, who tabled a written statement promising Conservatives a vote on the Brexit deal “as soon as possible” after negotiations are concluded. | The “mutineers”, as they were dubbed by the Daily Telegraph, appeared not to have been satisfied by a concession on Wednesday morning from David Davis, who tabled a written statement promising Conservatives a vote on the Brexit deal “as soon as possible” after negotiations are concluded. |
| 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.” | 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: a pledge repeated by May at prime minister’s questions. | He also promised the vote on May’s Brexit deal would take place before any part of the withdrawal agreement was implemented: a pledge repeated by May at prime minister’s questions. |
| But asked by the Labour backbencher Heidi Alexander about a separate amendment she has tabled, aimed at opening the way for the UK to remain in the European Economic Area, the prime minister risked further irritating rebel backbenchers by insisting the decision had already been taken by voters. | But asked by the Labour backbencher Heidi Alexander about a separate amendment she has tabled, aimed at opening the way for the UK to remain in the European Economic Area, the prime minister risked further irritating rebel backbenchers by insisting the decision had already been taken by voters. |
| May said: “She says that it should be parliament that makes the decision about our membership of the single market; actually this parliament gave that decision, about our membership of the European Union, to the people of this country. It is the people of this country that have voted to leave the EU and this government will deliver for the people of this country.” | May said: “She says that it should be parliament that makes the decision about our membership of the single market; actually this parliament gave that decision, about our membership of the European Union, to the people of this country. It is the people of this country that have voted to leave the EU and this government will deliver for the people of this country.” |
| The Conservative MP Anna Soubry later challenged the prime minister, saying they were both “proud of being called bloody difficult women”, but urging her to accept the amendment, “in a spirit of unity of everybody here and in the country”. | The Conservative MP Anna Soubry later challenged the prime minister, saying they were both “proud of being called bloody difficult women”, but urging her to accept the amendment, “in a spirit of unity of everybody here and in the country”. |
| But May replied that “as currently drafted”, Grieve’s amendment would prevent the government using key powers to prepare for Brexit, and “could mean that we are not able to have the orderly and smooth exit from the European Union that we want to have”. | But May replied that “as currently drafted”, Grieve’s amendment would prevent the government using key powers to prepare for Brexit, and “could mean that we are not able to have the orderly and smooth exit from the European Union that we want to have”. |
| Rebels were being called into No 10 on Wednesday in a last-ditch attempt to allay their concerns – but several indicated to the Guardian they were not satisfied with Davis’s promise. Discussions between Downing Street and the rebels are ongoing, with the government not ruling out backing a reworded amendment or laying its own as a compromise. | |
| Nicky Morgan and Antoinette Sandbach, as well as Soubry, said they had not been placated by the government’s latest move. They want a legally guaranteed vote on the draft agreement before Brexit day on 29 March 2019. | |
| Meanwhile Grieve told Sky News on Wednesday his conversations with the government over the issue had been a “dialogue of the deaf”. | Meanwhile Grieve told Sky News on Wednesday his conversations with the government over the issue had been a “dialogue of the deaf”. |
| Rebels had been expecting the government to table its own amendments that would put the pledge of a meaningful vote on the final deal into law, rather than relying on a promise from Davis or May. | Rebels had been expecting the government to table its own amendments that would put the pledge of a meaningful vote on the final deal into law, rather than relying on a promise from Davis or May. |
| Soubry told the Guardian: “Most of the so-called mutineers are lawyers – we understand the importance of statute.” She added: “We raised this with the prime minister in September. We said we don’t want to cause trouble. We don’t want to vote against the government. Dominic Grieve is not some headbanger.” | Soubry told the Guardian: “Most of the so-called mutineers are lawyers – we understand the importance of statute.” She added: “We raised this with the prime minister in September. We said we don’t want to cause trouble. We don’t want to vote against the government. Dominic Grieve is not some headbanger.” |
| Wednesday’s vote is expected to be extremely tight. It could only need around eight rebels because the Conservatives only hold a majority of 15 with the help of Democratic Unionist party MPs. However, an unpredictable factor is how many of the seven Brexit-supporting Labour MPs are prepared to vote with the government. | |
| If May is defeated over Grieve’s amendment on Wednesday evening, it would represent the first major Commons rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill. | If May is defeated over Grieve’s amendment on Wednesday evening, it would represent the first major Commons rebellion over the EU withdrawal bill. |
| The showdown comes as she prepares to travel to Brussels on Thursday for the European council meeting, at which EU27 leaders are expected to confirm “sufficient progress” has been made to allow negotiations to move on to Britain’s future relationship with the EU. | The showdown comes as she prepares to travel to Brussels on Thursday for the European council meeting, at which EU27 leaders are expected to confirm “sufficient progress” has been made to allow negotiations to move on to Britain’s future relationship with the EU. |
| Grieve objects to clause 9 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 9 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 9, 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 9, 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. |
| 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.” | 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.” |
| 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, confirmed on Wednesday morning that Labour would back the Grieve amendment, whipping opposition MPs to vote in favour of it. This makes it much more likely to result in a government defeat if the vote goes ahead. | The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, confirmed on Wednesday morning that Labour would back the Grieve amendment, whipping opposition MPs to vote in favour of it. This makes it much more likely to result in a government defeat if the vote goes ahead. |