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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/16/theresa-may-ready-cave-in-hardline-brexiters-customs-demands
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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Theresa May caves in to hardline Brexiters' demands | Theresa May caves in to hardline Brexiters' demands |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May has caved in to hardline Brexiters over amendments to the customs bill, rather than allow Jacob Rees-Mogg and colleagues to stage a show of parliamentary strength. | Theresa May has caved in to hardline Brexiters over amendments to the customs bill, rather than allow Jacob Rees-Mogg and colleagues to stage a show of parliamentary strength. |
| As the prime minister tried to sell her Chequers deal on Brexit to the public and her own backbenchers, the European Research Group (ERG) of pro-Brexit MPs tabled four amendments to the legislation last week. | As the prime minister tried to sell her Chequers deal on Brexit to the public and her own backbenchers, the European Research Group (ERG) of pro-Brexit MPs tabled four amendments to the legislation last week. |
| The ERG believes May’s “facilitated customs arrangement”, which would see the UK collect EU tariffs on some imports, and plans for a “common rulebook” for goods and agriculture, would allow for too close a future relationship with the EU27. | The ERG believes May’s “facilitated customs arrangement”, which would see the UK collect EU tariffs on some imports, and plans for a “common rulebook” for goods and agriculture, would allow for too close a future relationship with the EU27. |
| Rees-Mogg held talks with the chief whip, Julian Smith, on Monday, and the government later signalled that it would accept all four amendments, avoiding an embarrassing clash with rebellious backbenchers. | Rees-Mogg held talks with the chief whip, Julian Smith, on Monday, and the government later signalled that it would accept all four amendments, avoiding an embarrassing clash with rebellious backbenchers. |
| Tory remain rebels reacted with fury to the concessions. “It’s appalling. Utterly appalling. Jacob Rees-Mogg is running our country,” said one MP. | Tory remain rebels reacted with fury to the concessions. “It’s appalling. Utterly appalling. Jacob Rees-Mogg is running our country,” said one MP. |
| Just hours earlier, Downing Street had suggested it had concerns about one of the four Brexit amendments in particular, which would prohibit HMRC from “collection of certain taxes or duties on behalf of territory without reciprocity” – a move aimed at blocking the facilitated customs arrangement. | Just hours earlier, Downing Street had suggested it had concerns about one of the four Brexit amendments in particular, which would prohibit HMRC from “collection of certain taxes or duties on behalf of territory without reciprocity” – a move aimed at blocking the facilitated customs arrangement. |
| That appears to directly torpedo May’s plans for a “facilitated customs arrangement”, as set out in last week’s white paper. | That appears to directly torpedo May’s plans for a “facilitated customs arrangement”, as set out in last week’s white paper. |
| The other three amendments, including one making it illegal to establish a customs border in the Irish Sea, harden stated government policy into law. | |
| A Downing Street spokesman defended the Chequers deal on Monday, saying it was, “very clear that the proposal we put forward at Chequers delivers on the will of the people in the referendum”. | A Downing Street spokesman defended the Chequers deal on Monday, saying it was, “very clear that the proposal we put forward at Chequers delivers on the will of the people in the referendum”. |
| “Cabinet is behind it, businesses have come out to support it and now we need to get on with negotiating with the EU,” the spokesman said. | “Cabinet is behind it, businesses have come out to support it and now we need to get on with negotiating with the EU,” the spokesman said. |
| Scott Mann, the MP for North Cornwall, became the latest Conservative MP to resign a government post over the Chequers deal on Monday, in a rolling protest from concerned backbenchers. | Scott Mann, the MP for North Cornwall, became the latest Conservative MP to resign a government post over the Chequers deal on Monday, in a rolling protest from concerned backbenchers. |
| Mann, a parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury, said in his resignation letter: “Elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents.” | Mann, a parliamentary private secretary at the Treasury, said in his resignation letter: “Elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents.” |
| WHO'S IN: | WHO'S IN: |
| Jeremy Hunt | Jeremy Hunt |
| The longest-serving health secretary - having held the role for almost six years - becomes foreign secretary after Boris Johnson's resignation. | The longest-serving health secretary - having held the role for almost six years - becomes foreign secretary after Boris Johnson's resignation. |
| Matt Hancock | Matt Hancock |
| The former culture secretary replaces Hunt as health secretary. | The former culture secretary replaces Hunt as health secretary. |
| Jeremy Wright | Jeremy Wright |
| The former attorney general takes on Hancock’s old job as culture secretary. | The former attorney general takes on Hancock’s old job as culture secretary. |
| Geoffrey Cox | Geoffrey Cox |
| The Devon MP is promoted to be attorney general and will attend cabinet. | The Devon MP is promoted to be attorney general and will attend cabinet. |
| Dominic Raab | Dominic Raab |
| The former housing minister is promoted to Brexit secretary after the resignation of David Davis. | The former housing minister is promoted to Brexit secretary after the resignation of David Davis. |
| WHO'S OUT: | WHO'S OUT: |
| David Davis | David Davis |
| Goes to the backbenches after kicking off the ministerial reshuffle with his resignation as Brexit secretary over Theresa May's negotiation plans. | Goes to the backbenches after kicking off the ministerial reshuffle with his resignation as Brexit secretary over Theresa May's negotiation plans. |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| The gaffe-prone and controversial foreign secretary joins Davis on the backbenches after also quitting his role. | The gaffe-prone and controversial foreign secretary joins Davis on the backbenches after also quitting his role. |
| The prime minister was at Farnborough airshow on Monday morning, before heading back to Westminster to report to MPs on last week’s Nato summit. | The prime minister was at Farnborough airshow on Monday morning, before heading back to Westminster to report to MPs on last week’s Nato summit. |
| Fears are growing at Westminster that there is now no Brexit deal – not the Chequers plan, nor David Davis’s Canada-style trade deal, nor a no-deal scenario – that could command the backing of a majority of MPs. | Fears are growing at Westminster that there is now no Brexit deal – not the Chequers plan, nor David Davis’s Canada-style trade deal, nor a no-deal scenario – that could command the backing of a majority of MPs. |
| Had the ERG amendments been pushed to the vote, it would have given the government a sense of the likely rebellion it could face from hardliners, if it brings a soft Brexit deal to the Commons in the autumn. | Had the ERG amendments been pushed to the vote, it would have given the government a sense of the likely rebellion it could face from hardliners, if it brings a soft Brexit deal to the Commons in the autumn. |
| A senior Labour source expressed surprise the government had not postponed debate on the customs bill and another Brexit bill, the trade bill, when it announced planned parliamentary business at the end of last week, rather than face the risk of a series of embarrassing defeats. | A senior Labour source expressed surprise the government had not postponed debate on the customs bill and another Brexit bill, the trade bill, when it announced planned parliamentary business at the end of last week, rather than face the risk of a series of embarrassing defeats. |
| “They’re in a place where they don’t want votes that could look like a vote of confidence,” he said, adding: “The crunch might not come today but come the autumn there’s going to have to be a reckoning.” | “They’re in a place where they don’t want votes that could look like a vote of confidence,” he said, adding: “The crunch might not come today but come the autumn there’s going to have to be a reckoning.” |
| Meanwhile, the former education secretary Justine Greening has become the most senior Conservative to lend her backing to the idea of a referendum to allow the public to have a say on the proposed Brexit deals. | Meanwhile, the former education secretary Justine Greening has become the most senior Conservative to lend her backing to the idea of a referendum to allow the public to have a say on the proposed Brexit deals. |
| Writing in the Times, the MP for Putney said the “only solution is to take the final Brexit decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians” by letting voters choose from three options: May’s final deal, a no-deal Brexit or staying in the EU. | Writing in the Times, the MP for Putney said the “only solution is to take the final Brexit decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians” by letting voters choose from three options: May’s final deal, a no-deal Brexit or staying in the EU. |
| Greening proposed a system using first and second-preference votes to ensure the preferred model achieved more than 50% of the final vote. | Greening proposed a system using first and second-preference votes to ensure the preferred model achieved more than 50% of the final vote. |
| Dominic Grieve, a Tory remainer, gave reluctant backing to the prime minister’s negotiating strategy, arguing May was “doing her best to minimise the damage that flows from the decision to leave the European Union” and that her approach was a lot better than the alternative being promoted by the hard Brexiters. | Dominic Grieve, a Tory remainer, gave reluctant backing to the prime minister’s negotiating strategy, arguing May was “doing her best to minimise the damage that flows from the decision to leave the European Union” and that her approach was a lot better than the alternative being promoted by the hard Brexiters. |
| Writing in the Evening Standard, Grieve wrote that “in a deeply divided country we must either work together to get the best deal we can” and accept compromise, or the Tory right should accept that Brexit cannot be implemented. | Writing in the Evening Standard, Grieve wrote that “in a deeply divided country we must either work together to get the best deal we can” and accept compromise, or the Tory right should accept that Brexit cannot be implemented. |
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