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| May faces pressure from both sides over Brexit plan at PMQs | May faces pressure from both sides over Brexit plan at PMQs |
| (1 day later) | |
| Theresa May faced pressure over her Brexit plans from both sides of the Commons during a noisy final prime minister’s questions of the summer, in which she also clashed with Jeremy Corbyn on the investigation into the Vote Leave campaign. | Theresa May faced pressure over her Brexit plans from both sides of the Commons during a noisy final prime minister’s questions of the summer, in which she also clashed with Jeremy Corbyn on the investigation into the Vote Leave campaign. |
| The Labour leader used all his questions to focus on Brexit, saying the government had “sunk into a mire of chaos and division” on the issue, and that its Chequers plan was now defunct. | The Labour leader used all his questions to focus on Brexit, saying the government had “sunk into a mire of chaos and division” on the issue, and that its Chequers plan was now defunct. |
| But May also came under scrutiny from her own benches. The pro-leave Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, a vehement critic of the Chequers proposal, asked: “Could the prime minister inform the house at what point it was decided that Brexit means remain?” | But May also came under scrutiny from her own benches. The pro-leave Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, a vehement critic of the Chequers proposal, asked: “Could the prime minister inform the house at what point it was decided that Brexit means remain?” |
| The prime minister replied, somewhat frostily: “At absolutely no point – because Brexit continues to mean Brexit.” | The prime minister replied, somewhat frostily: “At absolutely no point – because Brexit continues to mean Brexit.” |
| Steve Baker, who resigned as a Brexit minister last week in protest at the Chequers plan, asked May to make more contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit. | Steve Baker, who resigned as a Brexit minister last week in protest at the Chequers plan, asked May to make more contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit. |
| The most personal clash came after Corbyn used his first question to refer to the Electoral Commission’s decision to fine Vote Leave £61,000 and refer the organisation to the police. | The most personal clash came after Corbyn used his first question to refer to the Electoral Commission’s decision to fine Vote Leave £61,000 and refer the organisation to the police. |
| He noted that the cabinet ministers Liam Fox, Dominic Raab and Chris Grayling were all members of the Vote Leave committee during the EU referendum, while Michael Gove was its co-chair. | He noted that the cabinet ministers Liam Fox, Dominic Raab and Chris Grayling were all members of the Vote Leave committee during the EU referendum, while Michael Gove was its co-chair. |
| Corbyn said: “They have been referred to the police by the Electoral Commission, having refused to cooperate with the Electoral Commission. Will the prime minister guarantee that her cabinet ministers will fully cooperate with the police investigation?” | Corbyn said: “They have been referred to the police by the Electoral Commission, having refused to cooperate with the Electoral Commission. Will the prime minister guarantee that her cabinet ministers will fully cooperate with the police investigation?” |
| May asked Corbyn to withdraw what she said was an unfair intimation that it was the ministers themselves who had been referred to police, rather than Vote Leave as an organisation. | May asked Corbyn to withdraw what she said was an unfair intimation that it was the ministers themselves who had been referred to police, rather than Vote Leave as an organisation. |
| “He has made an accusation in this house against individual members of this house and of the government. And I suggest that when he stands up he reflect on whether or not it was correct to do so,” she said. | “He has made an accusation in this house against individual members of this house and of the government. And I suggest that when he stands up he reflect on whether or not it was correct to do so,” she said. |
| Corbyn denied he had been misleading: “I stated the fact that the Electoral Commission has made that reference. That’s what I said. That is not judgmental. That is a guarantee they will cooperate. These are serious issues – that current cabinet ministers were indeed central to the Vote Leave campaign.” | Corbyn denied he had been misleading: “I stated the fact that the Electoral Commission has made that reference. That’s what I said. That is not judgmental. That is a guarantee they will cooperate. These are serious issues – that current cabinet ministers were indeed central to the Vote Leave campaign.” |
| The rest of the exchange saw Corbyn target May over Tory criticism of the Chequers plan and subsequent Brexit white paper, on which the PM has narrowly avoided defeat on the trade bill, while accepting four amendments from hardline Brexiters on the customs bill. | The rest of the exchange saw Corbyn target May over Tory criticism of the Chequers plan and subsequent Brexit white paper, on which the PM has narrowly avoided defeat on the trade bill, while accepting four amendments from hardline Brexiters on the customs bill. |
| Corbyn asked: “Given that the proposals in the white paper are now obsolete, when will the new white paper be published?” | Corbyn asked: “Given that the proposals in the white paper are now obsolete, when will the new white paper be published?” |
| May insisted her plans remained unchanged: “The Chequers agreement, the white paper, are the basis for our negotiation with the European Union, and we’ve already started those negotiations.” | May insisted her plans remained unchanged: “The Chequers agreement, the white paper, are the basis for our negotiation with the European Union, and we’ve already started those negotiations.” |
| Corbyn ended with his by now traditional summing up of his arguments, which are packaged as social media clips by Labour and shared widely. As is now equally traditional, Tory MPs shouted him down, causing a break so the Speaker, John Bercow, could call for calm. | Corbyn ended with his by now traditional summing up of his arguments, which are packaged as social media clips by Labour and shared widely. As is now equally traditional, Tory MPs shouted him down, causing a break so the Speaker, John Bercow, could call for calm. |
| “With only three months to go until the final withdrawal agreement is due to be signed, the Brexit secretary has resigned, the white paper is in tatters, the new Brexit secretary is skipping negotiations,” Corbyn said. | “With only three months to go until the final withdrawal agreement is due to be signed, the Brexit secretary has resigned, the white paper is in tatters, the new Brexit secretary is skipping negotiations,” Corbyn said. |
| “They’ve even given up on negotiating with each other. Isn’t the case that the government is failing to negotiate Brexit, failing to meet the needs of the country because they are far too busy fighting each other?” | “They’ve even given up on negotiating with each other. Isn’t the case that the government is failing to negotiate Brexit, failing to meet the needs of the country because they are far too busy fighting each other?” |
| May responded by seeking to contrast her last week with that of the Labour leader. | May responded by seeking to contrast her last week with that of the Labour leader. |
| “While I was agreeing the future of Nato with President Trump, he was joining a protest march against him,” she said, inadvertently prompting loud laughter from MPs at the idea that her talks with Trump had secured the future of Nato. | “While I was agreeing the future of Nato with President Trump, he was joining a protest march against him,” she said, inadvertently prompting loud laughter from MPs at the idea that her talks with Trump had secured the future of Nato. |
| “While I was negotiating our future security relationship with Europe, he was renegotiating the definition of antisemitism. He protests – I deliver.” | “While I was negotiating our future security relationship with Europe, he was renegotiating the definition of antisemitism. He protests – I deliver.” |
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