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Brexit deal: Tory ministers meet to decide fate of agreement – Politics live Brexit deal: May at PMQs after Tory ministers meet to decide fate of agreement – Politics live
(35 minutes later)
Peter Bone, a Tory Brexiter, says May is “not delivering the Brexit people voted for” if media reports of the deal are accurate. He says she will lose the support of Tory MPs and Tory voters.
May says the deal will end free movement. It will deliver on the referendum vote, while protecting jobs.
Corbyn quotes Dominic Raab saying he only recently became aware of how important the Dover-Calais trade route was. When did May become aware of how important this was?
May says the government is aware of this. She turns to Labour. Corbyn said you can’t stop Brexit, but Keir Starmer said you can. What is Labour policy?
Corbyn says Labour respects the result of the referendum. But it does not respect this shambolic mess. If Raab is still in office this afternoon, can May tell him 10,000 lorries arrive at Dover every day. This “woeful ignorance” by a person in high office is disturbing, he says. He says the goverment wants to impose a false choice on parliament, between no deal and May’s deal. A sensible, alternative plan could bring together parliament and the country. Neither of May’s options are acceptable.
May says the “woeful ignorance” lies with Labour thinking you can build a better economy by increasing spending by £1 trillion and raising taxes. The government will not re-run the referendum, she says. She says the government will deliver Brexit, and the UK will leave the EU.
Corbyn asks May to confirm that the UK will be able to unilaterally withdraw from the backstop as the plan.
May says there will be a backstop. But neither side wants it to be used. Any backstop must be temporary, she says.
Corbyn says May’s “non-answer” shows that parliament won’t have that right. Liam Fox said he would have 40 trade deals ready to sign straight after Brexit. How many have been negotiated?
May says the government is negotiating on two fronts - to maintain existing trade deal, and for new ones. If Corbyn is interested in trade deals, he should sort out Labour’s policy. He said he wanted trade deals. But he also wants to be in the customs union. You can’t have both, she says.
Jeremy Corbyn says, after two years of bungled negotiations, from what we know of the government’s deal “it’s a failure in its own terms”. It does not deliver for the whole country. It breaches the PM’s own red lines. It does not support jobs and industry. And the government has not prepared for no deal. Will she still offer parliament a choice between her deal and no deal.
May says Corbyn used to complain that the government had not reached a deal. Now it is close to a deal, he is still complaining. He does not want a deal, she says.
Corbyn says May has not convinced many Tory MPs. He quotes from what Jo Johnson said last week about the Brexit talks being a failure of statecraft, the worst since Suez. He asks about the Sabine Weyand summary of the deal. (See 8.25am.)
May says she is getting a good deal for the UK.
Theresa May starts with the usual declaration that this morning she had meetings with ministerial colleagues. That prompts laughter.
She then says the cabinet will meet this afternoon to discuss next steps. This takes us closer to a deal. She says it will allow the UK to take back control of its laws, borders and money.
She will come back to the Commons to update MPs on the outcome, she says.
May says she is planning Commons statement on the Brexit deal. But she does not say when.
This is from the BBC’s Joey D’Urso.
TIM BARROW, the UK's ambassador to the EU, just went into 70 Whitehall where cabinet ministers have been looking at the final text of a Brexit deal.
PMQs is starting soon.
Normally I post an immediate snap verdict, summarising the May/Corbyn exchanges. That is because, for many people, they are the highlight of PMQs, and they want to know who “won”. But today it is clear that what matters most is not May v Corbyn, but May v the Commons as a whole, and so I won’t post a verdict until the whole thing is over.
Here is the batting order.
As the Irish government keeps its response to the proposed Brexit deal low key, media analysts declared potential victory over Dublin’s insistence on a backstop to avert a hard border between the republic and Northern Ireland.
“If the emerging shape of the backstop is reflected in the final withdrawal agreement and – crucially – passed through the House of Commons, then the government can claim a huge success,” Fiach Kelly wrote in the Irish Times.
The prospect of the UK remaining in customs arrangement with the European Union would be another win for Dublin as it would protect east-west trade between Ireland and Britain.
With an eye on a possible general election in the next few months the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and tanaiste, Simon Coveney, will have to tread a fine line between telling voters the Fine Gael-led government prevailed in negotiations without further provoking Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist party, which could sink the deal at Westminster.
This is from the Sun’s Harry Cole.
🚨Cabinet source says Geoffrey Cox has told colleagues overnight that there is no material difference from a legal point of view to the backstop exit mechanism from three weeks ago... but he will be backing the deal regardless.
This is from a DUP MLA (member of the legislative assembly). It has just been retweeted by the DUP leader Arlene Foster.
Politics may be the art of the possible, but it is also the science of mathematics of votes
Here is where we stand this morning. Quite often in politics you get a lot of noise, but not a lot of news. The airwaves have been full of people commenting on Brexit developments this morning, but the story has not moved on a great deal since last night.
That said, here are the latest developments.
Cabinet ministers have been visiting Number 10 to be briefed on the deal, but so far no one has resigned. That does not mean there won’t be resignations later. Resignations that involve flouncing out of Downing Street in a huff have not been in fashion since Michael Heseltine, and it worth remembering that the two cabinet ministers who resigned over the Chequers deal (David Davis and Boris Johnson) did so more than 48 hours after the cabinet meeting where they supposedly agreed it. But it does seem that, if there are resignations, they will be few, and they won’t involve the most senior figures. Here is one take from last night.
Brexit deal latest: Cabinet sources say May’s pivotal 5 senior ministers - Raab, Hunt, Javid, Gove and Cox - will back it. Leadsom and Grayling also on board. McVey and Mordaunt so far not.https://t.co/Um0TUGS0tR
Tory Brexiters have been escalating their anti-deal rhetoric. For example, see 9.35am and 9.42am. However, that is not necessarily a sign of strength. The Brexiters were hoping that the cabinet would kill Theresa May’s proposed deal, but that does not seem to be happening.
Tory Brexiters have been talking up the chances of May facing a leadership challenge. Andrew Bridgen said that explicitly this morning. (See 8.52am.) And Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the ERG, said this on Newsnight last night.
There comes a point at which the policy and the individual become so intimately connected that it will become very hard to carry on supporting the person promoting this.
Until now Rees-Mogg has argued (with some but not total success) that the ERG’s gripe is just with May’s policy, not with May herself. Now it is getting more personal. But the Brexiters are still stuck with the problem that they probably don’t have enough votes to defeat May in a confidence motion, even though they almost certainly do have the numbers (48) to trigger a no confidence vote in the first place.
“There comes a point at which the policy and the individual become so intimately connected that it would be very hard to carry on supporting the person who is promoting this policy”- Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group@Jacob_Rees_Mogg | #newsnight pic.twitter.com/quLuYQOJkJ
The DUP has signalled that it will oppose the plan.
A Times reporting claiming that a very senior EU official said the EU would “retain all the controls” under the plan (see 8.25am) has been widely commented on in London. Brexiters have cited it as evidence for their theory that the deal will preserve the UK as a “vassal” state. But the Evening Standard, edited by the pro-European George Osborne, has adopted this line too. (See 11.28am.) Most MPs are reserving judgement until they see the text of the deal, which is expected to be released later this afternoon, perhaps at around 6pm.
Labour remains critical of the deal (this is what Jeremy Corbyn said about it last night) but the party’s business spokesman, Rebecca Long-Bailey, struggled this morning to explain why the party would vote against the plan if it really would keep the UK in the customs union and aligned to EU rules in the way people are reporting. (See 7.46am.) It is worth remembering what Jeremy Corbyn told the Labour conference in September. He said:
Let me also reach out to the prime minister, who is currently doing the negotiating.
Brexit is about the future of our country and our vital interests. It is not about leadership squabbles or parliamentary posturing. If you deliver a deal that includes a customs union and no hard border in Ireland, if you protect jobs, people’s rights at work and environmental and consumer standards - then we will support that sensible deal. A deal that would be backed by most of the business world and trade unions too.
Tom Newton Dunn, political editor of The Sun, reports that international development secretary Penny Mordaunt wants “further assurances” before she backs the Brexit deal.Tom Newton Dunn, political editor of The Sun, reports that international development secretary Penny Mordaunt wants “further assurances” before she backs the Brexit deal.
Apparently she won’t unleash ‘fireworks’ at the cabinet meeting this afternoon, though.Apparently she won’t unleash ‘fireworks’ at the cabinet meeting this afternoon, though.
I’m told Penny Mordaunt is awaiting further assurances before she puts her name to the Brexit deal, having now read it and seen PM. But allies warn “don't expect fireworks today” from her.I’m told Penny Mordaunt is awaiting further assurances before she puts her name to the Brexit deal, having now read it and seen PM. But allies warn “don't expect fireworks today” from her.
Here is the Evening Standard’s splash. The Standard, of course, is edited by George Osborne, the remain-voting Tory who was sacked as chancellor by Theresa May.Here is the Evening Standard’s splash. The Standard, of course, is edited by George Osborne, the remain-voting Tory who was sacked as chancellor by Theresa May.
Today’s ⁦@EveningStandard⁩: EU takes back control pic.twitter.com/Vm558iP4tgToday’s ⁦@EveningStandard⁩: EU takes back control pic.twitter.com/Vm558iP4tg
Five months after resigning from the government over Brexit, former justice minister Phillip Lee says he cannot vote for the deal when it comes before parliament.Five months after resigning from the government over Brexit, former justice minister Phillip Lee says he cannot vote for the deal when it comes before parliament.
Speaking on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show, Lee insists that it should go to a people’s vote, saying:Speaking on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show, Lee insists that it should go to a people’s vote, saying:
Where we’re going to end up is not where was promised. This is political fraud, and I’m not putting my name to it.Where we’re going to end up is not where was promised. This is political fraud, and I’m not putting my name to it.
If the public, having read the deal, having understood that Northern Ireland is going to be treated differently, having understood that we’re going to be taking the obligations but not the benefits of EU membership...If the public, having read the deal, having understood that Northern Ireland is going to be treated differently, having understood that we’re going to be taking the obligations but not the benefits of EU membership...
If they understand all that and vote for it, then I’m a democrat and I’ll respect that. None of that appeared on the side of a bus in 2016.If they understand all that and vote for it, then I’m a democrat and I’ll respect that. None of that appeared on the side of a bus in 2016.
‘This is political fraud and I am not putting my name to it,’ @DrPhillipLeeMPon why he is calling for a public vote on the final #Brexit deal.The Cabinet is set to discuss the draft agreement.https://t.co/BBWw9tnm6D pic.twitter.com/rREXX99mmW‘This is political fraud and I am not putting my name to it,’ @DrPhillipLeeMPon why he is calling for a public vote on the final #Brexit deal.The Cabinet is set to discuss the draft agreement.https://t.co/BBWw9tnm6D pic.twitter.com/rREXX99mmW
Michel Barnier will not be the person briefing EU ambassadors today on behalf of the EU, Schinas says.Michel Barnier will not be the person briefing EU ambassadors today on behalf of the EU, Schinas says.
Q: If things happen in London, and through the EU meeting today, will there be further updates?Q: If things happen in London, and through the EU meeting today, will there be further updates?
Schinas says yes. There could be announcements today or in the coming days.Schinas says yes. There could be announcements today or in the coming days.
Q: Does the text include a Northern Ireland-specific backstop plan?Q: Does the text include a Northern Ireland-specific backstop plan?
Schinas says he is not able to comment at this point.Schinas says he is not able to comment at this point.
Q: If the UK cabinet or parliament reject this deal, is there the time or the willingness to reopen negotiations?Q: If the UK cabinet or parliament reject this deal, is there the time or the willingness to reopen negotiations?
Schinas says he will not speculate on that.Schinas says he will not speculate on that.
Schinas is now taking questions.Schinas is now taking questions.
Q: You did not mention Brexit in your opening remarks. Can you tell us what has been agreed, and what are the next steps?Q: You did not mention Brexit in your opening remarks. Can you tell us what has been agreed, and what are the next steps?
Schinas says the negotiators have been working intensively on a withdrawal agreement and a future partnership document. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, briefed ambassadors on this. The cabinet will meet this afternoon. And the EU will brief member states this afternoon.Schinas says the negotiators have been working intensively on a withdrawal agreement and a future partnership document. Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, briefed ambassadors on this. The cabinet will meet this afternoon. And the EU will brief member states this afternoon.
He says the EU is not commenting on the moment. But it will brief when it is able to. “So stay tuned,” he concludes.He says the EU is not commenting on the moment. But it will brief when it is able to. “So stay tuned,” he concludes.
In Brussels the European commission’s chief spokesman, Margaritis Schinas, is holding his regular briefing. You can watch a live feed here.In Brussels the European commission’s chief spokesman, Margaritis Schinas, is holding his regular briefing. You can watch a live feed here.
I’m monitoring it for Brexit news.I’m monitoring it for Brexit news.
This is from my colleague Jessica Elgot.This is from my colleague Jessica Elgot.
Dominic Grieve says he can't vote for the deal if it is as briefed in Sabine Weyand's briefing note. “I could not look my constituents in the eye and say this would be a better deal than the one we have as a member of the EU."Dominic Grieve says he can't vote for the deal if it is as briefed in Sabine Weyand's briefing note. “I could not look my constituents in the eye and say this would be a better deal than the one we have as a member of the EU."
Here are some random tweets on the deal.
From the Sunday Times’ Tim Shipman
For 22 months Theresa May has argued that no deal is better than a bad deal. Today her argument is that a bad deal is better than no deal
From Rupert Harrison, who was chief of staff to George Osborne when Osborne was chancellor
Despite the furious ERG/DUP spin the reality is that TM has delivered a significant negotiating achievement over the last few weeks - holding out against a NI only backstop and effectively forcing the EU to concede
From the Labour peer Stewart Wood
I have a hunch some Brexiteer Cabinet Ministers will come out of Cabinet today saying “The Cabinet decided today to put the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal to Parliament so that it can make the final decision” rather than “The Cabinet today backed the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal”.
Former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern has declared the Brexit agreement as a “good deal” for Ireland but a “hard sell” for Theresa May.
Ahern, who was taoiseach for 11 years and was one of the architects of the peace process in Northern Ireland, also said Theresa May could go to the cabinet today holding her head high.
He said the UK-wide customs arrangement, instead of an discrete backstop for the Irish border, was a “victory” for her. He said:
That has been achieved by [Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator] making a big concession. If I was addressing the British cabinet, I would remind them that it was Theresa May who asked for a temporary customs-arrangement.
In Greece, where Brexit negotiations have been closely watched - and bemoaned by officials - the state-run TV channel, ERT, has described the coming hours as a day for reckoning for Theresa May. “Today may prove to be one of the most difficult days of the British prime minister’s political career since, to great degree, it will also be decisive for the cohesion of the cabinet,” said the channel reporting developments.
Given Greece’s status as the euro zone’s weakest link, politicians across the board frequently lament the prospect of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU fearing it will ultimately pave the way to a Teutonic takeover of the continent.
Under the headline “Say a prayer for Great Britain,” the news portal, Postscript, has just declared: “The hours seem to be endless since [it was announced] on Tuesday evening that a [preliminary] deal was cut between the EU and Great Britain. More than anything it will be anguish for London, primarily, that will ensue. … say a prayer for Great Britain and perhaps also for Europe itself. The future is becoming darker.”
Here are pictures of Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, and Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, leaving Downing Street this morning. They are both prominent Brexiters. Neither of them spoke to journalists as they came out. You’ll have to decide for yourself by looking at the pictures (which is not always the worst way of working out what’s going on) whether they are:
a) Pleased as punch
b) Reluctantly minded to okay May’s deal.
c) Wondering what to include in the resignation letter
Chris Grayling, the Brexiter transport secretary, was “tight-lipped”, in the words of the Press Association, as he left Downing Street this morning.
He was also there last night, and did not look especially cheerful as he left.
Here is the scene in Downing Street. Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, was the most recent person to arrive, going in about 40 minutes ago.
Ireland’s taoiseach Leo Varadkar is expected to make a statement at noon in the Irish parliament, sources say.
This is from Sarah Vine, the Daily Mail columnist who is married to Michael Gove, the Brexiter environment secretary.
On the whole quite a lot of willy waving going on this morning #BrexitDeal
That seems to be a reference to people like Mark Francois. (See 9.42am.) Gove himself is reportedly backing the deal, although apparently with certain reservations.
Here’s more pressure from the European Research Group, via the BBC’s Norman Smith:
“If the officers won’t stop this then the poor bloody infantry will have to” - ERG bod on PMs Brexit deal
Mark Francois, deputy chair of the European Research Group, the faction representing around 50 Tory MPs pushing for a harder Brexit, told the Today programme this morning that he thought there would be cabinet resignations today over the Brexit deal. But he would not predict how many.
Cabinet ministers would have to make a choice, he said. He told the programme:
People around the cabinet table, in their heart of hearts, know that.
We and the rest of the country will be watching very carefully to see what happens at cabinet today, but there are a number of cabinet ministers who deep down very much oppose this.
They will have to look into their hearts and decide whether a Jaguar and a red box and a bunch of sycophantic civil servants calling you ‘Minister’ is more important that the destiny of your country.