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Brexit deal: May in crunch meeting to decide fate of agreement – Politics live Brexit deal: May in crunch meeting to decide fate of agreement – Politics live
(35 minutes later)
The Daily Telegraph’s chief political correspondent Christopher Hope has tweeted that he’s heard two cabinet ministers will resign today.
The pair: international development secretary Penny Mordaunt, and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Esther McVey.
Minister: "Two members of the Cabinet will resign today". Me: "Who?" Minister: "Penny Mordaunt and Esther McVey." #BrexitDeal
This is putting the pound under a little pressure. Sterling has dipped back to $1.295 against the US dollar, having risen to $1.30 this morning.
It seems that Downing Street is aware that the opinions being heard so far about Theresa May’s Brexit plans are currently mainly coming from the two opposite sides of the debate – the ERG and remainers.
Hence, I’m told, an order went out earlier today from the Conservative whips for moderate Tory MPs to start tweeting their supportive views. But as one centrist Tory said: “It’s not easy to opine on a deal when you haven’t even seen anything yet.”
The MP’s view on initial reports of May’s plan is that it seems not entirely ideal, but is “better than all the other options”.
Jeremy Corbyn’s spokesman has made clear Labour’s first priority, if the government’s Brexit deal fails to pass the Commons will be to press for its own, alternative plan.
Speaking to journalists after prime minister’s questions, he said if MPs reject the prime minister’s deal, in a vote expected to take place early next month, “our priority is for a different, alternative Labour plan for Brexit, which puts jobs and living standards first”.
Corbyn irked many Labour members last week by saying, “we can’t stop Brexit”.
Pressed repeatedly on the question, his spokesman laid out Labour’s carefully-constructed position, as agreed in the party’s conference in September. He said:
We are committed to respect the result of the referendum - and that’s why we’re putting the case for a different, alternative plan for Brexit.
And we’ve then set out a series of steps, which are well down the track, in which all options remain on the table.
Obviously, from a technical point of view, Brexit can be stopped, that’s clearly the case.
But Jeremy said, “we” can’t stop Brexit. That’s not either our policy, nor our priority, nor do we have the mechanism to do it.
He added that if May loses the meaningful vote, Labour would effectively consider it to be a vote of no confidence in the government (which it wouldn’t be formally, under the fixed term parliament act). He said:
Clearly, if the government is defeated on this absolutely central part of its program, then it would have shown it was unable to govern, and unable to deliver the most essential priorities for the country.
Either these cabinet ministers are excellent poker players, or they really weren’t looking forward to discussing the prime minister’s Brexit deal.
The chief whip had a similar expression:
At least Andrea Leadsom managed a smile for the cameras:
And here’s Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, whose advice could be crucial today:
Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, has strongly implied that the backstop for the Irish border does not involve the expiry date or unilateral exit options Brexiters demanded.
After being briefed overnight on the detail of the withdrawal agreement, Varadkar suggested in the Irish parliament that Theresa May did not get the concessions she wanted. The backstop “can’t have an expiry date and it can’t be possible for anyone side to withdraw from it unilaterally,” he said in leaders questions in the Dail.
Speaking after a two-hour briefing last night on the contents of the withdrawal agreement from Brussels, Varadkar also confirmed that an emergency EU summit has been pencilled in for 25 November if Theresa May’s Brexit deal emerges unscathed from a crunch cabinet meeting today.
Varadkar intends to brief the Northern Ireland non-unionist parties, the SDLP and the Alliance, on the withdrawal agreement. In the Dail he also reached out to unionists, saying they would be protected by the deal.
I know for the unionist community in Northern Ireland this is quite a difficult time. Many of them may be feeling vulnerable, many of them might be feeling isolated and many of them may be quite worried about what may be agreed in the coming days.
I want to say to them the GFA [Good Friday agreement] will be protected and that includes a recognition that we respect the territory of the United Kingdom and that we respect the principle of consent, that there can be no change to the constitutional status of Northern Ireland unless a majority of Northern Ireland say so and we are very happy to have that written into any agreement.
EU ambassadors are arriving at a meeting in Brussels for a briefing on the Brexit deal. As the BBC’s Adam Fleming reports, it may go on for a while.
One EU ambassador arriving for their briefing on #Brexit said their meeting could also last for three hours. Eek.
This is from Sky’s Kate McCann.
Just asked Geoffrey Cox if the Cabinet is happy with his legal advice, he mouthed “wait and see”. Looked cheery enough though
The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg has been watching ministers arriving at No 10 for the 2pm cabinet meeting.The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg has been watching ministers arriving at No 10 for the 2pm cabinet meeting.
Cabinet ministers arriving - all pretty grim facedCabinet ministers arriving - all pretty grim faced
In Germany, there was a cautious welcome for last night’s Brexit breakthrough, though most politicians left it up to Brussels to comment. Speaking to the German broadcaster ARD, Manfred Weber, the head of the European People’s party (EPP) in the European parliament and a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU) said:In Germany, there was a cautious welcome for last night’s Brexit breakthrough, though most politicians left it up to Brussels to comment. Speaking to the German broadcaster ARD, Manfred Weber, the head of the European People’s party (EPP) in the European parliament and a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU) said:
The white smoke is rising. We have positive signals that, after months and weeks of torturous debate, it will now come to an agreement. We Europeans have put a lot of suggestions on the table about what a potential solution would look like. And now we’re really, so to speak, at completion.The white smoke is rising. We have positive signals that, after months and weeks of torturous debate, it will now come to an agreement. We Europeans have put a lot of suggestions on the table about what a potential solution would look like. And now we’re really, so to speak, at completion.
Concretely that means we will get a transition phase to avoid damage, above all for the economy but also for affected citizens, for instance Germans in Great Britain. And we want to clarify in the long term that there will be no border in Northern Ireland. It was successful. The Northern Irish border will not be set up as a hard border and to that extent we have achieved some of the goals that we have as Europeans.Concretely that means we will get a transition phase to avoid damage, above all for the economy but also for affected citizens, for instance Germans in Great Britain. And we want to clarify in the long term that there will be no border in Northern Ireland. It was successful. The Northern Irish border will not be set up as a hard border and to that extent we have achieved some of the goals that we have as Europeans.
Asked whether he thought the current agreement will be enough for the EU, Weber said:Asked whether he thought the current agreement will be enough for the EU, Weber said:
We will look at the text, just the same as our colleagues in the British parliament. I can’t promise anything today.We will look at the text, just the same as our colleagues in the British parliament. I can’t promise anything today.
Meanwhile, Katja Leikert, the deputy chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary faction, used Twitter to praise the breakthrough as “good news” and said it was “high time” for an agreement. “Now it’s about getting over a few more hurdles. The next thing is for British cabinet and parliament to approve the draft,” she said.Meanwhile, Katja Leikert, the deputy chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary faction, used Twitter to praise the breakthrough as “good news” and said it was “high time” for an agreement. “Now it’s about getting over a few more hurdles. The next thing is for British cabinet and parliament to approve the draft,” she said.
Die Einigung zwischen EU-Kommission und Großbritannien zum #Brexit ist eine gute Nachricht. Dafür wurde es höchste Zeit. Nun gilt es noch einige Hürden zu überwinden ➡️ Als nächstes müssen in Großbritannien Kabinett und Parlament dem Entwurf zustimmen. 🗳Die Einigung zwischen EU-Kommission und Großbritannien zum #Brexit ist eine gute Nachricht. Dafür wurde es höchste Zeit. Nun gilt es noch einige Hürden zu überwinden ➡️ Als nächstes müssen in Großbritannien Kabinett und Parlament dem Entwurf zustimmen. 🗳
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has described Theresa May’s Brexit deal as “devastating” for Scotland. Speaking to the BBC, she said that, from what she knows of the deal so far, it would mean “the worst of all possible worlds for Scotland”. She added: Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has described Theresa May’s Brexit deal as “devastating” for Scotland. Speaking to the BBC, she said that, from what she knows of the deal so far, it would mean “the worst of all possible worlds for Scotland”.
It would take Scotland out of the single market, which would be bad enough in and of itself.It would take Scotland out of the single market, which would be bad enough in and of itself.
But it would do so while leaving us competing for investment and jobs with Northern Ireland, which would effectively be staying in the single market.But it would do so while leaving us competing for investment and jobs with Northern Ireland, which would effectively be staying in the single market.
That would be devastating for jobs and investment in Scotland and not something that anybody should be prepared to accept.That would be devastating for jobs and investment in Scotland and not something that anybody should be prepared to accept.
The SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, confirmed this morning that his party’s 35 MPs would oppose the deal in its current form.The SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, confirmed this morning that his party’s 35 MPs would oppose the deal in its current form.
But Sturgeon insisted that rejecting the current proposals in the House of Commons would not make a no-deal Brexit inevitable, but opened up the possibility for getting “better options like full single market and customs union membership back on the table”.But Sturgeon insisted that rejecting the current proposals in the House of Commons would not make a no-deal Brexit inevitable, but opened up the possibility for getting “better options like full single market and customs union membership back on the table”.
She added that it would also allow those arguing for another referendum to be held on the Brexit terms – as the SNP has done - to make their case. She added that it would also allow those arguing for another referendum to be held on the Brexit terms – as the SNP has done – to make their case.
Here is my colleague Rafael Behr’s take on the Brexit deal.Here is my colleague Rafael Behr’s take on the Brexit deal.
And here is an extract.And here is an extract.
During the past few weeks two contradictory propositions have been circulating in Westminster with roughly equal currency. One is that somehow a strain of pragmatism that is innate to British politics, coupled with raw terror of chaos, will drive May’s bargain into law. The other is that, with hardline Tories, the DUP and Labour all finding reasons to hate May’s plan, there simply aren’t the votes for it. Only one of those propositions can hold.During the past few weeks two contradictory propositions have been circulating in Westminster with roughly equal currency. One is that somehow a strain of pragmatism that is innate to British politics, coupled with raw terror of chaos, will drive May’s bargain into law. The other is that, with hardline Tories, the DUP and Labour all finding reasons to hate May’s plan, there simply aren’t the votes for it. Only one of those propositions can hold.
Overnight, Brexit has ceased to be a haze of slogans, ambitions, pledges and myths. It is now a piece of paper in the prime minister’s hand. There is no more “Brexit means Brexit”. There is a deal that either serves the national interest or betrays it. The detail will emerge in the days to come, but two things can be said with certainty. First, May’s route presents safer passage to the future than is envisaged in the wild fantasy of quitting the EU with no deal at all. Second, the terms that May has negotiated offer inferior status, market access, influence and power on the European continent and in the world than Britain has enjoyed as an EU member. Plenty of MPs know it, too; comfortably a majority. The question now is how many have the courage to say so.Overnight, Brexit has ceased to be a haze of slogans, ambitions, pledges and myths. It is now a piece of paper in the prime minister’s hand. There is no more “Brexit means Brexit”. There is a deal that either serves the national interest or betrays it. The detail will emerge in the days to come, but two things can be said with certainty. First, May’s route presents safer passage to the future than is envisaged in the wild fantasy of quitting the EU with no deal at all. Second, the terms that May has negotiated offer inferior status, market access, influence and power on the European continent and in the world than Britain has enjoyed as an EU member. Plenty of MPs know it, too; comfortably a majority. The question now is how many have the courage to say so.
Germany’s economy minister, Peter Altmaier, has warned that both Britain and the European Union will be worse off once Brexit has taken place.Germany’s economy minister, Peter Altmaier, has warned that both Britain and the European Union will be worse off once Brexit has taken place.
Whenever an integrated single market will be split again this will lead to an Lose/Lose situatian on both sides. We can soften the impact but will never prevent it completely. https://t.co/gNl89GvxdeWhenever an integrated single market will be split again this will lead to an Lose/Lose situatian on both sides. We can soften the impact but will never prevent it completely. https://t.co/gNl89Gvxde
Last year, Altmaier was critical of UK ministers who had urged him to help make Brexit a win-win for both sides, something he sees as impossible.Last year, Altmaier was critical of UK ministers who had urged him to help make Brexit a win-win for both sides, something he sees as impossible.
Pro and anti-Brexit campaigners have descended on Westminster today to lobby MPs, ahead of this afternoon’s crunch cabinet meeting:
PMQs - Snap verdict: That was difficult for Theresa May, but not debilitating. Relatively few MPs asked about Brexit - on the understandable grounds, probably, that they will have the chance to do so tomorrow, and that it always helps to read the document first - and as a result it was Jeremy Corbyn and Ian Blackford who primarily had to do the business. Blackford asked about the procedure for the meaningful vote (important, but arcane) and why Scotland won’t get the same benefits as Northern Ireland (an argument made more pithily by his boss on Twitter - see 9.14am.) Corbyn was more effective. He achieved relatively easy hits by quoting Jo Johnson and Dominic Raab, but he was at his strongest with the questions that May couldn’t or wouldn’t answer, about the UK being able to withdraw unilaterally from the backstop and progress on signing new trade deals. (See 12.09am.) There is a certain irony in Corbyn using a European Research Group attack line against May, but that didn’t really undermine the point he was making. Perhaps, though, the most important intervention was the one from the arch Tory Brexiter Peter Bone. You would expect him to denounce the plan, as he did, what was most significant was his claim that by agreeing it May will be losing the backing of Tory MPs and Tory voters. Maybe he’s bluffing. But if he is even half right, then that’s a real problem ...
Another point of order. The SNP’s Kirsty Blackman says the first minister of Gibraltar has been briefed on the Brexit deal, but not the first minister of Scotland.
David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister, responds with his own point of order. He says the Scottish and Welsh first ministers will be briefed on the deal once cabinet has taken a decision.
PMQs is over. But Liz Kendall, the Labour MP, asks on a point of order if John Bercow knows when the Brexit statement will come. MPs have commitments tomorrow, she says. She says today they are just having a debate to mark the Prince of Wales’ 70th birthday. Couldn’t MPs debate the Brexit deal later today?
Bercow says he has been led to believe that the statement will come tomorrow.
May likely to make statement to MPs on the Brexit deal tomorrow, Bercow says.
He says MPs with commitments tomorrow could reschedule them. He says, when there is a statement, he will ensure MPs all get the chance to asks questions.
Ken Clarke, the Tory pro-European, says it used to be the case the parliament was informed first when policies like this were announced.
Bercow says we have in this country cabinet government. He says it would not be unreasonable to have the statement tomorrow, if cabinet is meeting this afternoon. But he says, if the statement can come later today, he would be in favour. He thinks statements should come as quickly as possible.
Tim Brake, the Lib Dem’s Brexit spokesman, asks May to confirm that her Brexit plan will leave the UK a rule-taker. Will May agree to a people’s vote?
May says the people voted to leave. The government will deliver on that, she says.
Martin Vickers, a Conservative, asks if it will be for the UK to decide on its own who fishes in UK waters after Brexit.
May says after Brexit the UK will have control of its own waters.
Labour’s Mike Kane asks about Asia Bibi, and asks if May agrees the UK should be a beacon for human rights.
May says the government’s main concern is for the safety of Bibi. A number of countries are in discussion about providing a safe haven for her. It would not be right to say more at this state, she says.
Labour’s Rosena Allin-Khan says the Brexit deal will be bad for jobs and the economy. Will May put it to the people, either through a general election or a referendum.
May says the deal will be good for the economy. There was a referendum, and people voted to leave. That is what the government will deliver, she says.
Sir Roger Gale, the Conservative MP, asks if the government will publish details of the Brexit deal as soon as possible, so that MPs can comment on the facts.
May says, if this deal is taken forward, the details will be published.
Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory Brexiter, says he will not be asking about Brexit “for now”. Instead he asks about fixed odds betting terminals. He says he was very proud the government decided to lower the maximum stake. Can May confirm, in the light of the amendment signed by Tory MPs, the £2 maximum stake will come into effect in April next year, not October.
May says the government is listening to colleagues. Jeremy Wright, the culture secretary, will make a statement later today.
May gives a strong hint that the government will back down over fixed odds better terminals in the face of a potential Tory revolt and bring forward the reduction in the maximum stake to April 2019.