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Brexit: May holds press conference as Rees-Mogg calls for vote of no confidence – Politics live | |
(35 minutes later) | |
May says difficult decisions have had to be made. | |
But the deal delivers what people have voted for. | |
We can only secure it if we unite behind what the cabinet backed. | |
The British people “just want us to get on with it”. They want the Conservative party to deliver, she says. | |
May says she is sorry colleagues have left the government. | |
But she believes what she is doing is right. | |
She knows what she wants to do; give the UK control of its laws, money and borders. | |
She wants to get the UK out of the CAP and the CFP for good. | |
This agreement will achieve these things, she says. | |
This is a Brexit that delivers on the priorities of the British people. | |
But she also wants to protect what matters, like jobs. The deal will protect supply chains, and security, and the integrity of the UK. | |
Theresa May is here. | |
She starts by saying serving in high office is an honour and a privilege, but also a heavy responsibility. | |
She says negotiating Brexit has been a matter of the highest consequence. | |
It touches every area of our national life. | |
Her approach has been to put the national interest first, she says. | |
May is running late. Perhaps she’s playing the Guardian’s “Can you get May’s Brexit deal through parliament?” game. (See 5.19pm.) | |
Fancy your skills as a government chief whip? Try the Guardian’s “Can you get May’s Brexit deal through parliament?” game. | |
Bloomberg’s Kitty Donaldson says the 48 letters needed for a no confidence vote have not gone in. | |
EXC: As @theresa_may starts to speak @10DowningStreet I understand Graham Brady HASN'T received enough letters yet. He needs to receive 48 to spark a leadership challenge. | |
And the Spectator’s James Forsyth says Theresa May’s critics may fail to reach the threshold. In a blog he writes: | |
There is now an open effort to get the 48 letters required to force a vote of no confidence in Theresa May. Personally, I don’t think it is a racing certainty that this succeeds. The ERG WhatsApp group has had some influential people urging caution, and telling people not to put their letters in. | |
Why I don’t think the 48 letters are a racing certainty https://t.co/TZSjYYH2Kb | |
Theresa May will be starting her press conference shortly. | |
The BBC’s Nick Robinson suggests some possible scripts for the PM. | |
What PM could say (in order of likelihood)A. I fight on. My deal is in national interest B. Parliament must decide but I’ll give MPs a free vote (& hope that saves my deal)C. Michael Gove, my new Brexit Sec, will re-negotiate my deal as it can’t command a majority D. I quit https://t.co/H4Ti1QAgTX | |
And his colleague Iain Watson says it will be A. | |
I am told PM isnt calling the 5pm press conference because of a confidence vote has been triggered - she will be arguing for her deal | |
This is from Bloomberg’s Brussels bureau chief, Nikos Chrysoloras. | |
It appears EU27 *consider* holding the Nov. 25 #euco no matter what. If things get really messy in the U.K, this will be a contingency/no-deal #Brexit summit. Holding the summit anyway is also a way to raise pressure on the U.K, one official says. More on @TheTerminal | |
These are from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg. | |
Source tells me Michael Gove has been offered Brexit Secretary and as @Steven_Swinford 's been suggesting, he is thinking about it, but wants to be able to pursue a different deal... no decision yet - this might be May's way out.. or....... | |
Gove has just left his house - if they haven’t met before the press conference then does she have a Brexit secretary? | |
This is from Carwyn Jones, the Welsh first minister. He and Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, have written a joint letter to Theresa May demanding more involvement for the devolved administrations in the Brexit process. | |
I’ve issued a joint letter with @NicolaSturgeon to the Prime Minister calling for an urgent meeting of the Joint Ministerial committee Rydw i a @NicolaSturgeon wedi anfon llythyr ar y cyd at y Prif Weinidog yn galw am gyfarfod brys o'r Cyd-bwyllgor Gweinidogion pic.twitter.com/TyKWwCBKel | |
Sky Data have also released some polling. | Sky Data have also released some polling. |
The bad news for Theresa May is that, of the three options that she says are open to the country (at least, the three options she mentioned in her statement last night - in the Commons today she was claiming no Brexit was not an option), her deal is the last popular. Staying in the EU would be the most popular, suggesting it would win comfortably if the government were to hold a three-option referendum of the type favoured by Justine Greening. | The bad news for Theresa May is that, of the three options that she says are open to the country (at least, the three options she mentioned in her statement last night - in the Commons today she was claiming no Brexit was not an option), her deal is the last popular. Staying in the EU would be the most popular, suggesting it would win comfortably if the government were to hold a three-option referendum of the type favoured by Justine Greening. |
But the good news is that, despite thinking her plan is rubbish, Britons still trust May to lead the country through Brexit more than any of the obvious alternatives, the poll suggests. | But the good news is that, despite thinking her plan is rubbish, Britons still trust May to lead the country through Brexit more than any of the obvious alternatives, the poll suggests. |
(An important point to remember about public opinion is that people are quite capable of believing things that are contradictory.) | (An important point to remember about public opinion is that people are quite capable of believing things that are contradictory.) |
New @skydata poll:Of the three Brexit outcomes Theresa May says are available, would you prefer a) her deal, b) no deal or c) no Brexit?No Brexit 54%No deal 32%Her deal 14% | New @skydata poll:Of the three Brexit outcomes Theresa May says are available, would you prefer a) her deal, b) no deal or c) no Brexit?No Brexit 54%No deal 32%Her deal 14% |
Second @Skydata poll q: Would you support or oppose a referendum choosing between the draft Brexit deal proposed by Theresa May, Brexit without a deal, or remaining in the EU?Strongly support 44%Tend to support 11%Tend to oppose 7%Strongly oppose 28%Don’t know 10% | Second @Skydata poll q: Would you support or oppose a referendum choosing between the draft Brexit deal proposed by Theresa May, Brexit without a deal, or remaining in the EU?Strongly support 44%Tend to support 11%Tend to oppose 7%Strongly oppose 28%Don’t know 10% |
Third @skydata q: Who would you most trust to lead the country through Brexit? Theresa May 31%Jeremy Corbyn 25%Jacob Rees-Mogg 18%Boris Johnson 17%Dominic Raab 10% | Third @skydata q: Who would you most trust to lead the country through Brexit? Theresa May 31%Jeremy Corbyn 25%Jacob Rees-Mogg 18%Boris Johnson 17%Dominic Raab 10% |
Full results of today's @skydata Brexit poll. 1488 people polled today. https://t.co/f05T1DkKPi | Full results of today's @skydata Brexit poll. 1488 people polled today. https://t.co/f05T1DkKPi |
YouGov has released some polling on Theresa May’s Brexit deal. The details are here, but these tweets show the key results. By a margin of two to one, Britons oppose the deal, the poll suggests - although 39% of respondents said they did not know. | YouGov has released some polling on Theresa May’s Brexit deal. The details are here, but these tweets show the key results. By a margin of two to one, Britons oppose the deal, the poll suggests - although 39% of respondents said they did not know. |
(During her Commons statement Theresa May seemed to question the validity of any polling at this point, given that the 500-page text of the deal was only released last night.) | (During her Commons statement Theresa May seemed to question the validity of any polling at this point, given that the 500-page text of the deal was only released last night.) |
The British public does not back Theresa May's Brexit dealSupport - 19%Oppose - 42%Don't know - 39% 42% of Leave voters oppose the deal, as do 47% of Remain votershttps://t.co/DLVwqFaB0x pic.twitter.com/Lch2F0ICgy | The British public does not back Theresa May's Brexit dealSupport - 19%Oppose - 42%Don't know - 39% 42% of Leave voters oppose the deal, as do 47% of Remain votershttps://t.co/DLVwqFaB0x pic.twitter.com/Lch2F0ICgy |
44% of Britons think a better Brexit deal is possible. Only 19% think that what Theresa May has achieved is the best that could have been negotiatedhttps://t.co/DLVwqFaB0x pic.twitter.com/bWwWjPKVjD | 44% of Britons think a better Brexit deal is possible. Only 19% think that what Theresa May has achieved is the best that could have been negotiatedhttps://t.co/DLVwqFaB0x pic.twitter.com/bWwWjPKVjD |
At a press conference in Brussels Donald Tusk, president of the European council, restated his desire for Brexit to be abandoned. He told journalists: | At a press conference in Brussels Donald Tusk, president of the European council, restated his desire for Brexit to be abandoned. He told journalists: |
The EU is prepared for a final deal with the United Kingdom in November. | The EU is prepared for a final deal with the United Kingdom in November. |
We are also prepared for a no-deal scenario but of course we are best prepared for a no-Brexit scenario. | We are also prepared for a no-deal scenario but of course we are best prepared for a no-Brexit scenario. |
Here is a graphic comparing cabinet resignations under David Cameron with resignations under Theresa May. | Here is a graphic comparing cabinet resignations under David Cameron with resignations under Theresa May. |
Of the seven Tories have have resigned today (see 4.05pm), only one, Shailesh Vara, voted remain in 2016. Friends of Vara said that while he may have voted to remain in the referendum, he is now a leave supporter. He has changed his mind because of the way that the EU has behaved since the EU referendum. | Of the seven Tories have have resigned today (see 4.05pm), only one, Shailesh Vara, voted remain in 2016. Friends of Vara said that while he may have voted to remain in the referendum, he is now a leave supporter. He has changed his mind because of the way that the EU has behaved since the EU referendum. |
They say he resigned on principle and did so because of a loss of sovereignty and the inability to leave the customs union without EU permission. | They say he resigned on principle and did so because of a loss of sovereignty and the inability to leave the customs union without EU permission. |
“He had no choice. He loved the job in Northern Ireland but needed to be able to believe in this plan. He just couldn’t,” the source said. | “He had no choice. He loved the job in Northern Ireland but needed to be able to believe in this plan. He just couldn’t,” the source said. |
Under first David Cameron, and then Theresa May, the so-called “payroll vote” - MPs who are not in the government, but who have official jobs that mean that are obliged to be loyal - has expanded. There are more parliamentary private secretaries (PPSs) than there used to be. In January Theresa May appointed nine Conservative vice chairs, in addition to the four already in place. And the government has also a ludicrously large number of “trade envoys” - all of whom, presumably, get free travel to interesting places. | Under first David Cameron, and then Theresa May, the so-called “payroll vote” - MPs who are not in the government, but who have official jobs that mean that are obliged to be loyal - has expanded. There are more parliamentary private secretaries (PPSs) than there used to be. In January Theresa May appointed nine Conservative vice chairs, in addition to the four already in place. And the government has also a ludicrously large number of “trade envoys” - all of whom, presumably, get free travel to interesting places. |
But the downside of appointing more people to spurious jobs is that the more people there are who can resign. This afternoon the Conservative MP Rehman Chishti has done just that. Chishti, a leave voter in 2016, was a Conservative vice chair and a trade envoy, but he has quit both roles, partly because he sees the Brexit plan as a betrayal of the Conservative manifesto pledge to leave the customs union. He also thinks the government should be doing more to help Asia Bibi. | But the downside of appointing more people to spurious jobs is that the more people there are who can resign. This afternoon the Conservative MP Rehman Chishti has done just that. Chishti, a leave voter in 2016, was a Conservative vice chair and a trade envoy, but he has quit both roles, partly because he sees the Brexit plan as a betrayal of the Conservative manifesto pledge to leave the customs union. He also thinks the government should be doing more to help Asia Bibi. |
That means seven Tory MPs have now resigned from government or party roles today. See 12.55pm. | That means seven Tory MPs have now resigned from government or party roles today. See 12.55pm. |
My letter of resignation sent to PM @theresa_may stepping down as Vice Chairman @Conservatives & PM Trade Envoy to Pakistan. 1. Cannot support Draft EU Withdrawal Agreement. 2. Very disappointed by lack of leadership shown by UK Gov to do morally right thing in Asia Bibi Case. pic.twitter.com/hcaxba1hJr | My letter of resignation sent to PM @theresa_may stepping down as Vice Chairman @Conservatives & PM Trade Envoy to Pakistan. 1. Cannot support Draft EU Withdrawal Agreement. 2. Very disappointed by lack of leadership shown by UK Gov to do morally right thing in Asia Bibi Case. pic.twitter.com/hcaxba1hJr |
Theresa May will hold a press conference at 5pm, Guido Fawkes’ Tom Harwood reports. | Theresa May will hold a press conference at 5pm, Guido Fawkes’ Tom Harwood reports. |
PM to give press conference at 1700. | PM to give press conference at 1700. |
May had been planning to give a press conference yesterday to discuss the deal, and so this is not unexpected. It does not (necessarily) mean that May is planning some shock announcement. | May had been planning to give a press conference yesterday to discuss the deal, and so this is not unexpected. It does not (necessarily) mean that May is planning some shock announcement. |