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Brexit: Theresa May 'in a mess of her own making' Brexit: Scottish Tory MP urges Mundell to quit over EU agreement
(about 1 hour later)
Theresa May is mired in a "mess of her own making" that can only be cleared up by changing course on Brexit, a senior Scottish government minister has said. The Scottish secretary has been urged to quit by one of his own colleagues over the draft Brexit deal.
Brexit Secretary Mike Russell was speaking shortly before his UK counterpart, Dominic Raab, resigned over the UK's draft Brexit agreement. In a WhatsApp message to David Mundell, Scottish Conservative MP Ross Thomson said "no Unionist" could support the proposals.
Mr Raab has said the deal with the EU presents a "real threat" to the Union. Mr Thomson said he was asking Mr Mundell "in the gentlest and strongest terms" to follow Brexit secretary Dominic Raab in quitting the cabinet.
There have been suggestions some Tory MPs could now try to force a no-confidence vote in the prime minister. Mr Mundell publicly backed the proposals on Wednesday evening.
He said he was doing so on the basis that a no-deal Brexit would be "appalling" for Scotland, and urged his fellow Conservative MPS to support the prime minister.
Mr Mundell has since told BBC Scotland he has no intention of standing down, and launched a broadside against ministers who have resigned - criticising them as "latter day Unionists"
Mr Raab's resignation, along with those of four others including Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey and junior Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara, is a major blow for the prime minister, who announced on Wednesday evening that her cabinet had agreed the 585-page EU withdrawal document.
Mr Raab backed Leave in the Brexit referendum and was closely involved in drafting the agreement, which sets out the terms of Britain's departure from the EU.Mr Raab backed Leave in the Brexit referendum and was closely involved in drafting the agreement, which sets out the terms of Britain's departure from the EU.
His resignation, along with those of four others including Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey and junior Northern Ireland minister Shailesh Vara, is a major blow for the prime minister, who announced on Wednesday evening that her cabinet had agreed the 585-page EU withdrawal document. In his resignation letter, he said the deal represented a "very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom" because of special provisions for Northern Ireland.
But in his resignation letter, Mr Raab said the deal represented a "very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom" because of special provisions for Northern Ireland.
He also said he could not accept "an indefinite backstop arrangement" for the Irish border.He also said he could not accept "an indefinite backstop arrangement" for the Irish border.
There are major doubts over whether Mrs May can convince enough MPs in the House of Commons to support her Brexit plan. In his WhatsApp message to Mr Mundell, which has been seen by BBC Scotland, Mr Thomson said the backstop arrangements "mean a separate regulatory regime in Northern Ireland and that they will be more closely aligned with the EU than the UK".
She told the Commons that, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, she has a "responsibility to people in every part of our country and I intend to honour that promise". Mr Thomson, a prominent Brexiteer who has been highly critical of the prime minister's approach, added: "We have already seen the SNP leaping on this calling for a differential deal in Scotland.
"This arrangement, I feel, is something no Unionist can support. Given that two members of the cabinet have resigned on the basis that the proposals put at risk our Union I want to urge you in the gentlest and strongest terms to follow suit."
Mr Thomson also stressed that he believes Mr Mundell is a "great Secretary of State" who is doing an "incredible job", and said he would "support you in whatever you decide".
Mr Mundell and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson warned Mrs May earlier this year that they could not back any deal that "delivers a differentiated settlement for Northern Ireland", fearing it would be a political gift to the SNP and could fuel the case for Scottish independence.
The Scottish government has argued that the deal would effectively allow Northern Ireland to remain in the single market while Scotland has to leave - giving it a competitive advantage that would be "devastating" for Scottish jobs and investment.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told Holyrood that Mr Mundell and Ms Davidson would both now resign if they had any "backbone", and reiterated that the 35 SNP MPs at Westminster would vote against the deal.
Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray said it was now clear that the Conservatives "are as big a threat to the integrity of the UK as the SNP".
He added: "This Brexit deal has zero chance of getting through parliament and it is now imperative that the prime minister offers the public a People's Vote with the option of remaining in the EU."
There are major doubts over whether Mrs May can convince enough MPs in the House of Commons to support her Brexit plan, and there have been suggestions some Tory MPs could try to force a no-confidence vote.
Mrs May told the Commons on Thursday morning that, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, she has a "responsibility to people in every part of our country and I intend to honour that promise".
And she described the draft deal as a "decisive breakthrough" in the Brexit negotiations as she urged MPs to "consider the national interest and give it their backing".And she described the draft deal as a "decisive breakthrough" in the Brexit negotiations as she urged MPs to "consider the national interest and give it their backing".
Mrs May warned: "Voting against a deal would take us all back to square one. It would mean more uncertainty, more division, and a failure to deliver on the decision of the British people that we should leave the EU.Mrs May warned: "Voting against a deal would take us all back to square one. It would mean more uncertainty, more division, and a failure to deliver on the decision of the British people that we should leave the EU.
"If we get behind a deal, we can bring our country back together and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.""If we get behind a deal, we can bring our country back together and seize the opportunities that lie ahead."
Scottish Secretary David Mundell, who publicly backed the prime minister after Wednesday's five-hour cabinet meeting, is also under pressure over the deal, which would see Northern Ireland stay aligned to some EU rules on things like food products and goods standards while the rest of the UK is not.
Mr Mundell and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson warned Mrs May earlier this year that they could not back any deal that "delivers a differentiated settlement for Northern Ireland", fearing it would be a political gift to the SNP and could fuel the case for Scottish independence.
The Scottish government has argued that the deal would effectively allow Northern Ireland to remain in the single market while Scotland has to leave - giving it a competitive advantage that would be "devastating" for Scottish jobs and investment.
Will David Mundell go, or won't he?Will David Mundell go, or won't he?
Analysis by Philip Sim, BBC Scotland political reporterAnalysis by Philip Sim, BBC Scotland political reporter
Yesterday, the bookies slashed their odds on his resignation as a flurry of rumours circulated that he was set to jump ship.Yesterday, the bookies slashed their odds on his resignation as a flurry of rumours circulated that he was set to jump ship.
The Scottish Secretary had written to the prime minister, alongside his 12 Scottish Tory colleagues, with warnings about the future of the fishing industry.The Scottish Secretary had written to the prime minister, alongside his 12 Scottish Tory colleagues, with warnings about the future of the fishing industry.
But he ultimately seems to have decided that there is still time for Mrs May to clarify the plans for fishing, with more details of the deal set to be laid out in advance of the summit with EU chiefs later this month.But he ultimately seems to have decided that there is still time for Mrs May to clarify the plans for fishing, with more details of the deal set to be laid out in advance of the summit with EU chiefs later this month.
Now, there's pressure on him over another of his Brexit "red lines" - the future of the Union.Now, there's pressure on him over another of his Brexit "red lines" - the future of the Union.
All of the ministers who have resigned so far today have voiced fears that the deal is a threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom.All of the ministers who have resigned so far today have voiced fears that the deal is a threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom.
They fear that having different arrangements for Northern Ireland will drive a wedge between the different component parts of the UK - a point underlined by the SNP's demand that Scotland should also be party to any special deals.They fear that having different arrangements for Northern Ireland will drive a wedge between the different component parts of the UK - a point underlined by the SNP's demand that Scotland should also be party to any special deals.
Mr Mundell - who has also previously written to Mrs May on the subject of the Union - is now under pressure to explain why he doesn't share the concerns of a mounting number of former colleagues Mr Mundell - who has also previously written to Mrs May on the subject of the Union - is now under pressure to explain why he doesn't share the concerns of a mounting number of former colleagues.
Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme on Thursday, Mr Russell insisted the choice facing the country was not between "Mrs May's way or no deal at all". Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme on Thursday, the Scottish government's Brexit secretary, Mike Russell, said the prime minister was "in a mess of her own making".
And he insisted the choice facing the country was not between "Mrs May's way or no deal at all".
He said voting down the Brexit agreement in the House of Commons would give the government 28 days to come back with a set of alternative proposals.He said voting down the Brexit agreement in the House of Commons would give the government 28 days to come back with a set of alternative proposals.
These could include renegotiation, single market and customs union membership, staying in the EU, a general election or a second referendum on the Brexit terms.These could include renegotiation, single market and customs union membership, staying in the EU, a general election or a second referendum on the Brexit terms.
Mr Russell said he believed the option of remaining in the EU - which the PM herself mentioned in a statement outside Downing Street after her cabinet meeting - was still "on the table".Mr Russell said he believed the option of remaining in the EU - which the PM herself mentioned in a statement outside Downing Street after her cabinet meeting - was still "on the table".
He added: "When she says this is the best possible deal, it is only the best possible deal given the mess that she has made of the negotiations and given the red lines that she has put in place.He added: "When she says this is the best possible deal, it is only the best possible deal given the mess that she has made of the negotiations and given the red lines that she has put in place.
"This is a mess of her making and it is a mess which cannot be cleared up by her continuing to take this forward."This is a mess of her making and it is a mess which cannot be cleared up by her continuing to take this forward.
"It would be better to try and get something good, or at least passable - I don't think leaving the EU would be good - than something that will be disastrous.""It would be better to try and get something good, or at least passable - I don't think leaving the EU would be good - than something that will be disastrous."
Mr Mundell said on Wednesday he was backing the draft agreement on the basis that a no-deal Brexit would be "appalling" for Scotland, and urged his fellow Conservative MPS to support the prime minister.
All 13 Scottish Conservative MPs, including Mr Mundell, signed a letter seeking assurances over fears that the UK's departure from the Common Fisheries Polices (CFP) - which is deeply unpopular with Scottish fishermen - could be delayed or watered down.