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'Meaningful vote' compromise bid dismissed by Brexiteers Brexit: Still time to persuade MPs to back deal, says Matt Hancock
(about 3 hours later)
A government bid to find a compromise to win over rebels before the Commons Brexit vote has run into criticism. Ministers are trying to rally support for the PM's Brexit deal across the UK but a bid to find a compromise has been dismissed by the DUP and Brexiteers.
A Tory backbench amendment - understood to have No 10's backing - offers MPs more of a say over the contentious issue of the Northern Ireland backstop. With Theresa May widely expected to lose Tuesday's Commons vote, No 10 has dismissed calls for it to be delayed.
DUP leader Arlene Foster dismissed it as "legislative tinkering" while Tory Brexiteers said it was "desperate". Health Secretary Matt Hancock said with two days of debate remaining, there was still time to win over MPs.
Many MPs have expressed concerns about the backstop, aimed at preventing a "hard border" on the island of Ireland. But a Tory backbench amendment aimed at easing concerns about the controversial "backstop" has met with criticism.
It would mean Northern Ireland staying aligned to some EU rules, which many MPs say is unacceptable. Downing Street has said the vote is still due to take place on Tuesday, despite dozens of Tories threatening to reject the deal, along with the DUP, whose support keeps Mrs May's government in power.
The UK would also not be able to leave the backstop without EU agreement. But a senior minister has told the BBC "the only political common sense is to delay" it.
Cabinet ministers are travelling around the UK on Friday as Theresa May continues to seek support for her Brexit deal. The minister, who preferred not to be named, said: "I've been asking until I am blue in the face - when we will see sense?"
"We need to find a solution and we can't find one by Tuesday."
Matt Hancock, Chancellor Philip Hammond, Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington and Scottish Secretary David Mundell are among those trying to sell it to the public in visits across the UK.
The withdrawal deal negotiated between the UK and EU has been endorsed by EU leaders but must also be backed by Parliament if it is to come into force.The withdrawal deal negotiated between the UK and EU has been endorsed by EU leaders but must also be backed by Parliament if it is to come into force.
MPs will decide whether to accept it next Tuesday, but dozens of Tories are expected to reject it, as will the DUP, whose support keeps Mrs May's government in power. Many MPs have expressed concerns about the backstop, aimed at preventing a "hard border" between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which will remain in the EU, if no trade deal is ready before the end of the post-Brexit transition period.
It would mean Northern Ireland staying aligned to some EU rules, which many MPs say is unacceptable. The UK would also not be able to leave the backstop without EU agreement.
Downing Street has dismissed reports the vote could be delayed, although the chairman of Tory backbenchers, Sir Graham Brady has said he would "welcome the vote being deferred" if it meant concerns about the backstop could be addressed.Downing Street has dismissed reports the vote could be delayed, although the chairman of Tory backbenchers, Sir Graham Brady has said he would "welcome the vote being deferred" if it meant concerns about the backstop could be addressed.
But Health Secretary Matt Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "the best thing for the country" was for MPs to back Mrs May's deal: "I think we should win the vote, don't pre-judge it." But Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is among cabinet ministers promoting the deal in a series of visits on Friday, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "the best thing for the country" was for MPs to back Mrs May's deal: "I think we should win the vote, don't pre-judge it."
"My view is we should continue the debate. We've had three days, there's two days more. I think we should make the argument, make the case and persuade people - that's what you have Parliamentary debate for.""My view is we should continue the debate. We've had three days, there's two days more. I think we should make the argument, make the case and persuade people - that's what you have Parliamentary debate for."
And Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, on a visit to an engineering firm in Peterborough, argued that businesses want the "certainty" of a Brexit deal and urged MPs to back it, as "a way of honouring the referendum result".
The prime minister has suggested that MPs could be "given a role" in deciding whether to activate the backstop, and on Thursday night, a Tory backbench amendment was laid down intended to do that.The prime minister has suggested that MPs could be "given a role" in deciding whether to activate the backstop, and on Thursday night, a Tory backbench amendment was laid down intended to do that.
The amendment - which is understood to have government support - would also give the devolved administrations, particularly the Northern Ireland Assembly, although it is currently suspended, more say in the process. The amendment - which is understood to have government support - would also give the devolved administrations, particularly the Northern Ireland Assembly, although it is currently suspended, more say in the process.
It would also press the UK and EU to agree a future trade deal within a year of the implementation period ending.It would also press the UK and EU to agree a future trade deal within a year of the implementation period ending.
Former Northern Ireland minister Hugo Swire tabled the amendment along with Bob Neill and Richard Graham.Former Northern Ireland minister Hugo Swire tabled the amendment along with Bob Neill and Richard Graham.
Mr Swire told the BBC the amendment offered something that was "better than the current situation".Mr Swire told the BBC the amendment offered something that was "better than the current situation".
Many Tory MPs would like to see the backstop "disappear altogether or be time limited", he said, but the European Commission had said they would not re-open negotiations on the withdrawal agreement, so the amendment was "about the nearest we feel we can probe". Many Tory MPs would like to see the backstop "disappear altogether or be time limited", he said, but the European Commission had said they would not re-open negotiations on the withdrawal agreement, so the amendment was "about the nearest we feel we can probe". He said it was aimed at "people like me, who would like to be able to support this deal but find they are unable to".
He added that MPs could either accept that "the writing is pretty much on the wall as far as voting goes this week or people like me, who would like to be able to support this deal but find they are unable to, have to do what we believe is in the national interest which is try to get some kind of resolution to it.
"And the only way we can do that at this stage is by putting down these sort of amendments"
Maddy Thimont Jack, from the The Institute for Government think tank, said that any amendment would not be legally binding but was "a political expression of will from Parliament".Maddy Thimont Jack, from the The Institute for Government think tank, said that any amendment would not be legally binding but was "a political expression of will from Parliament".
But she added that the EU was unlikely to want to include a Parliamentary vote on the backstop within the withdrawal agreement, a legally binding international treaty.
So if Parliament voted against implementing the backstop, should the situation arise, there was a possibility that the UK "would end up violating the terms of the treaty and therefore the treaty itself would fall".
Conservative Brexiteer Steve Baker dismissed the amendment: "Giving Parliament the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea is desperate and will persuade very few."Conservative Brexiteer Steve Baker dismissed the amendment: "Giving Parliament the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea is desperate and will persuade very few."
Fellow backbencher Peter Bone told the BBC the amendment was "absolutely meaningless": "It doesn't change the legal text whatsoever, it's got no binding force. For someone to change their mind over that, is implausible."
And one senior source from the Conservative European Research Group told the BBC the amendment was "transparent and risible".And one senior source from the Conservative European Research Group told the BBC the amendment was "transparent and risible".
DUP Leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Domestic legislative tinkering won't cut it. The legally binding international withdrawal treaty would remain fundamentally flawed, as evidenced by the attorney general's legal advice."DUP Leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Domestic legislative tinkering won't cut it. The legally binding international withdrawal treaty would remain fundamentally flawed, as evidenced by the attorney general's legal advice."
Ministers 'speaking with communities'
Five days before MPs vote on the deal negotiated with the EU, Chancellor Philip Hammond, Health Secretary Mr Hancock, Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington Scottish Secretary David Mundell will be among those trying to sell it to the public in visits across the UK.
Theresa May said in her own visits across the UK "overwhelmingly, the message I've heard is that people want us to get on with it. And that's why it's important that ministers are out speaking with communities across the UK today about how the deal works for them."
But in an article in the Guardian, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said the deal represented a "monumental and damaging failure for our country" and represented "a worst of all worlds deal, that works for nobody, whether they voted leave or remain".
He confirmed that, if the deal was rejected and Labour's preferred outcome - a general election - was not on offer, "all options" remained on the table, including "the option of campaigning for a public vote to break the deadlock".