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May could offer to stand down before election to win support in confidence vote – politics live | May could offer to stand down before election to win support in confidence vote – politics live |
(35 minutes later) | |
Tory MPs are arriving in the committee room where Theresa May will address the 1922 Committee. | |
Conservative MPs are filling the corridor outside the room where the PM will address them waiting for the doors to be opened. | |
The Chancellor and quite a few Cabinet ministers have arrived for this evenings 1922 Backbench Committee meeting. Jacob Rees Mogg has gone in too. | |
Amber Rudd, David Davis, both Johnsons here. #1922Committee | |
The Conservative MP Johnny Mercer, who recently described the government has a “shitshow” (he has obviously not yet heard the new Scots terminology - see 4.36pm), has recorded a video saying he will decide how to vote after listening to Theresa May at the 1922 Committee. | |
But he says some of what is happening at Westminster is “pretty shocking”. And he accuses colleagues of being two faced. He explains. | |
I am concerned today to see cabinet minister who I know are simultaneously phoning around for support for their campaigns at the same time eviscerating colleagues who may wish to think the prime minister doesn’t hold the future for them. | |
Another tough old day, but decency required. Certainly won’t be taking lessons from those who castigate colleagues, before reaching out for support in their own leadership campaigns. pic.twitter.com/US2nfBQjpP | |
Another question from a reader. | |
If May wins, does that suggest a vote for her deal? Because if later the deal is rejected, what's the point of her staying? | |
There is a very strong overlap between MPs voting against her tonight and MPs who say they will vote against her deal. But it is not an exact overlap. For example, our list of how MPs will vote on the deal has Heidi Allen down to vote against. But our list of how MPs will vote tonight has her down voting for Theresa May. | |
Another point to make is that, if 80 Tory MPs vote against her deal, then she loses that vote badly. But if 80 vote against her tonight, and everyone else votes in favour, that will look like a half-decent win. | |
For MPs like Allen, who dislike the deal but want to keep May, the logic is - she’s better than any of the alternatives. | |
There are now 160 Tory MPs who have gone on the record to say they will vote for Theresa May, my colleague Matthew Weaver reports. | |
Confidence vote: majority of Tory MPs publicly back May | |
As the weeks, months and years roll on, it becomes increasingly difficult to alight on fresh turns of phrase to describe to ongoing calamity that is Brexit. | |
Thanks be then for “clusterbùrach, the onomatopoeic descriptive now taking hold at Holyrood and beyond, most recently referenced by the Scottish government’s Michael Russell in his latest Brexit update to the chamber on Wednesday afternoon. | |
The phrase is a compression of “clusterfuck” and the Gaelic word “bùrach”, meaning “mess”, and has been doing the rounds on Twitter, in newsprint, in the Scottish parliament and yesterday in the Commons itself, courtesy of SNP MP Hannah Bardell. | |
Here’s me raging on behalf of my Livingston constituents, Scotland and anyone in the UK who thinks this is a complete Clusterburach (complete shambles). I am beyond angry 😡 WE DESERVE BETTER. #BrexitDebate #BrexitChaos pic.twitter.com/cZkQvesylm | |
It was coined, according to Russell, by the Gaelic scholar Hugh Dan MacLennan. As with all great phrasing, there is some disagreement over its parentage, with Times Scotland columnist Kenny Farquharson recalling that he dreamt it up earlier in the year. If only that were the worst thing folk had to argue about right now ... | |
Scotland’s Brexit secretary Michael Russell has addressed the Holyrood chamber earlier, in a statement that had been initially scheduled as his official response to yesterday’s now-postponed vote on May’s Brexit deal. | |
Describing the prime minister’s behaviour around the meaningful vote as “disgraceful and contemptuous”, Russell went on to commend to the chamber Monday’s ruling from the European court of justice on article 50, and its implications for a second referendum with the option of continued EU membership on the ballot. He said: | |
With that certainty in place [that the UK parliament can revoke Article 50 unilaterally], putting the choice back in the hands of the people must now be taken seriously. | |
This might raise eyebrows amongst those who previously heard senior Scottish government figures privately dismissing the article 50 case, which was led by six Scottish politicians, as a foolhardy pursuit. The six included the SNP MP Joanna Cherry who, according to a column by former SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, “came under substantial pressure from people who should have known a great deal better to drop her involvement in the case”. | |
Russell ended with an inevitable nod to a potential second independence referendum, warning that “if we can’t find a way to save the UK from itself then we must find a way to save Scotland from the UK”. | |
Ireland’s opposition leader has warned that the country’s economy was in “heightened danger” because of a “fundamentalist fringe” in the Tory party. | |
In a rare break in the unified front in Irish Brexit politics, Micheál Martin, has warned that “Ireland is nowhere near ready for many of the outcomes which have become far more likely in recent days” including no deal. | |
But the Fianna Fail leader, whose party are propping up taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s minority government, pulled back from triggering a general election process arguing that it was not in the national interest during such precarious times. | |
Announcing he would be extending the confidence and supply agreement with the Fine Gael party, Martin warned the chaos in Britain would “not be allowed to spread to Ireland”. He said today’s no-confidence vote in London was the result of a “fundamentalist group” in the Conservative party who “seem to be determined to destroy all around them rather than ever compromise”. He went on: | |
Their extreme Europhobia has developed over forty years and it will not respond to evidence or reason. | |
Both Tory MPs who have had the whip removed are having it restored to allow them to vote tonight, ITV’s Robert Peston reports. | Both Tory MPs who have had the whip removed are having it restored to allow them to vote tonight, ITV’s Robert Peston reports. |
Two suspended Tory MPs get whip back for tonight's big vote - Elphicke and Griffiths. They probably cancel each other out (Griffiths for her, Elphicke against) | Two suspended Tory MPs get whip back for tonight's big vote - Elphicke and Griffiths. They probably cancel each other out (Griffiths for her, Elphicke against) |
Charlie Elphicke was suspended over alleged sexual offences, which he denies. | Charlie Elphicke was suspended over alleged sexual offences, which he denies. |
And Andrew Griffiths was suspended for sending sexually explicit text message to two much younger women. | And Andrew Griffiths was suspended for sending sexually explicit text message to two much younger women. |
Another 10 MPs have publicly declared they will be backing May in the vote, taking her running total to 160. If they all vote the same way in private as they have declared in public May will coast it. | Another 10 MPs have publicly declared they will be backing May in the vote, taking her running total to 160. If they all vote the same way in private as they have declared in public May will coast it. |
Here’s the latest batch: | Here’s the latest batch: |
Christopher Pincher “We need to let her get on with a solution to the backstop and finish the job” | Christopher Pincher “We need to let her get on with a solution to the backstop and finish the job” |
Mike Freer “She continues to have my unqualified support” | Mike Freer “She continues to have my unqualified support” |
Roger Gale “She has my fullest support and the support, I believe, of a clear majority of my colleagues” | Roger Gale “She has my fullest support and the support, I believe, of a clear majority of my colleagues” |
Chris Grayling told PA: “Theresa May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU and deliver on the Brexit that I and the people of our great country voted for.” | Chris Grayling told PA: “Theresa May is the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU and deliver on the Brexit that I and the people of our great country voted for.” |
Jeremy Wright told PA: “She deserves that support but also because the country does not need this distraction right now”. | Jeremy Wright told PA: “She deserves that support but also because the country does not need this distraction right now”. |
Claire Perry “Today’s leadership challenge is a silly act of self-indulgence by those who want to risk no deal or n o Brexit” | Claire Perry “Today’s leadership challenge is a silly act of self-indulgence by those who want to risk no deal or n o Brexit” |
Karen Bradley “I will be voting for the prime minister” | Karen Bradley “I will be voting for the prime minister” |
Maggie Throup “The prime ,inister has, and will continue to have my full support” | Maggie Throup “The prime ,inister has, and will continue to have my full support” |
Stephen Kerr “She has shown herself to be a pragmatic and sensible leader who has put the country first. She has my full confidence” | Stephen Kerr “She has shown herself to be a pragmatic and sensible leader who has put the country first. She has my full confidence” |
Gareth Johnson “I don’t believe changing the prime minister now whilst she is making efforts to improve the deal is the best approach” | Gareth Johnson “I don’t believe changing the prime minister now whilst she is making efforts to improve the deal is the best approach” |
Confidence vote: majority of Tory MPs publicly back May | Confidence vote: majority of Tory MPs publicly back May |
On the BBC earlier Liam Fox, the Brexiter international trade secretary, suggested the cabinet might oppose Theresa May’s Brexit deal being put to a vote in the Commons without changes to the backstop. As the Express reports, asked if he could accept it without changes to the backstop, Fox replied: | On the BBC earlier Liam Fox, the Brexiter international trade secretary, suggested the cabinet might oppose Theresa May’s Brexit deal being put to a vote in the Commons without changes to the backstop. As the Express reports, asked if he could accept it without changes to the backstop, Fox replied: |
I think it is very difficult to support the deal if we don’t get changes to the backstop. | I think it is very difficult to support the deal if we don’t get changes to the backstop. |
I don’t think we will get through. I’m not even sure if the cabinet will agree for it to be put to the House of Commons. | I don’t think we will get through. I’m not even sure if the cabinet will agree for it to be put to the House of Commons. |
Alert readers will remember that Fox and other members of the cabinet have agreed to support the deal already, at that five-hour meeting in November. Fox seems to want the chance to think again. | Alert readers will remember that Fox and other members of the cabinet have agreed to support the deal already, at that five-hour meeting in November. Fox seems to want the chance to think again. |