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| What is Theresa May's new plan for Brexit? | What is Theresa May's new plan for Brexit? |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| After a marathon seven-hour cabinet meeting at Downing Street, and 10 days before the UK is scheduled to crash out of the EU without a deal, Theresa May has unveiled an updated Brexit plan. Here is what we know so far. | After a marathon seven-hour cabinet meeting at Downing Street, and 10 days before the UK is scheduled to crash out of the EU without a deal, Theresa May has unveiled an updated Brexit plan. Here is what we know so far. |
| What has the prime minister announced? | What has the prime minister announced? |
| She has called for talks with Jeremy Corbyn to try to work out a compromise Brexit plan that both the government and Labour could agree to. If this happens, the plan would be swiftly put to the EU. If not, parliament would be asked to vote on what plan MPs would like to see, with the government agreeing to abide by the results. This would, May said, involve another brief extension to the departure deadline. | She has called for talks with Jeremy Corbyn to try to work out a compromise Brexit plan that both the government and Labour could agree to. If this happens, the plan would be swiftly put to the EU. If not, parliament would be asked to vote on what plan MPs would like to see, with the government agreeing to abide by the results. This would, May said, involve another brief extension to the departure deadline. |
| What would be the timetable? | What would be the timetable? |
| If it happens and the EU agrees – both remain to be seen – a compromise deal would be put to next week’s European council summit, paving the way for departure on 22 May, rather than 12 April, as currently scheduled. | If it happens and the EU agrees – both remain to be seen – a compromise deal would be put to next week’s European council summit, paving the way for departure on 22 May, rather than 12 April, as currently scheduled. |
| Theresa May vowed to carry on to fight to get her withdrawal agreement over the line to avoid the need for elections to the European parliament. She said: “The choices we now face are stark and the timetable is clear.” | |
| The EU, including at the moment the UK, will vote for a new set of MEPs. The decision to hold European elections, which the prime minister had repeatedly said she was against, will come at some political cost for Theresa May. | |
| The extension carries a break clause. At the end of June, the EU27 want to be satisfied that the UK is meeting its obligations, including holding those European elections properly. They have also said they will not reopen the withdrawal agreement, but can discuss changes in the political declaration. | |
| The new date that the EU27 have agreed for the UK’s departure is Halloween. It is further away than May had hoped, and sooner than Donald Tusk had proposed, suggesting that Emmanuel Macron’s hardline tone won the day in the European council. | The new date that the EU27 have agreed for the UK’s departure is Halloween. It is further away than May had hoped, and sooner than Donald Tusk had proposed, suggesting that Emmanuel Macron’s hardline tone won the day in the European council. |
| Does this mean a softer Brexit? | Does this mean a softer Brexit? |
| It is hard to see how it would not. Any compromise with Labour would involve May dropping some of her red lines, and at the very least Corbyn will seek a permanent customs union with the EU. If May refuses to budge at all, then under the terms of her proposal the issue would move to MPs, who would be expected to back a softer form of departure. | It is hard to see how it would not. Any compromise with Labour would involve May dropping some of her red lines, and at the very least Corbyn will seek a permanent customs union with the EU. If May refuses to budge at all, then under the terms of her proposal the issue would move to MPs, who would be expected to back a softer form of departure. |
| Could it end up with MPs deciding it? | Could it end up with MPs deciding it? |
| This seems very possible, but depends a lot on how far May is willing to bend. The PM has been shown three times that the Commons clearly does not support her Brexit deal. She has now made the move to compromise, but it seems perfectly realistic that she and Corbyn will be unable to hit upon a plan that works for both of them and, just as crucially, their parties. | This seems very possible, but depends a lot on how far May is willing to bend. The PM has been shown three times that the Commons clearly does not support her Brexit deal. She has now made the move to compromise, but it seems perfectly realistic that she and Corbyn will be unable to hit upon a plan that works for both of them and, just as crucially, their parties. |
| Could there still be a second referendum? | Could there still be a second referendum? |
| It seems possible. Corbyn will be under intense pressure from his MPs to make support for a deal conditional on it being endorsed in a public vote, and Labour has whipped its MPs to back this option in the recent indicative Commons votes. This could be the undoing of a compromise plan, as May has repeatedly made it plain that she cannot countenance a second referendum. | It seems possible. Corbyn will be under intense pressure from his MPs to make support for a deal conditional on it being endorsed in a public vote, and Labour has whipped its MPs to back this option in the recent indicative Commons votes. This could be the undoing of a compromise plan, as May has repeatedly made it plain that she cannot countenance a second referendum. |
| What prompted May’s change of tack? | What prompted May’s change of tack? |
| A sheer lack of other options. There had been talk of May’s Brexit plan being put to the Commons for a fourth time, but No 10 stressed repeatedly this would only happen if there was a realistic chance of it passing, and with both the Democratic Unionist party and her hard-Brexiter MPs still vehemently opposed, this appeared impossible. Two sets of indicative votes by MPs also failed to see a majority for any alternative plan. The default option, leaving without a deal on 12 April, was opposed by a majority of MPs and a number of cabinet ministers. | A sheer lack of other options. There had been talk of May’s Brexit plan being put to the Commons for a fourth time, but No 10 stressed repeatedly this would only happen if there was a realistic chance of it passing, and with both the Democratic Unionist party and her hard-Brexiter MPs still vehemently opposed, this appeared impossible. Two sets of indicative votes by MPs also failed to see a majority for any alternative plan. The default option, leaving without a deal on 12 April, was opposed by a majority of MPs and a number of cabinet ministers. |
| Has May managed to keep her party together? | Has May managed to keep her party together? |
| Only time will tell. The softening of her stance has enraged the European Research Group of hard-Brexit Tory MPs, but they disliked May anyway and this will have been factored in. The big question is whether the PM can keep her Brexiter cabinet ministers on board. | Only time will tell. The softening of her stance has enraged the European Research Group of hard-Brexit Tory MPs, but they disliked May anyway and this will have been factored in. The big question is whether the PM can keep her Brexiter cabinet ministers on board. |
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