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Theresa May to hold talks with ministers in bid to stave off exit Theresa May to hold talks with ministers in bid to stave off exit
(about 1 hour later)
Theresa May is trying to slow her departure from No 10 by meeting cabinet ministers to discuss rewriting her withdrawal bill, despite extreme pressure from her party to quit as soon as the European elections are over.Theresa May is trying to slow her departure from No 10 by meeting cabinet ministers to discuss rewriting her withdrawal bill, despite extreme pressure from her party to quit as soon as the European elections are over.
The prime minister will delay publication of the legislation until the first week of June while she listens to the concerns of the cabinet about it opening the door to a second referendum. There is heavy speculation May will announce a timetable for her departure on Friday, after European elections polling day. The prime minister will delay publication of the legislation until the first week of June while she listens to the concerns of the cabinet about it opening the door to a second referendum. There is heavy speculation May will announce a timetable for her departure on Friday.
Some No 10 insiders privately admit this is the most likely outcome but that the prime minister still may not have come to that conclusion yet. Some No 10 insiders privately admit that May’s resignation as Conservative leader on Friday or Monday is a very likely outcome but say the prime minister may not have come to that conclusion yet.
May close to abandoning Brexit bill amid growing cabinet backlash - live newsMay close to abandoning Brexit bill amid growing cabinet backlash - live news
The Conservative party’s 1922 Committee of backbenchers has voted on whether to hold a no-confidence vote in her leadership if she does not set out plans for her departure by Friday morning, though the outcome has not been announced. However, there were several signs on Thursday that May had not quite accepted that her tenure in Downing Street was over. The 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers has voted on whether to hold another no-confidence vote in May’s leadership if she does not set out plans for her departure by Friday morning. The outcome has not yet been announced.
The government whip Mark Spencer told the House of Commons that May still planned to hold a second reading vote on the bill on 7 June, even though it had an extremely low chance of passing in its current form and parliament was not scheduled to be sitting that day. There were some signs on Thursday that May had not quite accepted that her tenure in Downing Street was over. The government whip Mark Spencer told the House of Commons that May planned to publish the withdrawal agreement bill in the first week of June and hoped to hold a second reading vote on 7 June, even though it has an extremely low chance of passing in its current form.
Her official spokesman also said she planned to replace Andrea Leadsom, who resigned as the leader of the House of Commons on Wednesday, in a move that appears to show she is still trying to regain control over events. It was not announced as government business for that day as Labour has not agreed to parliament sitting, meaning there is a high chance it will not happen as planned.
She is expected to meet Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, over his objections to the withdrawal bill, and possibly other cabinet ministers as well, including Sajid Javid, the home secretary, and David Mundell, the Scottish secretary. May announced a replacement for Andrea Leadsom, who resigned as leader of the Commons on Wednesday, in a move that appears to show May is still trying to regain control over events.
“The prime minister is listening to her colleagues about the bill and will be having further discussions,” her spokesman said. He would not answer questions about whether she would resign tomorrow, saying: “Oh come on. Next.” In a mini-reshuffle, Mel Stride was announced as Leadsom’s successor, while Rebecca Pow, Michael Ellis and Jesse Norman were all promoted.
One complicating factor is that many cabinet ministers with leadership ambitions are nervous about the prospect of running with Brexit unresolved, which would favour strong leave supporters such as Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Penny Mordaunt and Andrea Leadsom over former remainers such as Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and Matt Hancock. Stride has been running a campaign for Michael Gove, the environment secretary, to be the next Conservative leader, and the move will fuel speculation that the prime minister is trying to have an influence on who succeeds her.
However, members of the 1922 Committee indicated their patience would be close to running out if May did not announce a timetable for her departure on Friday. She is expected to meet Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, to discuss his objections to the withdrawal bill, and could meet other cabinet ministers as well, including Sajid Javid, the home secretary, and David Mundell, the Scottish secretary.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the treasurer of the 1922 Committee, told the Press Association: “I want her to give a timetable for when she will go. I think this blank denial from No 10 today may be a smokescreen because she does not want to influence the outcome of the European elections. Maybe she will still quit tomorrow.” “The prime minister is listening to her colleagues about the bill and will be having further discussions,” her spokesman said. He would not answer questions about whether she would resign on Friday, saying: “Oh come on. Next.”
The spokesman said May was still “looking forward to welcoming” Donald Trump for his state visit on 3 June.
One option for the prime minister is to resign as Conservative leader on Friday to allow a competition to replace her, while carrying on as prime minister during the contest, which could last six to eight weeks.
Such a competition is likely to favour strong leave supporters such as Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Penny Mordaunt and Andrea Leadsom over former remainers such as Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid and Matt Hancock.
May will cast her European elections vote in her constituency on Thursday before returning to Westminster on Friday for her meeting with Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the 1922 Committee.
Members of the committee indicated their patience would run out if May did not announce a timetable for her departure by that time.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the committee’s treasurer, told the Press Association: “I want her to give a timetable for when she will go. I think this blank denial from No 10 today may be a smokescreen because she does not want to influence the outcome of the European elections. Maybe she will still quit tomorrow.”
Asked what would happen if the PM did not announce a resignation date, he said: “I think there will be overwhelming pressure for the [1922 Committee] to change the rules and hold a ballot on confidence in the prime minister.”Asked what would happen if the PM did not announce a resignation date, he said: “I think there will be overwhelming pressure for the [1922 Committee] to change the rules and hold a ballot on confidence in the prime minister.”
Some of May’s allies expressed dismay about the likelihood of her removal. Margot James, a business minister, said: “It’s all very regrettable but she’s being hounded out of office because parliament will not make a decision and the parties just have an inability to compromise. But in the end there’s got to be a compromise.”
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