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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/23/theresa-may-hold-talks-ministers-attempt-prolong-exit
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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 2 hours 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. | 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 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. | 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 news | May close to abandoning Brexit bill amid growing cabinet backlash - live news |
| The 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers has voted on whether to hold another vote of no confidence in May’s leadership if she does not set out plans for her departure by Friday morning. The outcome has not yet been announced. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| It was not announced as government business for that day as Labour had not agreed to parliament sitting, meaning there is a high chance it will not happen as planned. | |
| May announced a replacement for Andrea Leadsom, who resigned as leader of the Commons on Wednesday, in a move that appeared to show the prime minister was still trying to regain control over events. | |
| In a mini-reshuffle, Mel Stride was announced as Leadsom’s successor, while Rebecca Pow, Michael Ellis and Jesse Norman were all promoted. | In a mini-reshuffle, Mel Stride was announced as Leadsom’s successor, while Rebecca Pow, Michael Ellis and Jesse Norman were all promoted. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| “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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 then. | |
| 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.” | 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.” | 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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