Theresa May hit by new Brexiteer rebellion over Chequers plans Theresa May faces a major rebellion by Conservative Brexiteers opposed to the controversial negotiating strategy she hammered out at Chequers. […]

Theresa May faces a major rebellion by Conservative Brexiteers opposed to the controversial negotiating strategy she hammered out at Chequers.

They are planning a show of strength in the Commons next week in votes on the Prime Minister’s flagship Trade Bill.

“Chequers was a breakdown in trust” The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. Jacob Rees-Mogg

As many as 60 Tory rebels could back moves opposing key elements of Mrs May’s Brexit strategy – more than enough to wipe out her fragile parliamentary majority.

The revolt is brewing amid threats of further resignations of Eurosceptics from ministerial and party positions as part of a guerrilla warfare campaign against her Chequers plans.

Seven MPs including Boris Johnson and David Davis have quit their posts, condemning the Chequers plan for proposing too close a relationship with the EU after Brexit.

Strike at heart of Chequers plan

Amendments striking at the heart of the Chequers scheme are being supported by leading Brexiteers including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Bernard Jenkin and Owen Paterson.

They include a demand for Mrs May to scrap her proposal for Britain to collect taxes and duties on behalf of the EU, unless the remaining 27 member states promise to do the same for Britain.

If passed, it would be impossible for her to implement her facilitated customs arrangement scheme.

Other amendments would force Britain to have a separate VAT regime from the EU and ensure the Prime Minister has to table primary legislation if she wishes to keep Britain in the customs union.

A final one – supported by a DUP MP – requires the Government to commit itself in law not to allow a customs border down the Irish Sea.

Deal ‘ties Britain too closely to EU’

Mrs May has insisted the Chequers plan delivers on the 2016 referendum result, but her Brexiteer critics have argued that will leave Britain tied too closely to EU rules for the foreseeable future.

“It delivers on the vote that people gave on Brexit” Theresa May

Mr Rees-Mogg, who chairs the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tories, said of the amendments: “Unfortunately Chequers was a breakdown in trust.

“Brexit meant Brexit, but now it appears Brexit means remaining subject to European laws. I believe this will help the Government stick to the promises it made.”

There is little prospect of any of the amendments passing as neither Labour nor the SNP are likely to walk into the division lobbies with Conservative Brexiteers.

Strength of feeling

But the rebellion against Mrs May’s line will be a reminder to Tory whips of the strength of feeling on the issue on the right of the party.

It is likely to come to a head in the autumn when Mrs May hopes to have struck a deal with Brussels which she will present to Parliament.

Speaking at the Nato summit in Brussels, Mrs May insisted her Chequers plans delivered on the “red lines” she set out in her Lancaster House speech last year.

“It delivers on the vote that people gave on Brexit, it delivers the fact that we will have an end to free movement, we will have an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK, we won’t be sending vast contributions to the EU every year, we’ll be out of the Common Agricultural Policy, out of the Common Fisheries Policy,” she said.

“We deliver that Brexit and we do it in a way that protects jobs and livelihoods and meets our commitment to Northern Ireland.”