Theresa May says she is sceptical about ‘indicative votes’ plan but edges closer to ruling out no-deal Brexit

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Theresa May has urged MPs not to condemn Britain to a “slow Brexit” this week, as she conceded she did not yet have the support in parliament to bring back her deal for a third meaningful vote.

After gathering Brexit-backing grandees at her country retreat of Chequers on Sunday, and speaking on Monday to the DUP leader, Arlene Foster, and the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, May said she had reached the conclusion she could not yet win the vote.

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“I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the house to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote,” she said, as she reported to MPs on last week’s European council summit.

May also came as close as she has done to ruling out a no-deal Brexit, stressing the damage it would do to the union – a message she also delivered to cabinet, according to government sources. “Unless this house agrees to it, no deal will not happen,” May said.

The prime minister said she would whip her own MPs on Monday evening against an amendment tabled by the former Tory minister Oliver Letwin that will allow MPs to take control of the parliamentary timetable, and carry out a process of “indicative votes”.

Government ministers privately accept that the amendment is likely to pass on Monday evening – and that it is likely to point towards support for a softer Brexit in parliament.

But the prime minister said: “I must confess that I am sceptical about the process.” She said it could yield “contradictory outcomes, or no outcome at all”, and set an unfortunate precedent that would “overturn the balance of our democratic institutions”.

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May said she could not give a “blank cheque” commitment to implement whatever option MPs supported, but would provide government time for a process of indicative votes to take place.

And she renewed her criticism of a Norway-style deal, which she called a “slow Brexit”.

“A slow Brexit, which extends article 50 beyond 22 May, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade, is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together,” she said.

May also made clear she had not given up on the idea of bringing back her own deal to parliament in the coming days. “I hope we can all agree, we are all at the moment of decision,” she said, urging MPs to back her deal and “guarantee Brexit”.

A number of senior Brexiters have privately urged the prime minister to set a date for her own departure, in exchange for backing her deal.

May said she would “continue to have discussions with colleagues across the house, so that we can bring the vote forward this week, and guarantee Brexit”.

The prime minister also repeated the explanation she gave in Brussels last week about her strident statement in Downing Street on Wednesday, that was widely criticised by MPs for appearing to blame parliament for her predicament.

May said she had been “frustrated” but insisted that “people on all sides of the debate hold passionate views, and I respect those differences”.

The government has all but conceded it will lose control of parliament this week and MPs will hold a series of votes on different Brexit options, with ministers believing it would be ultimately pointless for May to offer the government’s own plan.

It comes as May’s hopes that she can still force through her withdrawal deal faded after her phone call with the DUP leader, who rejected a personal plea for support.

In a meeting with Corbyn later on Monday, the Labour leader also rejected suggestions that the prime minister’s exit deal could be separated from the future relationship.

A Labour spokesman said the pair had a “frank and comprehensive exchange of views” and Corbyn suggested there was no basis to bring back her deal to parliament.

“The Labour leader did not accept the prime minister’s suggestion that the withdrawal agreement could be separated from the political declaration,” the spokesman said.