Theresa May could be seriously damaged by a defeat Theresa May is set to mount a dramatic climbdown over her Brexit plan to avoid an embarrassing defeat at the hand of a powerful group of Brexiteers.
The government may adopt a series of amendments to the customs bill put forward by Jacob Rees-Mogg which are designed to impose strict conditions on the PM in negotiations with the EU.
It comes after Theresa May produced a plan which would keep the UK closely tied to Brussels’ rules on goods and food.
The amendments are backed by arch-Eurosceptics including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Sir Bernard Jenkin, Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith who are furious at the Chequers plan.
Sir Bernard Jenkin told the World at One the Chequers plan was dead, with opposition from both wings of the Tory party.
I’m afraid it is neither beloved by Remainers or Leavers.
There were signs at Westminster that Mrs May could be prepared to compromise in an effort to avert a damaging blow to her authority.
Mr Rees-Mogg, the leader of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), played down suggestions over the weekend they were seeking to topple Mrs May, saying she still had time to change course on her proposals.
However, the danger to the Prime Minister was underlined by the disclosure that Brexiteers had set up a WhatsApp group to co-ordinate voting tactics, organised by ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker, who quit over the Chequers plan.
The Daily Telegraph reported more than 100 MPs had joined the group, more than double the 48 needed to submit letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister to force a leadership contest.
A Brexiteer source said that while ministers haven’t yet accepted the amendments all the noise is in that direction.
Brexit minister Suella Braverman told the World at One there were strong views but insisted: I don’t think it’s yet tearing the Conservative Party apart.
We have got a plan, it’s been approved by the Cabinet, it’s now the policy and it’s a starting point for the negotiations with the EU.
It’s a generous offer, it places the ball firmly in the EU’s court and it’s now incumbent on them to respond generously, pragmatically and favourably and we have to move forward with these negotiations.
Asked if the Government would accept the European Research Group amendments to the Customs Bill, Mrs Braverman said: I’m not privy to the discussions that are going on.
But some of the proposed changes were not necessarily at odds with Government policy.
North Cornwall MP Scott Mann quit as a ministerial aide to the Treasury, the former postman saying he would not deliver a watered down Brexit.
The threat from the Brexiteers is not the only danger facing Mrs May, with pro-EU Tories tabling amendments of their own to the customs bill and the Trade Bill, which returns to the Commons on Tuesday, which would keep Britain in a customs union with the EU.
It was unclear whether they will actually press them to a vote after some pro-EU MPs backed Mrs May’s Chequers plan and EU white paper.
However, in a sign of just how volatile the party has become, former education secretary Justine Greening, who backed Remain, denounced the plan, saying it offered the worst of both worlds and called for a second referendum.
The only solution is to take the final Brexit decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians, away from the backroom deals, and give it back to the people, she said in an article for The Times.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman responded: The British public have voted to leave the European Union. There is not going to be a second referendum under any circumstances.
The spokesman said Mrs May was very clear that the proposal we put forward at Chequers delivers on the will of the people in the referendum.
The Chequers plan was the only way to enable us to get a deal with no friction at the EU/UK border, to resolve the Northern Ireland border issue and to ensure that we can strike free trade deals around the world, said the spokesman.
Cabinet is behind it, businesses have come out to support it and now we need to get on with negotiating with the EU.