As it happenedended1557938451

Brexit news: Tory MP urges Theresa May to resign before European elections during PMQs clash

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
,Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 15 May 2019 16:55 BST
Comments
Key Brexit legislation to return to Commons in early June

Theresa May will bring key legislation to ratify her Brexit deal before the Commons within weeks, in a last-ditch effort to break the deadlock.

Downing Street said she would bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) in the week beginning 3 June, after late night talks between Ms May and Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday.

But Labour expressed doubts about Ms May's efforts to deliver a compromise agreement, with sources insisting that there was no guarantee they would support the bill.

Meanwhile, Ms May faced calls to resign from Tory MP Peter Bone during prime minister's questions, saying she had lost the confidence of activists.

He said: "They say that her deal is worse than staying in the EU, that they want us to come out now on a no-deal basis, and third, more importantly, they've lost confidence in the prime minister and wish her to resign before the European elections.

"Prime minister, what message do you have to say to these loyal and dedicated Conservatives?"

But Ms May said she thanked all party supporters for their work campaigning and fundraising, and said to those "concerned about delivering Brexit" her government "wants to deliver Brexit and has been working to deliver Brexit".

This liveblog has now closed, but see our live coverage from Wednesday below

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Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's events in Westminster.

Theresa May has said she will bring forward key Brexit legislation for a Commons vote in the week beginning 3 June - the same week when US president Donald Trump is due to make a state visit to the UK.

After the prime minister held a late-night meeting with Jeremy Corbyn, she said cross-party talks with Labour to find a solution to the deadlock will continue.

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 07:51
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Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 07:55
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"This evening the prime minister met the leader of the opposition in the House of Commons to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the 3 June.

"It is imperative we do so then if the UK is to leave the EU before the summer parliamentary recess.

"Talks this evening between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition were both useful and constructive.

"Tomorrow talks will continue at an official level as we seek the stable majority in Parliament that will ensure the safe passage of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and the UK's swift exit from the EU."

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 08:08
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A Labour Party spokeswoman said Mr Corbyn set out the shadow Cabinet's concerns about the prime minister's ability to deliver on any compromise agreement during the talks in Parliament on Tuesday evening.

"In particular he raised doubts over the credibility of government commitments following statements by Conservative MPs and Cabinet ministers seeking to replace the prime minister.

"Jeremy Corbyn made clear the need for further movement from the government, including on entrenchment of any commitments.

"The prime minister's team agreed to bring back documentation and further proposals tomorrow."

It is understood Mr Corbyn rejected any suggestion Labour would support the Withdrawal Agreement Bill without agreement.

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 08:24
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DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said it was "highly likely" that Ms May's deal would be defeated again unless the PM can "demonstrate something new that addresses the problem of the backstop".

He said: "The prime minister has not pursued the one option that has ever achieved a positive vote for something in parliament. Alternative arrangements to the backstop won easily whilst everything else has failed.

"For the Bill to have any prospect of success then there must be real change to protect the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom and deliver Brexit."

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 08:44
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Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt appeared flustered when asked why people should vote for his party. Zamira Rahim has the story:

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 09:03
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A majority of members of the European Research Group, a large eurosceptic faction in the Conservative Party, will vote against Ms May's Brexit deal when it is brought back before parliament next month, a former minister has said.

Owen Paterson said he was concerned her deal would leave Britain following EU laws. He said the Democratic Unionist Party, which props up the government, is concerned it will align Northern Ireland more closely with the EU than the rest of the UK.

"Sadly, we will vote against it again, as the DUP put out a statement, because it doesn't change the essential nature of the withdrawal agreement, which is unacceptable we will have laws imposed on us by 27 different countries where we are not involved," Mr Paterson told the BBC.

"And very importantly for the DUP and us it potentially breaks up the United Kingdom by creating a new entity called UK and I and that means you could end with Scotland wanting to follow and that is really dangerous for the union."

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 09:20
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Tory MP Steve Baker, deputy leader of the hardline eurosceptic European Research Group, tweeted: "If the Brexit Party were demanding we pass this Withdrawal Agreement, a vote might just make sense. But they aren't. Quite the reverse.

"And driving it through over the heads of the DUP appears to eradicate the government's majority. What is government thinking?" 

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 09:34
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Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 09:49
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The Tories must campaign in the European election to stop extremist parties filling the political "vacuum", the work and pensions secretary has said.

Amber Rudd used a speech at a party for the centre-right think tank Onward to urge MPs to call out any abuse they suffer.

She said the European election next week is a chance for her colleagues to campaign for Conservative values and beliefs.

The Cabinet minister said: "Extremism is coming up to us from the left and from the right and we need to make sure that we fill the middle.

"And we fill it not just with what people sometimes call moderation - we fill it with our ideas, our thoughts and our own Conservative momentum of what we think we can change and what we can do because if we leave that vacuum there will be consequences."

Samuel Osborne15 May 2019 10:06

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