Brexit: Former ministers reveal plan to seize control of EU withdrawal if Theresa May loses vote

Nick Boles and others want to push through a new law giving a senior panel of MPs responsibility to 'come up' with a compromise deal if Ms May's plans fail

Three ex-ministers have revealed their plan to give rebel MPs in parliament control of Brexit, if Theresa May’s strategy is defeated this week.

Nick Boles admitted on Monday that he and two others would try to push through a new law giving a senior panel of MPs responsibility to “come up with its own compromise deal”.

Mr Boles denied the move was a “coup”, but admitted it would see power handed to the Liaison Committee – chaired by a supporter of a new referendum – to formulate a way forward.

It came amid frantic political manoeuvring in Westminster, with another plan allegedly being hatched to change parliament’s standing orders to give MPs control of the legislative process.

In some good news for Ms May, a handful of Conservative MPs said they would now back her plans in the crunch vote on Tuesday night.

Mr Boles said the “European Union Withdrawal Number 2 Bill” backed by himself, Sir Oliver Letwin and Nicky Morgan would allow MPs to frame a “compromise” Brexit deal if Ms May approach fails.

He said all three would vote for the PM’s deal but would act if it failed, adding: “This bill would do the following, it would give the government three more weeks to get a compromise deal, a plan B, through parliament so that we are leaving the EU on time on March 29 with a deal.

“If that failed…it would give the Liaison Committee the responsibility to try and come up with its own compromise deal, which would have to go back to the house for a vote.”

He said that the first step would be laying an amendment that, if passed, would allocate a day “quite soon” in parliament in which “the business of the government would be put to one side and parliament would be presented with a very short bill”.

But chair of the Liaison Committee, Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, poured cold water on the plan almost immediately saying on Twitter: “The Boles plan appears to have been developed with just 2 other MPs and not discussed in advance with the committee they propose to implement it. So hardly a ‘coup’.

“Would also point out that liaison ctee (sic) doesn’t draft legislation or conduct pre-legislative scrutiny.”

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend upon a backbench bid, said to be led by Dominic Grieve, to rewrite Standing Order 14 of the commons rules dictating that government business takes precedence, effectively giving the backbenches control of the way ahead.

Twelve Conservative former ministers also wrote to Tory MPs urging them to vote against the prime minister’s Brexit deal, including Boris Johnson and former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab, arguing that doing so may encourage the EU to come back to the negotiating table.

But the last-ditch attempt to maximise Tory opposition to the PM’s deal comes after four fellow Brexiteers said they will back the agreement, despite speculation they would vote against it.

The MPs, including Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown and Sir Edward Leigh, said they would support the government in the meaningful vote.

Tory former minister Andrew Murrison said he also had reservations, but had decided to back the deal, as did MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham, Caroline Johnson.

Mr Murrison is also tabling an amendment to the Brexit motion to create a “sunset clause” preventing the hated ‘Irish backstop’ extending beyond the end of 2022.

The amendment backs Ms May’s deal, subject to a legal ‘codicil’ to the withdrawal agreement which states that the backstop must end by December 31 of that year.

Ms May has also received the public support of a respected veteran Labour backbencher, Sir Kevin Barron, a former Commons standards watchdog chief.

The MP for Rother Valley, said he was “truly saddened” that some MPs were trying to “overturn” the 2016 referendum result, adding: “I know it will disappoint many within my party but I will be voting in support of the prime minister’s deal on Tuesday as that is the only option on the table that truly enacts the promises that I made to my constituents and avoids the horror of a no-deal Brexit.”