Theresa May could try to bring back her Brexit deal with the Irish backstop torn out of it, it was claimed today.
The Prime Minister could decide to remove the controversial border clause in the hope MPs vote for it and send a new message to Brussels that it has to go if Britain is to leave the EU.
Mrs May is under huge pressure to try to renegotiate with the EU from Brexiteers in her own party including former leader Iain Duncan-Smith, the Tory ERG Spartans and the DUP.
A source told ITV News Mrs May is ‘seriously considering’ the move – but a ministerial source added: ‘We’re still chasing unicorns, and eating up time’.
The EU insists Britain’s Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened and in January ignored MPs when they voted for the so-called Brady amendment demanding the planned Irish backstop to be replaced by ‘alternative arrangements’.
Prime Minster Theresa May is followed from St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar yesterday as rumours swirled about Irish backstop changes yet again
Responding to suggestions Theresa May’s official spokesman insisted the EU will not budge.
He said: ‘In order to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement – which is what’s necessary for us to leave the EU – then obviously the Government would have to secure the whole of the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU.’
The spokesman added: ‘It was set out at the most recent European Council that the EU’s established position was that they wouldn’t reopen the Withdrawal Agreement.’
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom made no mention of a possible vote when detailing business for next week, and said an announcement on when the deal will return will be made ‘when appropriate’ following questions from the SNP.
But said: ‘It is absolutely vital that we bring in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to give this House the opportunity to make progress on delivering on the will of the people’.
Reports had suggested the Bill could be moved next week and the Government has shown in recent months it is prepared to change the timetable of the Commons at short notice if required.
Mrs Leadsom later confirmed a debate would be held ‘in due course’ to consider senior Tory Sir Bill Cash’s bid to annul a statutory instrument which changed the Brexit date from April 12 to October 31.
On Friday the Prime Minister accused Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of dragging his feet on cross-party Brexit talks, with an agreement looking unlikely.
Unless the PM can pass her deal Britain is heading for a second referendum or a general election, with No Deal already ruled out by remainer MPs who passed legislation to block it.
Mrs May told the Cabinet that the cross-party talks with Labour had become ‘difficult’ when ministers tried to force the pace in order to get a deal done in time to avoid next month’s European parliament elections.
It came amid signs that the PM could try to break the deadlock by bringing forward legislation to enact her Brexit deal as early as next week.
Ministers discussed the ‘growing possibility’ that parliament could vote to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit if the Government cannot pass a deal. In Cabinet, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom urged Mrs May to order a fresh vote within days.
The move, supported by other Brexiteer ministers, would see the full Withdrawal Agreement Bill – allowing the UK to leave the EU – debated in the Commons next week.
The PM’s official spokesman confirmed that sticking points included Labour’s demand for a permanent customs union and Mr Corbyn’s reluctance to fast-track the process in order to avoid the European elections on May 23.
In Cabinet, Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom urged Mrs May to order a fresh vote on Brexit within days.
The high-stakes move, which won support from several other Brexiteer ministers, would see the full Withdrawal Agreement Bill – which allows the UK to leave the EU debated in the Commons next week.
Under her plan, the Bill would be published within days ahead of two days of debate early next week. Home Secretary Sajid Javid is also understood to have called for legislation to be brought forward.
Ministers have been warned they will have to cancel planned foreign engagements next week if the move goes ahead as they will be needed for votes in the Commons.
The Mail understands Mrs Leadsom mounted a lobbying operation of her Cabinet colleagues over the Easter break urging them to back the plan.
It would avoid the need for a fresh ‘meaningful vote’ on the deal and – if it passed – would ensure the UK left the EU before the end of June.
However, chief whip Julian Smith is thought to have warned that the votes for the deal are ‘not there yet’.
A senior Tory source last night said the government would need an assurance from Labour that the Bill would not be rejected outright at the first hurdle.
Mrs Leadsom wants to amend the Bill to include a legal pledge to secure ‘alternative arrangements’ to the Northern Ireland backstop by the end of next year.
This would appeal to hard line Eurosceptic Tories who have refused to back the deal. But education secretary Damian Hinds dismissed the idea as ‘a mirage’.
Any move to bring forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill would be fraught with danger. If the Bill was defeated in the Commons, Mrs May could only bring it back by starting a new session of Parliament, which would require a new Queen’s Speech.
This is also the danger of amendments Mrs Leadsom has told friends: ‘If the Withdrawal Agreement is going to be a dogs’ dinner, then at least we need to look like we have fought tooth and nail to make it work.’ Mrs May faced criticism over the decision to talk to Labour at yesterday’s cabinet meeting, which was the first since she agreed to extend Article 50 until October 31.