Theresa May sets a date for confrontation with Brexit Remain rebels

Lords amendments to flagship Brexit laws will be presented to MPs on Tuesday
The crunch votes will all be called in one marathon session late into the night
May is expected to order MPs to strip 15 changes made by peers out of the Bill

By Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline

Published: 16:15 BST, 4 June 2018 | Updated: 07:37 BST, 5 June 2018

Theresa May today set up a major Brexit showdown with Remain rebels by confirming all 15 Lords amendments to her flagship laws will be voted on next week.

Chief whip Julian Smith confirmed to Tory MPs a marathon debate would be held next Tuesday and warned votes could go on long into the night.

MPs are expected to be ordered to strike down all 15 changes made by peers to the EU Withdrawal Bill.

But at least two of the amendments – on whether Mrs May can quit talks without a deal and on keeping Britain inside the European Economic Area – could attract enough Tory rebels to inflict embarrassing defeats on the Government.

Theresa May (pictured in Southwark yesterday) today set up a major Brexit showdown with Remain rebels by confirming all 15 Lords amendments to her flagship laws will be voted on next week

Chief whip Julian Smith wrote to MPs today (pictured) confirming the marathon series of votes would be called on Tuesday night

The Prime Minister is gambling that Tory rebels are not prepared to risk collapsing the Government and even triggering an early election.

In a letter to all Tory MPs today, Mr Smith said: ‘I know that the Commons consideration of Lords amendments on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is of great interest to many of you and I am able to confirm that this will take place on June 12.

‘There will be a number of divisions that day so please make sure you are working from the estate at all times – we will be voting well beyond the moment of interruption.’

What are the 15 Brexit wrecking amendments passed by peers

Here are the 15 Brexit Bill defeats inflicted by peers:

Forces minsters to try to seek a customs union with the EU
Keeps EU law relating to employment, consumer and environmental protections
Keeps the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
Removes right of ministers to challenge EU law kept by the UK
Allows Britons to bring legal cases when their rights, enshrined in EU law, are flouted
Limits the scope of the Government’s so-called Henry VII powers
Gives Parliament a meaningful vote at the end of talks
Gives parliament a veto on the Government’s negotiating position
Ministers must report on what they are doing to ensure refugee families reunited within Europe
Ministers must abide by 1998 Good Friday Agreement
Reaffirms that the UK can keep EU laws and stay in EU agencies
Gives parliament a veto on the exit day
Ministers must try to keep the UK in the EEA and therefore the EU single market
Extends how EU laws will be trawled through by Parliament
Enshrines EU environmental protections

Mr Smith’s final remark is a warning to MPs he plans to call votes well after the normal 7pm end to business on a Tuesday.

The Government has not made clear its position on all 15 Lords amendments.

But he told Tory MPs: ‘I look forward to working with you to deliver back to the House of Lords the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill in a way that reflects both the referendum result and the Conservative Party manifesto we all stood on last year.’

Labour MP and Best for Britain campaigner David Lammy said: ‘This shows total contempt of Parliament to try and railroad 15 amendments through Parliament in just a single session.

‘This piece of legislation will have huge consequences for the future of our country for generations to come.

‘There is no shortage of parliamentary time – the government has hardly put any substantive legislation before Parliament since the General Election because their mandate is shot to pieces and the Cabinet is divided over Brexit.’

Earlier Labour’s Sadiq Khan called on his party’s MPs to defy Jeremy Corbyn and vote to keep Britain close to the EU.

It could make the vote on the EEA close even if Mr Corbyn chooses to support the Government.

Invoking the memory of Labour MPs such as Robin Cook Mr Khan told the Guardian: ‘The last vote of this significance was the vote on the Iraq war – when there were brave MPs from all parties who did the right thing and voted against the war regardless of the consequences.’

Khan himself was not in the Commons at the time of the Iraq vote, having only become an MP in 2005, and so did not take part in the revolt he is promoting.

Chief whip Julian Smith (file image) confirmed to Tory MPs a marathon debate would be held next Tuesday and warned votes could go on long into the night

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk