Theresa May would be making a ‘catastrophic mistake’ if she rolls over to Jeremy Corbyn in Brexit talks, Sir Graham Brady has warned.
The senior Tory backbencher said a deal that includes a customs union would have ‘unthinkable consequences’ and allow ‘dangerous extremists’ in the Labour party closer to Number 10.
His furious comments will pile further pressure on Mrs May, as she strains to reach a deal with Labour despite a wave of Tory anger that the talks are taking place at all.
Mr Brady’s anger at the PM could also leave her vulnerable as the backbench 1922 Committee, which he chairs, faces calls to oust Mrs May.
Sir Graham Brady (pictured) has warned of ‘unthinkable consequences’ if Theresa May agrees to a customs deal with Jeremy Corbyn
Theresa May (pictured at church today with her husband Philip) is on the back foot once again after presiding over dismal local election results
Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Brady said: ‘The temptation for the government now to do whatever is necessary to secure some kind of Brexit agreement is obvious but it must be resisted.
‘To reach an agreement with Labour that locked the United Kingdom into the customs union might pull in enough Labour votes to allow an agreement to limp over the line.
But the price could be a catastrophic split in the Conservative party and at a time when the Opposition is led by dangerous extremists, the consequences for our country would be unthinkable.’
Bemoaning Thursday’s local election results Mr Brady said both the Tories and Labour had been ‘punished for their failure to fulfil their promises’ on Brexit.
He said a deal with Labour could ‘increase the chasm between the Conservative party in parliament and its already fractious supporters around the country’.
It was claimed on Sunday that Mrs May’s negotiators will offer Labour a temporary customs union in a bid to reach a deal.
Theresa May (left) is bidding to reach a deal with Jeremy Corbyn (right) after acknowledging there was little chance of Conservative MPs backing her withdrawal agreement
The Tories could also climb down on workers’ rights and single market rules in a reported three-part concession to Mr Corbyn.
Mrs May today acknowledged there was ‘no sign’ of her MPs uniting behind her deal after it was rejected three times in the House of Commons.
She is hoping to persuade the Labour benches to back her instead with cross-party talks expected to resume this week.
However MPs have repeatedly voiced their fury at Mrs May’s talks with a ‘known Marxist’ in Mr Corbyn.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, she said: ‘The talks with Labour so far have been serious.
‘I could not persuade enough of my colleagues to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement and, regrettably, I have to accept there is no sign of that position changing.
‘We don’t agree with the Opposition on lots of policy issues, but on Brexit there are areas we do agree on – leaving with a good deal that protects jobs and our security and ends free movement.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) has promised to renationalise the water, energy and rail industries if he wins a general election
‘To the Leader of the Opposition, I say this: let’s listen to what the voters said in the local elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let’s do a deal.’
But Mr Brady’s intervention is a sign of the Conservative party fury that the PM will face if she offers such a deal.
The PM is on the back foot once again this week after her party suffered its worst local election results since the height of Tony Blair’s powers in 1995.
Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has branded the idea of a customs union deal as ‘total anathema’.
He said: ‘The idea we would leave the EU but have the EU decide all our future trading arrangements, decide what our tariffs are – basically, that’s the most ridiculous position to be in.
‘The election result was so devastating that the Prime Minister now has to consider herself a caretaker PM.
‘She must now move fast to resolve this matter of leadership urgently because everywhere you went, the element of trust in the PM had completely broken down.
Nigel Farage (pictured) has warned the Labour and Conservative leaders not to form a ‘coalition of politicians against the people’
Theresa May (pictured at church today) is set to offer Labour a three-pronged Brexit deal in a bid to break the deadlock at Westminster, it has been claimed
‘The idea that she is now able to do a deal with an equally discredited Labour Party is ridiculous.’
Mr Duncan Smith said the 1922 Committee – chaired by Mr Brady – should urgently meet again to decide on Mrs May’s fate.
The committee rejected a party rule change last month which would have allowed an early confidence vote, with Mr Brady saying he abstained.
But demands to oust the PM have not gone away with Mr Duncan Smith saying that ‘we have to make a change’.
Mr Brady has said he would demand a clear departure timetable from the PM, who has promised to step aside before the next phase of Brexit.
Tory arch-Brexiteer Peter Bone said any customs union deal would amount to ‘an abject surrender’.
Brexiteer Steve Baker retweeted a comment saying the plan was a ‘Tory Brexit delivered by Labour that neither Leavers nor Remainers support’.
Meanwhile Labour’s John McDonnell said it ‘may well be’ that a second referendum takes place.
Saying he does not trust the PM, Mr McDonnell accused her of jeopardising the cross-party Brexit talks for her own ‘personal protection’.