Tory voters want MPs to save Theresa May's Brexit deal

Tory voters want MPs to save Theresa May’s Brexit deal as Daily Mail poll shows 57% prefer it to no deal, second referendum or a two-year delay

Theresa May’s Brexit deal received a boost as Conservatives upped the pressure
Conservative voters piled pressure on rebel MPs to rescue the Prime Minister
They want hard-line Brexiteer and Remainer Tories to to the line

By Simon Walters for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:00 GMT, 15 March 2019 | Updated: 11:01 GMT, 16 March 2019

Theresa May (pictured above) could get her Brexit deal through according to the results of a new poll

Theresa May’s hopes of getting her Brexit deal through at the third attempt next week received a boost last night when Conservative voters piled pressure on rebel MPs to rescue her.

They want hard-line Brexiteer and Remainer Tories threatening to defeat the Prime Minister to toe the line and prefer her deal to all the possible alternatives, including leaving with No Deal, a ‘softer’ Brexit, a second referendum and a two-year delay in leaving.

And Mrs May can kiss goodbye to calling a snap election to get her plan approved: the mass revolts by ministers in shambolic scenes in the Commons in recent days have put Labour ahead in the polls.

These are the main findings of a Survation poll for the Daily Mail. Asked if MPs should back Mrs May in next week’s vote on her EU Withdrawal Agreement, 57 per cent of Tory voters say they should, with 26 against, a margin of more than two to one in her favour.

There are similar majorities among Conservative supporters in favour of Mrs May’s deal to most of the alternatives such as a ‘Customs Union Brexit’, a People’s Vote-style second referendum and putting Brexit back to 2021.

How Conservative voters used their ballot and how the crisis has helped Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

A total of 41 per cent of Tories back her deal with 40 per cent preferring leaving with No Deal.

Across all voters, 39 per cent say MPs should not back Mrs May deal in next week’s vote, with 36 per cent backing her.

The survey demonstrates the damage caused by this week’s series of Tory rebellions in Parliament including by four pro-Remain Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd, David Gauke, Greg Clark and David Mundell, who defied Mrs May by helping Labour to kill off the possibility of leaving the EU with No Deal.

Barclay ‘not afraid’ of No Deal exit

Cabinet divisions intensified yesterday after the Brexit Secretary said the UK ‘shouldn’t be afraid to leave with No Deal’ this month – hours after the Government ruled it out.

Steve Barclay told the BBC: ‘We need a deal, we need to get that over the line. But if we don’t have a deal we should leave with No Deal. That’s always been my position.’

Parliament voted by 413 to 202 on Thursday night to seek an extension to Article 50 and prevent the UK leaving without a deal on March 29. Faced with deep Tory divisions, Theresa May offered her MPs a free vote – and Mr Barclay was one of only seven Cabinet ministers to vote against any delay.

Despite him being at odds with government policy, sources close to Mr Barclay denied last night that he was preparing to resign.

A total of 57 per cent of Conservative voters said they should have resigned, while 28 per cent said they were entitled to hold on to their Cabinet seats.

Jeremy Corbyn appears to have benefited from the Tory turmoil: Labour is ahead in the poll on 39, which is 3 per cent up since February, with the Conservatives on 35, 5 per cent down. Nor is there any appetite for a snap election among Tory supporters if Mrs May’s deal is defeated next week. An overwhelming 65 per cent say it is a bad idea; only 25 per cent say she should take a gamble on it.

If she does stand down Boris Johnson is clear favourite to succeed her. A total of 23 per cent of Tories back him with Sajid Javid on 10 per cent, followed by Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Amber Rudd. The survey also spells out a grim warning to all MPs on the dangers of stopping Brexit altogether by accident or design.

A total of 48 per cent of all voters say there would be a risk of civil disorder; 25 per cent disagree. The public does not foresee a similar hazard if the UK leaves without a deal.

Survation interviewed 1,007 people yesterday.

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