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| Brexit: Chief whip attacks cabinet's post-election strategy | Brexit: Chief whip attacks cabinet's post-election strategy |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The government should have made clear after the 2017 election that it would "inevitably" have to accept a softer Brexit, the Tory chief whip has said. | The government should have made clear after the 2017 election that it would "inevitably" have to accept a softer Brexit, the Tory chief whip has said. |
| In a BBC documentary, Julian Smith - whose role is to maintain discipline among Tory MPs - is also strongly critical of the cabinet's behaviour. | In a BBC documentary, Julian Smith - whose role is to maintain discipline among Tory MPs - is also strongly critical of the cabinet's behaviour. |
| The unprecedented attack comes as the cabinet is deeply split over whether to move to a softer deal. | The unprecedented attack comes as the cabinet is deeply split over whether to move to a softer deal. |
| MPs hold further indicative votes later on options to resolve the deadlock. | MPs hold further indicative votes later on options to resolve the deadlock. |
| A customs union with the EU is thought to be the most popular of the ideas under consideration. | A customs union with the EU is thought to be the most popular of the ideas under consideration. |
| Other options include leaving the EU without a deal on 12 April, a referendum to rule out no-deal, and a confirmatory referendum on Prime Minister Theresa May's deal. | Other options include leaving the EU without a deal on 12 April, a referendum to rule out no-deal, and a confirmatory referendum on Prime Minister Theresa May's deal. |
| In interviews for The Brexit Storm: Laura Kuenssberg's Inside Story, Mr Smith accused ministers of trying to undermine the prime minister. | In interviews for The Brexit Storm: Laura Kuenssberg's Inside Story, Mr Smith accused ministers of trying to undermine the prime minister. |
| He said he witnessed ministers "sitting around the cabinet table... trying to destabilise her [Mrs May]" and described their behaviour as the "worst example of ill-discipline in cabinet in British political history". | He said he witnessed ministers "sitting around the cabinet table... trying to destabilise her [Mrs May]" and described their behaviour as the "worst example of ill-discipline in cabinet in British political history". |
| Mr Smith said that when it failed to get a majority in the 2017 election, "the government as a whole probably should have just been clearer on the consequences of that. The Parliamentary arithmetic would mean that this would be inevitably a kind of softer type of Brexit." | Mr Smith said that when it failed to get a majority in the 2017 election, "the government as a whole probably should have just been clearer on the consequences of that. The Parliamentary arithmetic would mean that this would be inevitably a kind of softer type of Brexit." |
| Julian Smith has told the BBC that the government ought to have admitted after the election that it would inevitably have to move to a softer Brexit, saying ministers should have been clearer about the consequences of losing their majority then. | Julian Smith has told the BBC that the government ought to have admitted after the election that it would inevitably have to move to a softer Brexit, saying ministers should have been clearer about the consequences of losing their majority then. |
| But here's the tricky thing - the prime minister has never acknowledged publicly that she might have to soften up her deal. And many Conservatives, including some in cabinet, believe it would be unacceptable to do so. | But here's the tricky thing - the prime minister has never acknowledged publicly that she might have to soften up her deal. And many Conservatives, including some in cabinet, believe it would be unacceptable to do so. |
| Mr Smith, and others in government, suggest the prime minister might still put her deal back in front of MPs, perhaps as early as this week. Whips are, hypothetically, the keepers of secrets inside government. But in these turbulent times, few conventions still apply. | Mr Smith, and others in government, suggest the prime minister might still put her deal back in front of MPs, perhaps as early as this week. Whips are, hypothetically, the keepers of secrets inside government. But in these turbulent times, few conventions still apply. |
| Read Laura's blog in full here. | Read Laura's blog in full here. |
| European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that patience was running out with the UK. | European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that patience was running out with the UK. |
| In an Italian television interview, Mr Juncker said that the EU wanted to see MPs reach an agreement about the terms of the UK's departure in the coming hours and days. | In an Italian television interview, Mr Juncker said that the EU wanted to see MPs reach an agreement about the terms of the UK's departure in the coming hours and days. |
| Although European leaders agreed a withdrawal deal with Mrs May, Parliament has rejected it three times. | Although European leaders agreed a withdrawal deal with Mrs May, Parliament has rejected it three times. |
| The withdrawal agreement is the part of the Brexit deal Mrs May struck with Brussels that sets out how much money the UK must pay to the EU as a settlement, details of the transition period, and arrangements for the backstop - the insurance policy designed to avoid a hard border in Ireland. | The withdrawal agreement is the part of the Brexit deal Mrs May struck with Brussels that sets out how much money the UK must pay to the EU as a settlement, details of the transition period, and arrangements for the backstop - the insurance policy designed to avoid a hard border in Ireland. |
| Who is the chief whip? | |
| The chief whip, whose official title is Parliamentary secretary to the Treasury, is appointed by - and answers to - the prime minister. | |
| Julian Smith, the MP for Skipton and Ripon, was appointed chief whip by Theresa May in November 2017. | |
| His role is to maintain party discipline and attempt to ensure that members of the party vote with the government in important debates. | |
| Along with the other party whips, he looks after the day-to-day management of the government's business in Parliament. | |
| The chief whip is a member of the Cabinet. | |
| It is customary for both the government and the opposition chief whips not to take part in Parliamentary debates. | |
| Mrs May's deal is opposed by parties including Northern Ireland's DUP - which the government relies upon for support - as well as a group of her own MPs. | Mrs May's deal is opposed by parties including Northern Ireland's DUP - which the government relies upon for support - as well as a group of her own MPs. |
| The DUP has said it will not vote for the deal as it believes it could threaten Northern Ireland's place in the UK. | The DUP has said it will not vote for the deal as it believes it could threaten Northern Ireland's place in the UK. |
| The party's Brexit spokesman, MP Sammy Wilson, said it would not back it even if Mrs May brings it for a vote in the Commons "1,000 times". | The party's Brexit spokesman, MP Sammy Wilson, said it would not back it even if Mrs May brings it for a vote in the Commons "1,000 times". |
| What next? | |
| Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and her deputy Michelle O'Neill will head to Brussels on Monday for talks with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. | Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and her deputy Michelle O'Neill will head to Brussels on Monday for talks with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. |
| The prime minister has until 12 April to seek a longer extension to the Article 50 process if the UK is to avoid leaving without a deal. | The prime minister has until 12 April to seek a longer extension to the Article 50 process if the UK is to avoid leaving without a deal. |
| A petition to revoke the Article 50 notification and cancel Brexit reached six million signatures on Sunday. | |
| MPs are due to debate the proposal set out in that petition later. | |
| MPs will also discuss a rival petition demanding a new referendum after it passed 180,000 signatures, and another that calls on MPs to "honour the referendum result", which has been signed more than 170,000 times. | MPs will also discuss a rival petition demanding a new referendum after it passed 180,000 signatures, and another that calls on MPs to "honour the referendum result", which has been signed more than 170,000 times. |
| Later, MPs will hold their second non-binding vote later on a series of options to see if any of them can command a majority in Parliament. | Later, MPs will hold their second non-binding vote later on a series of options to see if any of them can command a majority in Parliament. |
| None of MPs' eight proposed options secured a majority in the first set of indicative votes on 27 March, but those that received the greatest support were a customs union with the EU and a referendum on any deal. | None of MPs' eight proposed options secured a majority in the first set of indicative votes on 27 March, but those that received the greatest support were a customs union with the EU and a referendum on any deal. |
| A customs union would allow businesses to move goods around the EU without tariffs - taxes on importing goods - but membership would bar the UK from striking independent trade deals after Brexit. | A customs union would allow businesses to move goods around the EU without tariffs - taxes on importing goods - but membership would bar the UK from striking independent trade deals after Brexit. |
| Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said there was an "emerging consensus" among Labour MPs that any deal had to be backed with another referendum. | Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said there was an "emerging consensus" among Labour MPs that any deal had to be backed with another referendum. |
| He said: "Whatever the deal looks like - and we understand there have to be compromises - if it's underpinned by a People's Vote, that is the way we can bring the country back together." | He said: "Whatever the deal looks like - and we understand there have to be compromises - if it's underpinned by a People's Vote, that is the way we can bring the country back together." |
| Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry also said "it looks like the time may come" for Labour to attempt another no confidence vote in the government. | Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry also said "it looks like the time may come" for Labour to attempt another no confidence vote in the government. |
| If passed, this would pave the way for a general election. | If passed, this would pave the way for a general election. |
| The Brexit Storm: Laura Kuenssberg's Inside Story will be broadcast on Monday 1 April at 21:00 BST on BBC2 | The Brexit Storm: Laura Kuenssberg's Inside Story will be broadcast on Monday 1 April at 21:00 BST on BBC2 |