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| Theresa May warned Brexit pact with Corbyn could tear Tories apart | Theresa May warned Brexit pact with Corbyn could tear Tories apart |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May has been warned that a pact with Jeremy Corbyn to deliver a Brexit deal could destroy the Conservative party, as Eurosceptic MPs reacted with horror to her offer to work with Labour. | Theresa May has been warned that a pact with Jeremy Corbyn to deliver a Brexit deal could destroy the Conservative party, as Eurosceptic MPs reacted with horror to her offer to work with Labour. |
| Dozens of pro-Brexit Conservatives lined up to condemn the proposal from the prime minister, which could involve tearing up a manifesto commitment not to pursue a customs union. | Dozens of pro-Brexit Conservatives lined up to condemn the proposal from the prime minister, which could involve tearing up a manifesto commitment not to pursue a customs union. |
| Nigel Adams, a government whip, quit his job in protest at May trying to “cook up a deal with a Marxist”. | |
| May and Corbyn were due to hold talks later on Wednesday with the possibility of hammering out a common position by the end of the week. Any deal would then be presented to the EU at a summit next week with the aim of leaving on 22 May and avoiding European parliamentary elections. | May and Corbyn were due to hold talks later on Wednesday with the possibility of hammering out a common position by the end of the week. Any deal would then be presented to the EU at a summit next week with the aim of leaving on 22 May and avoiding European parliamentary elections. |
| If that fails, No 10 will move to holding a series of votes in parliament on options, including a runoff between her deal and alternatives such as a customs union, while agreeing to abide by the results. | If that fails, No 10 will move to holding a series of votes in parliament on options, including a runoff between her deal and alternatives such as a customs union, while agreeing to abide by the results. |
| 'Jezz the two of us': what the papers said about May's overture to Corbyn | 'Jezz the two of us': what the papers said about May's overture to Corbyn |
| Corbyn said he was “very happy” to talk to May about Labour’s vision for Brexit, which would include a permanent customs union and stronger workers’ rights protections. However, he will face a dilemma over whether to push for any deal to be put to a public vote through a second referendum – a key demand of many senior figures in his party and many of its members. | Corbyn said he was “very happy” to talk to May about Labour’s vision for Brexit, which would include a permanent customs union and stronger workers’ rights protections. However, he will face a dilemma over whether to push for any deal to be put to a public vote through a second referendum – a key demand of many senior figures in his party and many of its members. |
| At the same time, Steve Barclay, the Brexit secretary, suggested there may be limited appetite for a compromise on the Conservative side, while insisting the talks were being pursued in good faith. | At the same time, Steve Barclay, the Brexit secretary, suggested there may be limited appetite for a compromise on the Conservative side, while insisting the talks were being pursued in good faith. |
| “I personally think a customs union is highly undesirable. We’re not setting pre-conditions, but nor is this a blank cheque,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | “I personally think a customs union is highly undesirable. We’re not setting pre-conditions, but nor is this a blank cheque,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| Barclay also did not rule out giving in to demands for a second referendum, later telling MPs: “I don’t think we should have a second referendum because it takes us back to square one, is my personal view, but the prime minister will have discussions and we will see where they lead.” | |
| To those Conservatives complaining about May’s move, he said there was a “remorseless logic” to reaching out for Labour votes when 35 Conservatives had refused to back the prime minister’s withdrawal agreement three times. | To those Conservatives complaining about May’s move, he said there was a “remorseless logic” to reaching out for Labour votes when 35 Conservatives had refused to back the prime minister’s withdrawal agreement three times. |
| Tory Eurosceptic MPs erupted in fury at the offer to Corbyn, with condemnation from those who had backed May’s deal including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg and many others who had been holding out against it. | Tory Eurosceptic MPs erupted in fury at the offer to Corbyn, with condemnation from those who had backed May’s deal including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg and many others who had been holding out against it. |
| Rees-Mogg, the leader of the European Research Group, said: “The process is now being taken control of entirely by people who backed remain.” | Rees-Mogg, the leader of the European Research Group, said: “The process is now being taken control of entirely by people who backed remain.” |
| He told Today that leave voters were being “disenfranchised”. | He told Today that leave voters were being “disenfranchised”. |
| Stewart Jackson, a former Tory MP and Brexit adviser, suggested a fresh move against May. “Isn’t it time Graham Brady and the executive committee of the 1922 reviewed the rules and instigated a fresh leadership ballot? May has no mandate to pursue the Corbyn pact,” she said. | Stewart Jackson, a former Tory MP and Brexit adviser, suggested a fresh move against May. “Isn’t it time Graham Brady and the executive committee of the 1922 reviewed the rules and instigated a fresh leadership ballot? May has no mandate to pursue the Corbyn pact,” she said. |
| Andrea Jenkyns, a hardline Tory Eurosceptic who refused to back May’s deal, did not rule out voting against the prime minister in a no-confidence motion, saying it would “take a lot of thinking about”. | Andrea Jenkyns, a hardline Tory Eurosceptic who refused to back May’s deal, did not rule out voting against the prime minister in a no-confidence motion, saying it would “take a lot of thinking about”. |
| Another Tory MP, Marcus Fysh, said: “The cabinet and PM have demonstrated again today that they are on the wrong path. There is a great future ahead but it needs courage and understanding, not fear and vacillation.” | Another Tory MP, Marcus Fysh, said: “The cabinet and PM have demonstrated again today that they are on the wrong path. There is a great future ahead but it needs courage and understanding, not fear and vacillation.” |
| However, Eurosceptic cabinet ministers are not resigning as yet, preferring to hold a meeting of the so-called Pizza Club of Brexiters and waiting to see the outcome of talks with Labour. One cabinet source said they were very sceptical that any deal with Corbyn will actually be struck and were therefore keeping quiet for now. | However, Eurosceptic cabinet ministers are not resigning as yet, preferring to hold a meeting of the so-called Pizza Club of Brexiters and waiting to see the outcome of talks with Labour. One cabinet source said they were very sceptical that any deal with Corbyn will actually be struck and were therefore keeping quiet for now. |
| What is Theresa May's new plan for Brexit? | What is Theresa May's new plan for Brexit? |
| There is also caution on the Labour side, with some internally warning against falling for a Tory trap that ties them into voting for a damaging Brexit. | There is also caution on the Labour side, with some internally warning against falling for a Tory trap that ties them into voting for a damaging Brexit. |
| Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, said Corbyn would approach the offer “with an open mind” and willingness to find a compromise. But she highlighted the need to make sure any political declaration agreed was binding, saying it must not be merely a “gentlemen’s agreement” that set ambitions for the next phase. | Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, said Corbyn would approach the offer “with an open mind” and willingness to find a compromise. But she highlighted the need to make sure any political declaration agreed was binding, saying it must not be merely a “gentlemen’s agreement” that set ambitions for the next phase. |
| Long-Bailey also suggested Corbyn may not necessarily push for a second referendum in talks with May. “If we get exactly what we want, and we have a good strong deal, I would struggle to find a reason to put that to a public vote,” she said. | Long-Bailey also suggested Corbyn may not necessarily push for a second referendum in talks with May. “If we get exactly what we want, and we have a good strong deal, I would struggle to find a reason to put that to a public vote,” she said. |
| Labour sources highlighted the difficulty of achieving a guarantee that any future prime minister could try to take Brexit in a different direction during the second phase of negotiation on the future relationship with the EU. | Labour sources highlighted the difficulty of achieving a guarantee that any future prime minister could try to take Brexit in a different direction during the second phase of negotiation on the future relationship with the EU. |
| A cross-party group of MPs had been planning to force May to request an extension to article 50 through legislation and hold indicative votes on the alternatives but that has partially been overtaken by events. | A cross-party group of MPs had been planning to force May to request an extension to article 50 through legislation and hold indicative votes on the alternatives but that has partially been overtaken by events. |
| The Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who was proposing the bill with Labour’s Yvette Cooper, said they would press ahead with the plan but acknowledged the backdrop was now completely different and he would try to work with the government to make that legislation the vehicle for a compromise. | The Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who was proposing the bill with Labour’s Yvette Cooper, said they would press ahead with the plan but acknowledged the backdrop was now completely different and he would try to work with the government to make that legislation the vehicle for a compromise. |
| He welcomed May’s move and said he did believe Corbyn was “somebody we could do business with”. | He welcomed May’s move and said he did believe Corbyn was “somebody we could do business with”. |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Labour | Labour |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| Jeremy Corbyn | Jeremy Corbyn |
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