Eighteen ministers – including members of the Cabinet – are ready to join a plot to snatch control of Brexit from the Prime Minister to avoid No Deal, it was claimed last night.
The frontbench rebels are threatening a mass walk-out unless Theresa May allows votes on alternatives to her deal, such as a ‘soft’ Brexit, a longer delay, or even reversing the process of leaving the EU.
They want Parliament to be given other options if her deal is rejected again by MPs so they can prevent a No Deal Brexit.
The group is planning to support an amendment on Monday, put forward by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, Tory Sir Oliver Letwin and others, that would seize control of the parliamentary timetable.
Cabinet ministers Greg Clark, David Gauke, David Mundell, Amber Rudd (pictured) and Claire Perry, seven junior ministers, and three ministerial aides were all allowed to keep their jobs despite breaking a Government three-line whip
Frontbench rebels are threatening a mass walk-out unless Theresa May allows votes on alternatives to her deal
Jeremy Corbyn yesterday left the door open to cancelling Brexit.
The Labour leader was twice asked if he might formally ask the Government to halt the process of leaving the EU if Britain was heading for No Deal.
He refused to rule it out both times, adding that a second referendum was also possible.
Mr Corbyn was in Brussels to meet the bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Martin Selmayr, the EU’s top civil servant, hours before yesterday’s EU summit began.
During ‘very constructive discussions’, he laid out his plan for a ‘softer’ Brexit which would lock us into a permanent customs union with the EU.
Before last night’s Brussels talks delivered two new possible dates for Brexit – April 12 or May 22 – Mr Corbyn was asked if Labour would ‘contemplate’ a longer Brexit delay if Mrs May’s deal is rejected again next week, or if it would support revoking Article 50.
He replied: ‘These are hypotheticals. So far as we’re concerned, we think there’s an urgency in constructing a majority for an agreeable solution and that’s what we’re concentrating on at the moment.’
The Labour leader again dodged the question when asked directly if he would ‘rule out’ cancelling Brexit.
He said: ‘We think what we’re proposing can be achieved in Parliament, we do believe we can construct a majority that will prevent all the chaos that will come from crashing out.’
Mr Corbyn also hinted that he could back a bid for a second referendum.
He added: ‘Our determination is to prevent a No Deal exit from the EU.’
It comes following reports that cross-party talks for a softer Brexit with Remainer MPs are gaining ground.
Talks between Labour and Conservative MP Nick Boles for a Norway-style ‘Common Market 2.0’ - possibly with single market involvement or a permanent customs union – are nearing a deal, the BBC said.
If passed, it would force Mrs May to stage ‘indicative’ votes on Wednesday that would be likely to give MPs the choice of a Norway-style Brexit, Labour’s customs union plan, a second referendum, No Deal, or revoking Article 50, the formal process for leaving the EU.
In addition the rebel ministers are considering a second backbench amendment, also due to be debated on Monday, that would demand that Mrs May seek a long extension to the Article 50 process of months or even years if her deal has not been passed. Last night, it was unclear how the new potential dates for Brexit thrashed out in Brussels might affect this.
One minister had said they and 17 of their
