UK prime minister Theresa May will argue for her new Brexit plan in Commons on Wednesday amid growing opposition from her own Conservative party after begging MPs on Tuesday for "one last chance" to deliver Brexit or risking defaulting on leaving the European Union.
But top Tories plan to ask for changes to a rule allowing a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister's leadership, with Conservative Nigel Evans urging the 1922 Committee on Wednesday to change party rules to permit an immediate no-confidence vote on Mrs. May, despite her surviving a similar vote in December and rules stating that she cannot face a second one until 12 months have passed.
To date, three incarnations of PM May's deal have been rejected in Commons, and subsequent talks with Labour have collapsed. Sir Keir Starmer, Shadow Brexit secretary, slammed the deal as being "too weak" and said it was a "repackaged version of the same old deal" made from a "weak and disintegrating government".
"We won't back a repackaged version of the same old deal — and it’s clear that this weak and disintegrating government is unable to deliver on its own commitments." — @jeremycorbyn https://t.co/SL4KXOCx2r
— Labour Press Team (@labourpress) May 21, 2019
But MPs from across the political spectrum have roasted May's Brexit plan, with Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader Nigel Dodds stating that Mrs May "will have a job" persuading unionists on the Irish backstop, and leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg stating he support Uxbridge MP Boris Johnson's contest for leadership.
.@NigelDoddsDUP responding to the Prime Minister's speech today.
— DUP (@duponline) May 21, 2019
"The PM will have a job persuading unionists that a backstop in an international binding treaty can be somehow mitigated through domestic legislation." pic.twitter.com/1Jr3Qc8EhE
Theresa May has blown it again. The only chance she had of getting new support for her deal was to tie it to a #PeoplesVote, with the option to remain. No one can rely on concessions she cannot guarantee her hardline successor will stick to. Give the public a final say.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) May 21, 2019
The PM might not have guaranteed a second EU referendum, but her promise of a vote on one puts the Scottish Tories ‘vote for us for no more referendums on anything ever’ pitch on something of a sticky wicket. Just an amusing aside.
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 21, 2019
The Prime Minister’s latest proposals are worse than before and would leave us bound deeply in to the EU. It is time to leave on WTO terms.
— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) May 21, 2019
With great reluctance I backed MV3. Now we are being asked to vote for a customs union and a second referendum. The Bill is directly against our manifesto — and I will not vote for it. We can and must do better — and deliver what the people voted for.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 21, 2019
Mrs. May introduced several concessions to her Withdrawal Agreement in her speech on Tuesday, including guarantees to allow MPs to vote on holding another referendum on Brexit and votes on customs arrangements, including a temporary customs union called a "customs compromise".
READ MORE: UK PM May's Brexit Deal Has 'Absolutely No Chance' of Being Approved – Scholar
She also added a legal obligation for the UK to "seek to conclude alternative arrangements" on the Irish backstop by 2020, and should the backstop be implemented, further guarantees for Northern Ireland to remain within the UK and same customs agreement.
Her compromises also include bills to preserve and improve workers' rights and environmental standards post-Brexit, in addition to a legal obligation to request changes on political declarations to future relations with the European Union.
