Theresa May is under pressure to ditch her Brexit deal and quit as prime minister after a final attempt to win over members of Parliament backfired. But she keeps fighting, saying it’s her duty to put her new plan to another vote.
At least one pro-Brexit minister is considering quitting May’s government, as members of the Cabinet hold private meetings to plot a way to stop the prime minister’s Brexit plan, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The ministers object to May’s plan to offer Parliament votes on a second referendum and a close customs arrangement, and are weighing up what to do, the person said.
At its meeting on Wednesday, the influential 1922 committee of Conservative backbench members of Parliament will discuss whether to change the party’s rules to allow an earlier leadership challenge to May, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Current rules don’t allow Tory lawmakers to hold another vote of “confidence” in May until a year after she survived the last one in December.
May will put her new Brexit plan to a vote in the first week of June, and will continue to speak to MPs on all sides to try to get them on board.
Asked whether she would resign today, her spokesman said she was "focused on the job in hand." She’s confident she has the support of her Cabinet and is determined to deliver Brexit. Still, the government realizes it has "work to do" to get backing for the bill.
May’s argument is that MPs should vote for the bill in the first round and then it can be amended -- as with all legislation. If they don’t like the final draft they can reject it at a later stage.
She’s also saying that if MPs throw this bill out then they are opening the door to a binary choice of no-deal or no Brexit.
