Brexit: Theresa May to head off Tory rebels demanding vote to stop UK leaving EU with no deal

The Commons will be given ‘more detail’ tomorrow about the status and timing of the vote on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, the Prime Minister says

Until now, the Prime Minister has refused to say exactly when the vote will be held (AFP/Getty)

Theresa May has hinted she will move to head off a revolt by Conservative MPs who are demanding the right to stop Britain crashing out of the EU without a fresh trade deal.

The Commons will be given “more detail” tomorrow about the status and timing of a vote on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, the Prime Minister said.

Until now, the Government has refused to say exactly when the vote will be held – or to guarantee a vote if Ms May is unable to reach any agreement with the remaining EU states.

Instead, she has threatened to withdraw with “no deal” at all, if necessary, which would force businesses to trade on punishing World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariffs and risk an economic slump.

Some Tory MPs have threatened to side with the Opposition parties by backing a proposed amendment to the Article 50 Bill to guarantee a “meaningful” vote on the outcome of the negotiations.

The Independent revealed last week that Neil Carmichael, the Education Select Committee chairman, is set to rebel, with others expected to follow.

In the Commons, Ms May was asked to “confirm that Parliament must give its consent in advance to whatever the new proposed relationship will be – deal or no deal”.

In reply, she said: “I have been very clear that Parliament will have a vote on the deal.

“This is a matter that is going to be discussed in some detail tomorrow and the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union will be able to set out in more detail, than in response to a single question, what the situation will be.”

Although the Prime Minister did not reveal what – if any – concessions will be made, her comments were in sharp contrast to her earlier refusals to engage with MPs about the issue.

Earlier, Nicky Morgan, the former Education Secretary, urged her to give MPs a decisive role “even if it appears no deal is likely to be agreed”.

“What if there is no deal? What if there is no agreement to put to either the British or the European parliaments for approval?” Ms Morgan wrote in an article for The Times.

“The absence of a final deal does not mean the absence of a relationship with the EU. Parliament is asking for a say on that relationship.”

However, the Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman risked fanning the flames of the revolt, by insisting Ms May had the authority to leave the EU with no deal, if necessary.

Asked if she had a “mandate for WTO tariffs”, she said: “There was a decision put to the British people, ‘do you want to stay in the EU or do you want to leave’.

“And it came back very clearly that people wanted to leave the EU – so, yes, the PM has a mandate to deliver on the decision of the British people.”

Delivering a statement on last week’s Malta summit, the Prime Minister also warned Tory rebels against “obstructing” the will of the people by voting with Labour and the SNP to change the Bill.

She said: “The message is clear to all – this House has spoken and now is not the time to obstruct the democratically expressed wishes of the British people.

“It is time to get on with leaving the European Union and building an independent, self-governing, global Britain.”