Theresa May admits she has failed to secure legally-binding time limit on backstop from EU, just a day before pivotal vote in parliament
Follow live updates on the eve of the meaningful vote
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May made a last-ditch attempt to convince MPs to back her Brexit deal, as she warned that parliament could block Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow's "meaningful vote" on her proposed agreement, the prime minister admitted she had failed to secure a legally-binding time limit on the controversial Northern Ireland backstop.
But she insisted her plan was the only way to avoid a no-deal Brexit and guarantee that Britain exits the EU as planned.
Delivering a speech at a factory in Stoke, Ms May claimed some in Westminster would use “every device available to them” to “delay or even stop Brexit”.
She hailed letters of clarification on the backstop that were published by EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk on the eve of the vote, but admitted she "did not achieve" a time limit on the controversial backstop.
“What if we found ourselves in a situation where parliament tried to take the UK out of the EU in opposition to a Remain vote?” she said.
“People’s faith in the democratic process and their politicians would suffer catastrophic harm.”
As it happened...
↵Breaking... Here they are. After weeks of pleas from the British government, the EU has issued two letters "clarifying" its position on the Northern Ireland backstop.
The letters, from European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk, both state that the EU wants the backstop to be temporary. But with no legal-binding guarantees and no clear time limit on the mechanism, they are highly unlikely to convince many Brexiteers to drop their opposition to Ms May's deal.
Theresa May is now speaking in Stoke.
She says:
"In June 2016, the British people were asked by MPs to take a decision: should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or should it leave?
“In that campaign, both sides disagreed on many things, but on one thing they were united: what the British people decided, the politicians would implement.
“In the run-up to the vote, the Government sent a leaflet to every household making the case for remain. It stated very clearly: ‘This is your decision. The Government will implement what you decide.’
“Those were the terms on which people cast their votes. If a majority had backed remain, the UK would have continued as an EU member state.
“No doubt the disagreements would have continued too, but the vast majority of people would have had no truck with an argument that we should leave the EU in spite of a vote to remain or that we should return to the question in another referendum."
Theresa May says there are clearly different views on the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.
She says her own view is that "while we could ultimately make a success of no deal, it would cause significant disruption in the short-term".
She again tells MPs that the only way to avoid no deal is to vote for her proposed agreement.
Theresa May says failure to deliver Brexit would cause "catastrophic harm", adding: "We've never had a referendum in this country where we have no honoured the result".
She does, however, change the line about the Welsh devolution referendum after it emerged that the original line, released by No 10 as a preview, was false (see earlier post).
Instead of claiming the result of that referendum was "accepted by both sides" (it wasn't - the Tories opposed it), she says it was "accepted by Parliament".
Talking about this morning's letters from Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, Theresa May admits she "did not achieve" a legally-binding guarantee on the backstop, and that the EU was clear it would not re-open negotiations on the withdrawal agreement, but says she has secured "valuable new clarifications and assurances", including a clear statement that the future UK-EU relationship does not have to be based on the terms of the backstop.
Theresa May is now onto questions.
BBC News ask if she genuinely believes she can win tomorrow's vote. The prime minister says she is speaking to colleagues and will continue to do so today and tomorrow. Some MPs have changed their view and are now saying they will back the deal, she says, but refuses to say the thinks she can win.
ITV News asks why Parliament shouldn't seize control of Brexit. May says what is important is delivering on the result of the referendum. She is concerned about "the real prospect that we could see people in Parliament trying to operate in a way that frustrates Brexit".
Theresa May is asked, by the Daily Mail, about the prospect of staying in a customs union with the EU. She again rules this out, saying it would stop the UK making trade deals with countries around the world.
Sky News asks the prime minister if she is confident she can get her deal through Parliament tomorrow. She says she is working on this, but again refuses to say that she thinks she will succeed.
Responding to the publication of letters from Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer says:
“The prime minister has once again failed to deliver.
“This is a long way from the significant and legally effective commitment the prime minister promised last month. It is a reiteration of the EU’s existing position. Once again, nothing has changed.”
Full story: EU 'reassures' Theresa May on Brexit deal but says it cannot be changed
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments