Brexit vote: Cross-party MPs unite for bid to rule out no-deal in fresh Commons showdown

Theresa May grants Tory MPs a free vote on whether to block a no-deal exit

Cross-party MPs have united behind a rebel bid to properly rule out no-deal after Theresa May’s promised vote on whether to block a disorderly exit was branded “as crooked as a corkscrew”.

Senior MPs Dame Caroline Spelman and Jack Dromey have tabled an amendment that rejects no deal under any circumstances amid concerns the government was watering down Wednesday's critical vote.

The prime minister will grant Conservatives a free vote on whether to block a no-deal exit from the EU, after the Commons overwhelmingly rejected her Brexit deal for the second time.

However MPs in different Brexit camps were riled by the wording of the motion, which opposes a no-deal rather than pursuing. It also contains a legal caveat that no-deal remains the default option if a deal cannot be agreed.

Conservative MP Dame Caroline told The Independent: “Colleagues were a bit confused by the second sentence in the government motion.

“So we simply put our amendment down as a precaution because it’s the one that carried in parliament on 29 January and what we will do in the debate is try to draw out some clarity on the second part.”

She warned that the way the motion was worded could put MPs off supporting it, which would leave a no-deal Brexit on the table.

Dame Caroline said: “We know there is a majority in parliament opposed to a no-deal Brexit without the confusion of the position in the second sentence, which just might put people off voting for it.”

Speaker John Bercow will choose which amendments to put to debate later this afternoon. It would create a fresh headache for the prime minister if selected, as it raises the prospect of a fresh defeat and possible resignations from Remain-backing ministers if they are whipped to vote it down.

It comes after a day of high drama, where MPs defeated Ms May’s Brexit deal for the second time by 149 votes, despite last-minute assurances from Brussels over the Irish backstop.

After the defeat, Ms May confirmed she would allow Tory MPs a free vote on a motion that would say parliament “declines to approve leaving the EU” without a Brexit deal on 29 March, and “notes that leaving without a deal remains the default in UK and EU law unless this house and the EU ratify an agreement”.

Home Affairs Committee chair Yvette Cooper said the motion “sounded unclear” and said amendments would be necessary “to ensure that the vote can be clear-cut and that there can be no misunderstanding or misinterpretation”.

Labour MP Owen Smith went further, adding: “The prime minister likes to pretend that she plays everything straight down the line, but tomorrow’s motion looks crooked as a corkscrew: we can vote down No Deal - but it’s still the default option if we don’t vote for hers!!

“Parliamentary sovereignty is being crushed by Brexit.”

Tory MP Tom Tughendhat said: "The Looking Glass parliament. Today’s ‘vote’ to stop a no-deal Brexit can’t stop no-deal. The ‘debate’ won’t be a debate but the same people saying the same things they’ve said for decades.

"At least with no whip, at least we’re not pretending there’s a policy."

Several other amendments have been tabled to the motion, including a fresh bid by Conservative MPs to revive the so-called Malthouse Compromise to strip the backstop from the deal.

Tabled by MPs from both Leave and Remain camps, this amendment would delay Brexit day to May 22 to prepare to leave without a deal.

It also urges the government to make a "standstill" agreement with the EU and its member states, lasting up to the end of 2021, during which the UK would pay into EU budgets and observe legal obligations while a permanent relationship is negotiated.

If MPs reject a no deal on Wednesday, as many expect, the third vote will follow on Thursday on whether to authorise Ms May to demand an extension of the two-year Article 50 process.