Theresa May will summon EU27 ambassadors to No 10 this week as she continues to seek reassurances over the Irish backstop, with Downing Street vehemently denying drawing up contingency plans for a second referendum.
The education secretary, Damian Hinds, said on Sunday: “Government policy couldn’t be clearer. We are here to act on the will of the people clearly expressed in the referendum.”
He added: “A second referendum would be divisive. We had the people’s vote, we had the referendum, and now we’ve got to get on with implementing it. Any idea that having a second referendum now would break through an impasse is wrong. It might postpone the impasse, but then it would extend it.”
May – Blair
Theresa May has attacked one of her predecessors – accusing Tony Blair of “undermining” the Brexit talks by calling for another referendum. In London last week, Mr Blair said MPs might back a new vote if “none of the other options work”. In response to Mrs May, he insisted that a new referendum was democratic.
The spat came as two of the prime minister’s closest aides were forced to deny claims they were planning for a fresh Brexit poll.
Labour has also vowed to do all it could to try and force a Commons vote this week on the PM’s withdrawal agreement, which would almost certainly be defeated.
Responding to Mrs May’s criticism, Mr Blair said: “To describe such a course as an insult is a strange description of what would be the opportunity for them to instruct Parliament as to how to proceed.
“Far from being anti-democratic, it would be the opposite – as indeed many senior figures in her party from past and present have been saying.
“What is irresponsible however is to try to steamroller MPs into accepting a deal they genuinely think is a bad one with the threat that if they do not fall into line, the government will have the country crash out without a deal.”
Labour Divisions A row has erupted among Jeremy Corbyn’s top team over when the party should push for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May’s government, The Independent has learnt.
The dispute has seen key figures in the shadow cabinet demanding that the party strike sooner rather than later in order to remove the prime minister from office after she was weakened by an attempt by Tory MPs to oust her.
Jeremy Hunt has fuelled speculation of a budding leadership bid after admitting he would like to be prime minister.
The foreign secretary, who is seen as a frontrunner to succeed Theresa May, said he would like to “have a crack at the top job”.
International development secretary Penny Mordaunt, who is likely to throw her hat in the ring, will also be seen to make a leadership pitch this week when she lays out proposals for a managed no-deal Brexit.
Jostling among senior ministers has increased after Ms May, seeking to save her job in the hours before last week’s vote of no confidence in her, said she would step down before the 2022 general election.
Bookmakers have shortened the odds on a second referendum taking place, with one leading betting firm finding a people’s vote is now the most likely Brexit scenario.
Today’s roundup is based on story’s appearing on The Guardian, BBC, Sky, Independent and The Telegraph
