A crunch Brexit vote scheduled to take place in the Commons today may be off, but debate between MPs shows no sign of slowing down.
Tory Remainer Anna Soubry went head-to-head with Labour’s shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon on Monday, in the wake of the prime minister’s humiliating U-turn, which saw her delay giving parliamentarians a final say on her draft agreement with the EU.
Burgon attacked Theresa May on BBC Newsnight, accusing her of “holding or attempting to hold the country to ransom because at the same time she is saying to Leavers it’s either my rotten deal or Remain, she is also saying to Remainers it is my rotten deal or a catastrophic no-deal Brexit.
“So actually we are the only party that represents both Leave and Remain.”
Ardent Remainer Soubry, a supporter of a second referendum, scoffed at the attack, branding the opposition a “complete joke” and an “absolute disgrace.”
She said: “Why haven’t they talked about any move, by way of example to have a vote of no confidence, that’s one of the first things you’d expect from the leader of the opposition. I say bring it on, I’ll be supporting the government.”
The heated exchanged continued, with Burgon firing back: “We will be able to receive a motion of no confidence, after Theresa May, which I anticipate will be sooner rather than later, has lost a vote in parliament on her rotten deal.”
Jeremy Corbyn is facing demands from over 50 Labour MPs and peers to immediately table a vote of no confidence in May’s government and then push for a second referendum.
A Labour spokesperson said the party would table a motion of no confidence in the government “when we judge it most likely to be successful”.
Soubry later said she “genuinely, honestly do not know how we are going to get out of this unholy, appalling, embarrassing mess, other than a People’s Vote”.
It comes as an emergency debate is scheduled in the Commons for Tuesday, after May took the decision to pull a meaningful vote by MPs on her withdrawal agreement with the EU.
The PM admitted she faced a “significant” defeat on her Brexit agenda if it were to go ahead as planned.
She is now heading for emergency Brexit talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, followed by a meeting with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in The Hague.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said it would be difficult to get the Brexit deal through Parliament without reassurances the UK would not be “trapped” in backstop measures ensuring no return to hard border in Ireland.
The backstop would see the UK obey EU customs rules after a transition period if a wider trade deal has not been agreed with the EU by then.