Brexit latest: New meaningful vote 'on February 13' as May clashes with Boris Johnson while urging Tory MPs to back an amendment that could save her deal

MPs to vote on series of Brexit deal amendments tomorrow night Theresa May tells Tories next meaningful vote will be on Feb 13 and backs Sir Graham Brady amendment Brussels officials say concessions on PM's deal would be 'stupid' Jacob Rees-Mogg's ERG say they will not vote on any of tomorrow's amendments Follow the latest developments LIVE
Theresa May leaves Downing St on Monday on the eve of a series of key votes on the progress of her Brexit deal
PA

Theresa May backed a parliamentary move to win her more Brexit negotiating power tonight as she clashed with Boris Johnson in front of Tory MPs and told him to "support" the Government.

On the eve of the next showdown in the Commons, the Prime Minister rallied MPs behind an alternative to the controversial Irish border backstop.

She told MPs to vote for a compromise plan tabled by senior backbencher Sir Graham Brady - just minutes after hardline Brexiteers moved to kill it off.

To cheers the PM was then also said to have given the former foreign secretary "straight advice" after he heckled her on how meaningful change would manifest from the amendment.

"She basically said we won't know unless you support us Boris," Tory MP Simon Hart told reporters.

The comments come ahead of a vote in the Commons on Tuesday 
AFP/Getty Images

After the fiery clash Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis announced that Tory MPs will be whipped to support Sir Graham's amendment in a series of votes on Tuesday evening.

And Tory backbenchers Andrew Murrison and John Baron withdrew their rival amendments, which would have required the scrapping or time-limiting of the backstop, which is designed to avoid the need for a hard border in Ireland following Brexit.

But the dramatic move was far from guaranteed to deliver a majority for the plan, after it failed to win the support of the influential European Research Group of Conservative eurosceptics.

The amendment tabled by Sir Graham, the chair of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee states that Parliament would be willing to support the Withdrawal Agreement reached with the EU last November, so long as the backstop is replaced with "alternative arrangements" to avoid a hard border.

The Tory grandee said that he hoped that House of Commons backing would give Mrs May "enormous firepower" when she returns to Brussels to seek concessions on her Brexit deal.

But the chairman of the European Research Group, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said that its members, thought to number at least 60, will not support the scheme when it comes before the Commons on Tuesday.

Mrs May addressed MPs in Westminster on the eve of a day of high drama, when MPs will debate a range of rival amendments, including calls to block a no-deal departure or delay Brexit from its scheduled date of March 29.

Emerging from a meeting of the ERG just moments before the PM's arrival, Mr Rees-Mogg said the group would not support any amendment, but would decide on the day whether to abstain or vote against.

Jacob Rees-Mogg leaves the Cabinet office in London on Monday
REUTERS

MPs in the ERG were concerned that the Brady amendment did not spell out what would replace the backstop and did not specify that changes to the text of the Withdrawal Agreement were required, he said.

Mr Lewis said that the Brady amendment would "allow the Prime Minister to give a very clear message around what Parliament wants, where the party is".

He said: "I would hope the ERG, when they look at this and actually look through the detail of what this gives the PM tomorrow, (see) it is about giving a message to Europe about what can go through Parliament in terms of dealing with the backstop issue and why that matters."

Sammy Wilson of the DUP, whose 10 MPs prop up the minority Conservative administration, said the PM should "exploit the cracks which are emerging in the illogical position of the EU and the Irish".

Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis announced Tory MPs will be whipped to support Sir Graham Brady's amendment
Getty Images

Insisting the UK must hold to the date of March 29 to maintain pressure on the EU and Ireland, Mr Wilson said: "Now is the time for the Government to be tough and to face down the stubbornness of Dublin and Brussels."

There was no sign in Brussels of any appetite to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement.

A senior Brussels official blasted the idea of concessions on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal as “stupid” ahead of the votes.

European Commission vice-president Jyrki Kateinen said it would be "a stupid thing" for the EU to make concessions which would put the remaining 27 members at a disadvantage simply to secure a deal.

He added that there was “no reason to give any concessions” to the UK and there was “not much room for manoeuvre” on the backstop.

While Sabine Weyland, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier’s deputy, said that it was “quite a challenge” to see how a majority in support of a deal could be constructed in Westminster, warning there was a high risk of the UK crashing out by accident.

She told a Brussels conference that negotiation on the Withdrawal Agreement was “finished.”

Downing Street said the PM remains committed to quitting the EU on March 29 and will take her plan back to the Commons for a second "meaningful vote" as soon as possible after Tuesday's debate.

"The Prime Minister is absolutely committed to leaving the EU with a deal, but clearly if we are to obtain parliamentary support for that deal some changes are going to have to be made," the PM's spokesman said.

MPs will vote on Brexit tomorrow
PA

The comments come on the eve of a crucial set of votes in the Commons.

MPs will vote on Tuesday on a range of amendments to Mrs May's Brexit plans, including some which would block a no-deal departure and others which seek to salvage the PM's Withdrawal Agreement by changing the terms of the backstop to keep the Irish border open.

The amendments are not legally binding on the PM, but majority support for any would place immense political pressure on Mrs May as she seeks a way ahead after the crushing defeat of her plan by 230 votes earlier this month.

File photo: Lidl was among the supermarkets who penned a letter warning of the risks of leaving the EU without a deal .
AFP/Getty Images

In a joint letter, leading retailers including Sainsbury's, Asda and Waitrose warned that quitting the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement on March 29 would risk driving up food prices and cutting the range and quality of products on supermarket shelves.

“Our supply chains are closely linked to Europe — nearly one third of the food we eat in the UK comes from the EU.

"In March the situation is more acute as UK produce is out of season: 90 per cent of our lettuces, 80 per cent of our tomatoes and 70 per cent of our soft fruit is sourced from the EU at that time of year.

“As this produce is fresh and perishable, it needs to be moved quickly from farms to our stores.”

Former MI5 chief Baroness Manningham-Buller warned that a no-deal Brexit should be "avoided at all costs".

Declaring herself "queasy" at the enthusiasm of Russian President Vladimir Putin for Brexit, Lady Manningham-Buller said a range of security threats - from terrorism to Russian interference - were best dealt with "in a European context".

"If we leave without a deal we are going to be less safe," she told BBC Radio 4's World At One.

There was no announcement from Labour over whether it will officially back a cross-party amendment put forward by the party's Yvette Cooper and Conservative Nick Boles aimed at stopping a no-deal exit and delaying the date of Brexit until the end of the year.

Mr Boles said the plan has "a great deal of support among ministers and indeed Cabinet ministers" and they were pressing for a free vote.

"This is the last chance for Parliament, this is probably the only opportunity that Parliament is going to have to intervene in this process, to take control," he said.

The Federation of Small Businesses gave its backing to the Cooper amendment, which it said would "help provide the space for other ways forward to be explored".

"A stable, predictable economic and political environment is a prerequisite for small business growth and the jobs that this sustains," said FSB chair Mike Cherry.

"With small business confidence already at its lowest since 2011, a no-deal Brexit on March 29 would put this at risk."

Additional reporting by agencies.

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