A CROSS-PARTY group of senior MPs has launched a bid to force Theresa May to stop no-deal Brexit by tabling a Bill requiring the Prime Minister to extend the negotiation process beyond April 12.
Following the failure of MPs to unite behind an alternative to May’s plan on Monday, the group, including Conservative grandee Oliver Letwin and Labour’s Yvette Cooper, aims to pass the bill through the Commons in a single day today.
Instead of initiating a third round of indicative votes today, when Parliament once more has control over the Commons timetable, Letwin will table a paving motion to allow debate and votes on Cooper’s Bill.
An amendment to his motion
would set aside April 8 for indicative votes.
The single-clause Cooper Bill requires the Prime Minister to table her own motion seeking MPs’ approval for an extension to the Article 50 process of Brexit talks to a date of her choosing.
The group behind the Bill hopes once it has passed the Commons it could be approved by the House of Lords and granted Royal Assent in time for the emergency EU summit on April 10.
Cooper said: “We are now in a really dangerous situation with a serious and growing risk of no-deal in 10 days’ time. The Prime Minister has a responsibility to prevent that happening.
“She needs to put forward a proposal, including saying how long an extension she thinks we need to sort things out.
“If the Government won’t act urgently, then Parliament has a responsibility to try to ensure that happens even though we are right up against the deadline.”
Sir Oliver added: “We realise this is difficult. But it is definitely worth trying.”
Number 10 officials are understood to have indicated that if the Prime Minister could not get her Withdrawal Agreement through on a fourth vote then she would seek a longer extension to the Brexit process “possibly until the end of
the year”.
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