Plot to take control of Brexit revealed: Remainer rebel Dominic Grieve unveils amendment to give MPs power
Plans to stop a No Deal Brexit by introducing a new amendment that would allow parliament to take control of the process have been revealed.
Tory Dominic Grieve is working with a group of MPs, including Remain-supporting Labour rebels, to try and block a No Deal result.
Under his amendment, a motion to stop No Deal could be put to Parliament if it is backed by 300 MPs. Legislation to stop No Deal by extending or revoking Article 50 would then be subject to a vote and would be likely to pass because a majority of MPs are against leaving the EU without a deal, according to Buzzfeed.
Traditionally only the government can propose legislation that changes UK policy and the move by Remain rebels is a challenge to the unwritten constitution on the UK.
Theresa May is due to address Parliament on Monday about Brexit ‘Plan B’ after her plan for leaving the European Union suffered a crushing defeat. A week of debate will then follow before MPs vote on their preferred Brexit option on Tuesday 29 March.
However this vote will have no binding power on May – and the plan by Grieve and his fellow Remainer backbenchers, from a range of parties, would be able to grab power from Theresa May’s government and allow bills to be considered.
It is thought that the group of MPs will meet on Monday to discuss the plan again.
A senior parliamentary source told Buzzfeed the MPs plan was an attempt to change the referendum result.
They said: ‘This is another example of centuries of procedure being overturned to suit an agenda that denies the referendum result.’
Last weekend, before the Brexit debate, it was revealed that the authority for drawing up a new negotiating plan could pass to a panel of backbenchers if Mrs May lost the vote.
The liaison committee, which is dominated by Remainers by a margin of 27 to nine, would be charged with coming up with a proposal supported by MPs.
The dramatic move would mean tearing up the Commons rule book – giving backbench MPs the power to propose legislation instead of the Government.
