‘Support us Boris!’: Theresa May clashes with Johnson in fiery scenes as she tells him and Tory MPs to back amendment that could save her deal
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Theresa May tonight clashed with Boris Johnson as she ordered him and other Tory MPs to back an amendment that could save her Brexit deal.
The Prime Minister called her MPs together to tell them to vote for the Brady amendment tomorrow, which she hopes would force concessions from Brussels over the backstop.
In fiery scenes, Boris suggested it was unclear what she was trying to achieve and said ‘But what do you want Prime Minister?’
To cheers from loyalist MPs, May reportedly responded ‘We won’t know unless you support us Boris’ and ‘I am happy to battle away Boris – get behind me and we’ll do it together.’
It came just minutes after Jacob Rees-Mogg had ordered his European Research Group to kill off the amendment unless the PM gives an explicit promise to renegotiate the deal.
It is unclear if the entire ERG will fall into line behind Mogg and the group will meet again tomorrow to confirm its tactics. The DUP will also meet tomorrow morning to decide if its ten MPs will back the amendment.
After the clash, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis told reporters: ‘Boris asked a question and got a very clear answer from the PM.’
The May-backed plan has been produced by MP Sir Graham Brady and its aim is to force the EU to renegotiate the Irish border backstop. It looks unlikely to gain a majority, however strong support would boost the PM’s hand in future EU negotiations.
