The DUP crushes May’s hopes hours after her leadership sacrifice for Brexit: Allies won’t back PM’s deal despite offer to stand down by May 22nd IF Tories support her. . . and Boris couldn’t wait to take her up on it!
Theresa May
The DUP crushed Theresa May’s hopes of saving her Brexit deal tonight as they rejected her offer to resign in return for rebel votes.
DUP leader Arlene Foster said her party still could not support the deal because it ‘poses a threat to the integrity of the UK’. A party statement said ‘we will not be supporting the Government if they table a fresh meaningful vote’ – with Westminster leader Nigel Dodds vowing to vote No.
The hammer blow came hours after Mrs May sensationally promised to quit Downing Street in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over.
Mrs May rolled the dice in a final desperate effort to try and get the Brexit deal across the line. She needed all of the DUP, most Tory rebels and some Labour MPs to have any chance – and looks doomed to fail on all three counts.
To win on her deal, Mrs May must find 75 more votes. Without the DUP, she needs every one of the 75 Tory rebels from the second vote on March 12 to return or make up the difference with Labour rebels. At least 50 Tory MPs are thought likely to stay away.
Amid the drama at the top of Government, MPs rejected eight different Brexit plans in the Commons as an indicative vote on plans ranging from No Deal to a Second Referendum to Cancelling Brexit all failed.
The PM’s promised resignation was tied to the successful passage of the deal at the third attempt this week. No 10 sources said the Prime Minister would resign once Britain was outside the EU – due to be May 22 if the deal gets agreed by MPs later this week. She had previously only said she would go before the 2022 election.
It is deeply unclear what Mrs May will do if her deal fails again and No 10 sources said it would be a ‘whole different ball game’. ERG sources earlier told MailOnline the deal would ‘100 per cent’ still fail.
Mrs May could attempt to cling on and navigate Britain through a No Deal – or could leave much earlier because Brexit appears set to be delayed for months or even years.
Whenever she finally goes, tonight’s announcement publicly fires the starting gun on a Tory leadership race that is already being furiously fought behind the scenes.
Boris Johnson – a leading contender to replace her – immediately switched to back the deal if there is a third vote.
Since her deal was crushed a second time on March 12, Brexiteer rebels have insisted she must be gone before UK-EU trade negotiations begin if they will ever consider backing the deal.
And a packed meeting of the 1922 Committee tonight Mrs May finally gave in: ‘I know some people are worried that if you vote for the Withdrawal Agreement, I will take that as a mandate to rush on into phase two without the debate we need to have. I won’t – I hear what you are saying.
‘But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit.’
She added: ‘I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party.
‘I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can complete our historic duty – to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.’
The Prime Minister set no date for her departure and No 10 sources said she would see through legislation to implement her deal, if it passes.
The trade talks phase of Brexit is expected to begin in the autumn – suggesting the she plans to be gone before the Conservative Party conference in late September at the latest.
Mrs May’s voice ‘cracked’ during her speech, MP Pauline Latham told reporters outside the meeting.
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Theresa May (pictured returning to Parliament tonight) sensationally promised to quit Downing Street in return for Tory Brexiteer rebels passing her deal tonight as she admitted her time as Prime Minister was almost over
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Mrs May made her final gamble to try and get the Brexit deal across the line by promising to leave No 10 if Tory Brexiteer rebels finally back down
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In a huge blow for the Prime Minister, DUP leader Arlene Foster (pictured tonight on Sky News) said her party still could not support the deal because it ‘poses a threat to the integrity of the UK’
