Hammond tells Brexiteer MPs to think 'very hard' about rejecting May's deal again
Philip Hammond claims Leave-supporting MPs could end up sabotaging their Brexit dream if they reject the PM's deal again.
Thursday 7 March 2019 15:06, UK
Leave-supporting Conservative MPs have been warned by a senior Cabinet minister that they will most likely end up sabotaging their Brexit dream if they reject Theresa May's deal again.
Chancellor Philip Hammond told Sky News that his Brexiteer colleagues in the party should think "very hard" about how they vote.
He said that a second defeat will "almost certainly" result in a "watering down" of the version of Brexit on offer.
MPs will hold a second vote on the prime minister's EU withdrawal agreement on Tuesday - and Mrs May has promised them votes on a no-deal Brexit or a delay to leaving if the Commons once again rejects her deal.
In January, MPs overwhelmingly rejected her agreement with Brussels and - if this were to happen again - they will now get a vote on whether to support the UK leaving the EU without a divorce deal by 13 March.
If the Commons rejects a no-deal Brexit, which is likely, MPs will then get a vote on a "short, limited extension" to the Article 50 period by 14 March.
This would postpone Brexit beyond the UK's scheduled departure date of 29 March.
Mr Hammond said failing to get a deal passed would be an "unfortunate situation".
The chancellor made clear it was his expectation that MPs would vote to approve a delay to Brexit in that situation, because there is a "very large" majority in Parliament against leaving without a deal.
"The prime minister has set out a very clear path by which Parliament can endorse an extension of the Article 50 negotiating period," Mr Hammond said.
"Clearly, in that extended time, we will have to find a mechanism within Parliament to come to a consensus on a deal, but it won't be the same deal that the prime minister is offering to Parliament on Tuesday.
"I'd urge my Brexit colleagues to think very hard about that, because building a consensus across the House of Commons will almost certainly mean watering down the deal compared with what the prime minister is offering on Tuesday."
It comes after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn held Brexit talks with senior Conservatives.
Mr Corbyn said he was "more certain than ever" MPs will end up backing a deal that keeps the UK closely tied to EU rules, something that Brexiteers would be opposed to.
The Labour leader held talks with former Tory ministers Nick Boles and Sir Oliver Letwin, as well as Labour's Stephen Kinnock and Lucy Powell, about their plan to keep the UK in the single market and customs union.
Such an outcome would provoke cries of betraying the 2016 referendum result from Leave-backing MPs - and the talks about such a plan provide key context to the chancellor's warning to Brexiteers.
Meanwhile, talks are continuing with the EU on securing changes to the Irish border backstop, the stumbling block to Mrs May getting a deal through Parliament.
The backstop is an insurance policy designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.
It would come into force if a free trade deal between the UK and EU could not be reached after Brexit.
But MPs have expressed fears Britain could end up being trapped in the arrangement indefinitely and anxiety about the effect on the constitutional integrity of the UK.
Tory MPs want legally-binding assurances that the UK could not be tied indefinitely to EU rules under the arrangement.
Brussels has given Downing Street until the end of Friday to come up with new proposals to break the impasse, the BBC has reported.
EU officials have said they are ready to work through the weekend if the UK comes forward with an "acceptable" plan, the broadcaster said.
But hopes of a breakthrough appear slim, after talks between EU negotiator Michel Barnier and Attorney General Geoffrey and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay ended without agreement.
Both sides admitted the talks had been "difficult", amid reports Mr Barnier complained that Mr Cox had come with "a legal solution to a political problem".
Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Mr Cox said the talks will "almost certainly" continue through the weekend.
He also rejected suggestions ministers had failed to come up with clear proposals on a way forward.
"I am surprised to hear the comments that have emerged over the last 48 hours the proposals are not clear," he said.
"They are as clear as day and we are continuing to discuss them."
The top civil servant in the Brexit department is to retire early at the end of March, it has emerged.
Philip Rycroft became permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the EU in October 2017.