Cabinet sources have told the BBC the Brexit deal vote planned for tomorrow has been pulled just hours after ministers confirmed it was “definitely on”.
Earlier this morning Michael Gove insisted Tuesday’s crunch Commons vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal will take place as the prime minister made a final push for MPs’ support.
But last minute revelations seem to have scuppered the Prime Minister’s plans.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg has said two cabinet sources have told her the vote is being pulled.
May is now expected to address Parliament this afternoon, likely to be at around 15:30.
Her statement is due to be followed by a statement from the Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, who would have to formally get the vote pulled.
Alastair Reid, of the Press Association, said: “Sounds an awful lot like May has been shafted by someone on the cabinet conference call” shortly after the reports emerged. The Metro’s Joel Taylor added that pulling the vote will be “humiliating for Theresa May”, especially as her spokespeople were insisting the vote would still go ahead.
In a damning statement on his Facebook page ITV political editor Robert Peston said:
“The prime minister had one job, after she took the greatest office in the land in July 2016 – which was to negotiate an orderly sensible Brexit.
“Today she will admit she has failed. Because rather than risk seeing an overwhelming majority of MPs vote down the Brexit plan she has meticulously and painstakingly agreed with the EU, she will today tell MPs she is pulling the vote.
“Two questions follow.
“What on earth can she say at 3.30pm today to persuade MPs and the nation that she has a strategy for a better Brexit outcome?
“And will MPs actually let her pull that vote? MPs of ALL parties – including her own – are queuing up to tell me this morning that they will not give up their democratic right to formally vote down her deal without a fight.
“They think they may have the opportunity to reject the motion the government will lay shelving the vote.
“If they succeed in voting down her attempt to bury a bad vote, surely in the process they will in effect be terminating her time as PM.”
More to follow.
