A growing number of MPs are saying the only option for the UK is to stay in the European Union, ITV’s political editor Robert Peston has revealed.
With parliament split over Britain’s future and the EU unlikely to offer a better deal on Brexit the likelihood of Theresa May delivering on referendum promises look increasingly slim.
An attempt to bring down the Prime Minister sunk after Brexiteers failed to gather the 48 letters needed to trigger a vote of no-confidence in the Prime Minister.
But without the support of the members of the ERG, the DUP and with scant evidence that rebel Labour MPs will give her their backing the chances of getting parliament’s blessing on the final withdrawal bill looks slim.
And as Sophy Ridge pointed out in the Metro today, hopes that they might force the bill through using so-called TARP tactics have been dealt a blow because “the more the idea is talked about, the less likely it is that it will happen”.
That could leave just one option on the table, which is to stay in the European Union.
Last night Mr Peston said: “Growing numbers of MPs are talking to me about how now the only option is to stay in the EU and the main route to get that, they think, is through a referendum.
“The other very important thing Downing Street said to me today is that she would not be Prime Minister if there’s a referendum. If he will of Parliament is there should be another vote, she would resign.”
Robert @Peston on @itvnews tonight: Growing numbers of MPs are talking to me about how the only option is to stay in the EU … for the first time I think there is a reasonable prospect that we will end up staying in the EU.#brexit pic.twitter.com/t8kbPe3X5n
— R Freeman (@robf) November 23, 2018