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BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Theresa May bowed to pressure from eurosceptics in her ruling Conservative Party by agreeing to a series of amendments to a bill setting up a new customs regime after Brexit.
Downing Street confirmed the climbdown, which accepts changes tabled by Jacob Rees-Mogg and other hardline Brexiteer MPs that appear to stymie May’s own favoured plans, ahead of a potentially-crippling parliamentary defeat on the proposed legislation late this evening.
“I’m happy to sit down and listen and hear concerns from my colleagues,” the prime minister told lawmakers.
“We did that on the EU withdrawal bill and we continue to do that on other bills,” she added, referring to a landmark law passed last month enacting key parts of Brexit.
The compromise on the latest legislation – the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill, also known as the customs bill – was immediately criticised by pro-European MPs.
Anna Soubry, a vocal proponent of keeping close ties with the EU, told parliament: “One has to wonder now who’s in charge in this country?
“These are people who do not want a responsible Brexit,” she added of the hardliners in her own party.
Rees-Mogg, leader of the powerful European Research Group of eurosceptic Conservative MPs, had earlier warned May had no choice but to change course.
“The inevitable consequence of the parliamentary arithmetic is that she will need to change it to keep the party united,” he told BBC television.
Second referendum support
The latest wrangling comes as the prime minister struggles to win acceptance for her Brexit strategy – unveiled in a much-anticipated policy paper last week – from both pro-Brexit and pro-EU factions within her party and parliament.
Brexiteer critics believe it keeps Britain too close to the EU, while pro-Europeans think it fails to protect Britain’s dominant services sector, among other gripes.
Two top pro-Brexit ministers, Boris Johnson and David Davis, quit in protest last week followed by a string of junior walkouts, including another today.
Davis, the former Brexit secretary, warned in the Financial Times it would deny the government the “freedom to run our own economy”.
Meanwhile, a pro-EU former minister described May’s plans as a “fudge” and became the most senior member of May’s Conservative party to back the idea of holding a second EU referendum.
Former education secretary Justine Greening said the plans to follow EU rules on trade in goods without being able to influence them was “the worst of both worlds”.
Noting the deep divisions in government and parliament on the way forward, she said voters must now decide.
“The only solution is to take the final Brexit decision out of the hands of deadlocked politicians, away from the backroom deals, and give it back to the people,” she wrote in an article in The Times.
May has repeatedly ruled out a second referendum, after Britons voted by 52-48 percent for Brexit in 2016, but Greening’s support for a so-called People’s Vote will give the campaign a huge boost.
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As any doorman will tell you , what part of leave do you not understand .
@Ken Hayden: the part where the UK economy crashes and burns,
Only a hard line lunatic brexiter at this stage thinks what’s happening is a good idea.
@Ken Hayden: even Ress-mogg knows brexit is crazy and risky, this is why he’s already registered an investment firm in Ireland.
If brexit is good for the UK why is he moving stuff to Ireland?
@Barry Somers: Diversity is strength , allegedly .
@Barry Somers: I can’t see that happening personally . I think the E.U has pushed too far in favour of Germany , who might be some economic power house , but probably don’t hold the same personal values the likes of you or I might hold .
The Brits voted for brexit because of immigration , not because of Straight Bananas , but they were sold a pup , their immigration damage was caused by labour under Blair .
The average Brit could live with the E.U , but they rebelled at their perceived loss of identity and sovereignty , which came about under Blair .
@Barry Somers: All we can do is watch it all unfold. Grab the popcorn.
@Ken Hayden: the country the EU has pushed furthest in favour of in these negotiations is Ireland, not Germany…
@Ken Hayden: you’re probably right about the identity crisis being a major factor. The Germans, however also carry high personal values, but civic responsibility features much more for them, and they put their country first especially if they can dominate the agenda. I see it that, the British political class didn’t have the stomach to lead any kind of anti federation pushback and threw it all to chance. After that the vacuum was filled by the Brexiteers with no other plan than getting out. They should have stayed, the groundswell across Europe was rising against the federalists.
@Ken Hayden: In reality most Brits would be happy to go back to the common market or EEC. Its the experience of being forced into a Union that annoyed them. They’ve only ever had one vote and that was joining the common market. If they had referenda on treaties as we did they would have kept control of the push to Union and being a shire in a country called Europe run by Germany. They would also have had some say on immigration and the present issues of non-integration by immigrant communities. Anyway as the country of my youth I am horrified by what it has become. I won’t ever forget or forgive what it did to my mother in her last days. However I don’t have many concerns about the economy as they function best when their backs are against the wall and that is deep rooted in their history.
@Barry Somers: The same reason why that other arch-Brexiteer John ‘Dead Wood’ Redwood was telling investors to pull their money out of the UK and invest in the EU. They’re both opportunistic bullshit merchants without any sense of shame. Coincidentally they even look somewhat similar.
@Greg Blake: I agree they should have stayed , but the E.U (meaning Germany and France) should have given them some leeway , and they didn’t .
So all the talk about hard or soft borders , trade deals or not , mean nothing .
Britain will leave , they sowed their own misfortune in regards to immigration under Blair , the shiny Labour leader who couldn’t wait to invade Iraq .
@Ken Hayden: the NHS was a bigger issue for voters “Dominic Cummings was campaign director for Vote Leave, and he’s just admitted we wouldn’t have voted for Brexit if it weren’t for the promise of NHS funding…..Even with UKIP voters it was level pegging with immigration” It’s shameful that the agenda of the Tory Brexiteers who campaigned on the NHS issue are actually in favour of privatisation and Theresa May has refused to rule out NHS contracts from US trade deals post-Brexit.
@EillieEs: Just as well , whats his face , got back from America .
Considering he worked for the last 3 years in America , and obviously never had a health check .
Until the moment he stepped on a plane back home , ”health tourist”
I dont think there will be a deal. I think the UK may crash out of the EU without one and then we get 40% WTO tariffs.
@Pragmatist2018: then the backstop agreement will come into play. Otherwise the Good Friday agreement collapses and God only knows what will happen then.
@offtheball: May has agreed to an amendment that throws out the backstop.
@Mick Jordan: if these 4 ammendments pass tonight then the backstop is void. They cannot enter into it. Hard Brexit in March is a reality.
@offtheball: It’s 20 years on , most of us are more mature .
There will be no discrimination against the catholic/nationalist population .
If and when the North joins the Republic , Britain won’t stop it .
The people of Britain have spoken.
They don’t want any hand, act or part of the corrupt dictatorial bureaucratic monolith that is the EU. Why can’t pro European MPs just accept that they are on the wrong side of history now, respect the democratic wishes of the people, build a bloody bridge and get over themselves?
Thanks Theresa, you and the Tories have done the ordinary citizens of Europe a huge favour. We are eternally indebted to you.
Let it be done.
God save the Queen.
ps
Come back any time Meghan.
@Jimmy Coltrane: deluded!
@Jimmy Coltrane: no fuuchaa noo fuuuchaa 4 u
@Jimmy Coltrane: Jimmy the queen is a remainer , part of the european establishment. So f$#k her.
@Jimmy Coltrane: can’t wait to see the poor brits who voted for Brexit clean up their own shit for their Toff masters
@Jimmy Coltrane: Spot on Jimmy, it’s still a democracy, and not being one was/is part of the reason for leaving the EU by a democratic vote. It may even give all politicians there a wake up call. To think the UK population will simply fall into everlasting economic failure betrays the spirit and character of the country at large. The UK has suffered worse turmoil than this and always, always comes through stronger.
@Martin Brennan: You might have to wait on that one .
When America was beating and shooting union members , and Nazi Germany was on the rise , British citizens were marching for their rights .
I don’t agree with the brexiteers, I think Theresa may is doing a good job. However I think it is healthy that these schism are out in the open and not hidden. In the Irish government there are many tds not in favour of Leo varadkers liberal policies, yet we never hear from them, that is not very healthy. I think Irish tds are not allow to take contrary positions and are bullied into towing the party line
@john bennett: No they are just cowards.
@john bennett: in fairness, on most issues Leo would take an anti-liberal stance. I still remember before he became a government minister the provocative right wing Leo on Morning Ireland now and again come and troll humanitarian and environmentalists with his right wing agendas
Theresa may another lefty bluffer that don’t know how to do her job
@Tod Curtis: yes that staunch leftist leading the Tories. Love to have some of whatever you’re on
@Bobbybrownshoes: in fairness I take your point, but there is no right wing party in UK politics anymore. The Conservative party largely sit in the centre with policies that would have been regarded as left leaning 30 years ago. It is very much the same here, with all the parties be largely centrist. The main difference between the UK and Ireland politically now is the division in the UK over the EU, whereas there is little or no division here.
@Tod Curtis: wow! WOW! Hilarious… yes she’s a lefty snowflake?!?!?!!?!… Tod stop your nonsense.
As me Ma would get a grip.
@Paul Fahey: your smoking too much wacky tobacco with all that nonsense Paul, the Tories are extremely right wing with there policies on privatisation of everything and anything and now the NHS, they are ruthless with austerity and how they have sunk working class communities right across the UK, they are a party of the rich for the rich and only to serve the rich at the expense of the many.
@Paul Fahey: __ You’ve got the delusion bad. The Tories are more right wing now than they’ve been since I reached voting age in the UK many decades ago. In the same way that the hard left have taken over the Labour Party, the hard right have taken over the Tory Party.
@Paul Fahey: I’m going against everyone and agreeing with you on this. They are not right wing at all – anyone who actually lives there would tell you. Look at all of the mass migration under the Tories. The UK is known as the most progressive nation in Europe. They’re becoming worryingly authoritarian though on issues like freedom of expression and freedom of speech.
The only right-leaning party is UKIP
@Herbert: mass migration + more people fighting for fewer jobs+ lower wages for working people= big fat profits for corporations and bankers and politicians
@Paul Fahey LMAO what on Earth were you basing that assertion? The works of Ayn Rand?
@Paul Fahey: I think it’s the complete opposite. There is no left wing party in the UK. The Labour party, I believe are Capitalist and socially liberal and like Fine Gael they offer everything that costs nothing (Gay rights, abortion etc..) but offer no real social programs or increases in current programs. There are only the few “Holy Grails” of social programs left and they can’t get rid of them without a serious backlash so they bide their time.
@Tom Ryan: That’s spot on, the brainwashing is pretty overwhelming these days when people can be led to believe that neo-fascists like the present day Tory party are anything but extreme right wing.
@Tod Curtis: how in Gods name could you call her a lefty?
@Ted Murray: You truly believe more right wing now, you never heard of Margaret Thatcher. In which policy implementation do you think they’ve gone right wing ?
The EU has gone too far in gazumping its member states’ power to domestically legislate. IMO, the EC should be all about a Free Trade zone and not about a comprehensive EU Zone Government. (This is basically the reason for Brexit)
For example, I wrote to the Taoiseach regarding the inequity of an Irish citizen being denied car insurance because she had an Australian Driving Licence and after 6
months of passing the buck from one department to another, I was informed that
the relevant Minister could not do anything about this blatant inequity due to EU regulations.
A simple thing like a citizen’s eligibility for car insurance and, consequently, her ability to drive her car in Ireland should not be regulated by the EC, IMO.
It seems silly for a Bulgarian or a Rumanian who has driven on the right side of the road, can’t speak English let alone Irish to be eligible for Irish car Insurance when an Irish citizen , born, educated and lived in Ireland
for 21 years (but now living in Australia) and who has driven on the left side of the road all her life is denied Irish Car Insurance and thereby prevented from driving her own car while visiting Ireland.
What has Ireland come to?
Do we need to be refugees to get a fair go?
@Moorooka Mick: Let alone Irish? Does speaking Irish make you a better driver somehow? I am pretty sure the only reason an Australian has to re-do the driving license is because of the government covering themselves in case you end up killing someone on the road.
Rees Mogg is a typical loud mouth weasel if a war broke I guarantee he would not be in the front line.
@K P: He’s 48 , he’d probably be in intelligence or a staff roll .
@Ken Hayden: Nope – he’d be too busy handing over the keys, grassing up his colleagues and selling his own grandmother. The man is an oily, lying, hypocritical shit without a shred of integrity.
@K P: he’d be a Quisling
@K P: Would be nice to see a Catholic become Prime Minister and help bury our sectarian past.
@Austin Rock: I have to be honest , I don’t pay much attention to English politicians .
But I’ve seen some of your comments , and think I could trust your judgement .
Why is he a quisling ?
A Tory government that is annihilating itself.
@ted hagan: pretty much what i was gonna say. They’re imploding, and with them goes their beloved “UK”. Not before time either.
In fairness to Mrs May she’s nothing if not resilient. Can anyone imagine how tough a job she’s had since Cameron did his disappearing act. I’m not for a moment saying that I think she’s any good at it but how she stays going at all is beyond me.
@Joe L:
Right on here joe.
This lady is not for quitting.
They need vote again … Got first wrong as we did twice.. Europen way..
@Willy Malone: It’s not the European way, because the EU has accepted their decision to leave. If they decided to re-run the referendum, it would be solely because of British interests and nobody else.
But at this point, I’m not sure if they even can because they have already triggered article 50.
@Willy Malone: they’d be voting on a different issue, they’d be voting on what the government is proposing versus not jumping off the cliff.
Ireland voted twice on nice, but the votes certainly were not on the exact same issue, rules and concessions on two occasions.
The shifting sands of No 10 – how in the name of any God and none could anyone possibly deal with the British Govt
@Austin Rock: Exactly
@Austin Rock: you only copping on now dude?
The UK Conservatives should split in two, and be done.
The anti-EU (we hate them), and the not-so-anti-EU (we dislike the them).
Now that the harsh reality of what Brexit actually means is becoming more and more apparent to the British people, maybe a 2nd referendum is the only solution now that all the fairtlytales told be Farage& Johnson have been proved to be utter lies and their self centred agendas well and truly exposed…the people can vote in a far more informed manner
Brexit has down two things, firstly it has created a sense that many English have become more racist and secondly it has shown how arrogant the Tories really are…
Let the Brits go stop trying to appease the jolly auld empire brigade. Look forward to seeing the poor old illerate brits clean up their own shit instead of getting the dangerous foreigners to do it. Who will clean Boris’s nickers. The british toffs and their anti immigrant mob are arrogant and nasty people.
Looking forward to hard brexit
@Martin Brennan: You seem a tad bit xenophobic there yourself with that comment. If your analysis of the British is anything to go by, and by chance it’s representative of your EU, don’t think the British will miss you.
@Martin Brennan:
It is best to consider and debate the consequences for Ireland of a Hard Brexit vs a Soft Brexit rather than shooting from the hip. Ireland is taking some minor steps to diversify trade so that its dependancy on the OK is minimised and with it the negative impact of a Hard Brexit.
For example Kerry Gold butter has appeared on supermarket shelves down here in Aus in the past 4 months and even though it’s priced at $4 versus $2.50 for local generic brands, it seems to be being bought by the Irish here for sentimental reasons rather than value for money.
Perhaps before advocating a Hard Brexit we should first consider its impact on the Irish
Economy and on the working class’ standard of living. After all self interest is the basis
of Western Economics.
@Moorooka Mick: about time a self confident nation stood up on its own feet and cut the apron strings attached to the brits
@Moorooka Mick: Kerrygold also on sale in South Africa. Went from around 48 rand to 67 rand over a few months. Penalizing us poor expats!!!!!! Oh the pain. Butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths!!!
Why do brexiteers blame the EU for all their ills. The UK government makes the rules for Britain and it is they who have the country the way it is. When the UK leaves who will the Torys blame?
Ah well it’s a comfort to know jrm can’t become pm.
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