Red lines harden over second Brexit referendum
Tories and Labour split over People’s Vote as Theresa May urged to ditch cross-party talks
Labour and Conservative positions on a possible second EU referendum to break the Brexit impasse appear to be hardening, with MPs on both sides calling on their leaders to break off cross-party talks after more than seven weeks of negotiations.
“Both Labour and government sources have suggested the two sides will need to take stock on the likely progress of the talks this week, and the effectiveness of continuing discussions is likely to be discussed at cabinet on Tuesday morning,” says The Guardian.
The prime minister “is under pressure from cabinet ministers to scrap formal Brexit talks with Labour,” The Times reports, “and launch a final attempt to secure a compromise in parliament” through a series of indicative votes by MPs after the European elections.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
May is due to meet the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs on Thursday, and has been told that she must set a timetable for her departure if she cannot get a Brexit deal passed by parliament.
“The committee is still split, however, on when and if to change the rules to allow another no-confidence vote if May fails to set a firm date” writes Oliver Wright in the Times, adding “some favour an early challenge, before the European elections, in an attempt to show voters that the party is listening to their concerns”.
Following comments by Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary it appears the issue of a second referendum could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
In an interview with The Guardian, Sir Keir Starmer said a cross-party deal would be unlikely to pass without a referendum as part of the package, with up to 150 Labour MPs prepared to vote against an agreement without one.
Yet Downing Street responded by saying the prime minister remains opposed to any form of referendum being attached to a Brexit deal.
Yesterday, two cabinet ministers further ramped up pressure on May by making clear their opposition to a fresh poll. Housing Secretary James Brokenshire, said a confirmatory referendum would be “taking us in a different direction”, while Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, said another plebiscite on Brexit would be a “betrayal of what people voted for” in 2016.
The DUP leader, Arlene Foster, whose party is in a confidence-and-supply agreement with the government, said a confirmatory Brexit referendum would place democracy at risk.
While both Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May remain opposed to a second vote - at least for now - experts at King’s College London have suggested the results at next week’s European elections may provide some useful intelligence about how a second EU referendum would go.
Professor Anand Menon and Dr Alan Wager, who are part of the UK in a Changing Europe project, believe that the turnout figures could reveal how people would vote.
They point out that relative turnout was key in the 2016 referendum, and the levels of enthusiasm in different parts of the country during the European elections might suggest a shift in mood.
Both leaders of Britain’s main parties would like to see the back of Brexit, “but the prime minister doesn't want to put a huge compromise on the table, she doesn't want another referendum. Jeremy Corbyn doesn't want to help out the government unless he can get genuine changes,” says BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg.
“If neither of them feel they can really budge, well, the talks are not going to be able to succeed, and the government will then have to try to move on to votes in Parliament, the next part of the process,” she writes.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why au pairs might become a thing of the past
Under The Radar Brexit and wage ruling are threatening the 'mutually beneficial arrangement'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'A direct, protracted war with Israel is not something Iran is equipped to fight'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 17, 2024
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - political anxiety, jury sorting hat, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Farewell to Theresa May: a PM consumed by Brexit
Talking Point Maidenhead MP standing down at next general election
By The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Stormont power-sharing in sight: 'good news' for Northern Ireland?
Talking Point Unionists vote to end two-year boycott after agreeing legislative package to address post-Brexit trading arrangements
By The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published