Tory MPs prepare for snap autumn election over Brexit deadlock
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...lock-3ppzg9l3r
Tory MPs prepare for a snap autumn election over Brexit deadlock
Tory and Labour insiders believe the country may be facing an autumn General Election
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Times
Conservative MPs are preparing for another snap general election as they fear the Brexit deadlock will become insurmountable for the prime minister.
Some have spoken to their local party associations asking to be readopted as prospective parliamentary candidates in readiness for an autumn election.
The back-bench MPs acted after meeting Theresa May last week for a private Brexit briefing as she tried to stop a row over Britain’s future customs relationship with the European Union tearing the party apart.
But far from being reassured by meeting the prime minister, they left Downing Street convinced that another election could be around the corner.
One Tory Brexiteer said he could not see how the government could “square the circle” and come up with a solution on Britain’s future trading relationship with the EU that would appease both sides of the warring party.
“It’s becoming clear there’s no compromise that will keep remainers such as Nicky Morgan, Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve happy as well as the likes of myself and Jacob Rees-Mogg,” the MP said.
“The numbers are against us and if we face repeated defeats when the withdrawal bill returns to the Commons, the only alternative will be to kick over the table and trigger a vote of no confidence in the prime minister, which will likely lead to another general election.
“After speaking with like-minded colleagues, I have raised this with my association chairman and asked them to get on with readopting me as the candidate in my seat in anticipation that we could go to the polls as early as the autumn. I am even preparing my first leaflet drop for the summer.”
Labour MPs are also discussing the prospect of an October poll. A Labour Party insider said: “I heard two separate reports from MPs who said they had heard Conservative MPs planning for an early election.”
The revelation will heap further pressure on May, who is facing a backlash over her plans to keep the whole of the UK tied to a customs union with the EU after 2021, or until an alternative to a hard border in Ireland can be found.
Eurosceptics fear the proposal could lead to Britain being tied to the customs union indefinitely.
Rees-Mogg, the leader of a 60-strong group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs, has condemned the idea as “perpetual purgatory”. Andrew Bridgen, another member of the European Research Group, said: “If the plan is staying tied to a customs union until we find something better, the EU will never offer us anything better and we will never get out.”
Yes, if the hardcore group of continuity remainers in the Tory Party refuse to back down and honour the manifesto that the government was elected on and that they were elected on then they must have the whip withdrawn (thrown out of the party), the PM is replaced and we head for a General Election to secure a majority.
Of course, the big risk here is if no majority is secured and we end up with a nightmare scenario of the Conservatives and Labour around 280 seats each - with neither able to form a majority even with a Coalition with say the Liberal Democrats or DUP. In that scenario, you'd be looking at another General Election a few months later...
Apparently Tory MPs believe, from the Local Elections across England a few weeks ago, that with a good campaign this time they would be able to secure a parliamentary majority. The results have perked MPs up in that they believe Corbyn's Labour is defeatable.
But still, another one. If this happens, it will be the 3rd general election in 4 years.
Thoughts?
