LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May will face the anger of Brexit supporters in her party on Monday when they try to force her to change course on her strategy for leaving the European Union.May is battling for her political survival after announcing a negotiating plan that infuriated factions on both sides of her Conservative Party: eurosceptics say the plan leaves Britain too close to the EU, while pro-European lawmakers say it leaves the country too distant.The threat to her position from the Brexiteers should become clear later on Monday when they put forward a series of proposals to toughen up the government´s customs legislation during a parliamentary debate.But May looked set to accept at least some of the least controversial amendments, if not all as reported by the BBC, to try to avoid a government defeat in Parliament without watering down her exit plan. But if she chooses to fight and then sees a large number of her own party rebel, it would undermine her leadership and cast fresh doubt on whether she can deliver the Brexit plan agreed by her cabinet this month at her Chequers country residence.The Chequers agreement, which is only a starting point for negotiations with the EU, has already led to the resignations of her Brexit minister David Davis and foreign minister Boris Johnson, and the eurosceptic faction say it has to change.Conservative lawmaker John Baron said he would vote with other eurosceptics to change the so-called customs bill after having “remained loyal to Theresa May, believing her to be honourable in her attempt to respect the referendum result (of 2016 to leave the EU”.“Having examined the Chequers agreement. . . I have come to the conclusion that. . . it is not what people voted for,” he said. Some in the pro-EU faction have also rejected the plan. Former minister Justine Greening called on Monday for a second referendum to end the stalemate in Parliament over the best future relationship with the bloc.May´s spokesman said there would be no second referendum under any circumstances, and restated her position that the Chequers plan was the only way to deliver a Brexit that worked in the best interest of the country.
07-17-2018, 03:44 PM
Parliament vote to reveal extent of anger over Brexit plan
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