Theresa May’s divided cabinet has agreed that Brexit talks with Labour should continue, but set a fresh deadline of the summer recess for parliament to pass the necessary legislation to take Britain out of the EU.
With the prime minister under intense pressure from Conservative backbenchers to abandon the talks, amid an air of paralysis at Westminster, ministers held what Downing Street called an “extensive” discussion on Tuesday morning.
“Ministers involved set out details of the compromises which the government was prepared to consider, in order to secure an agreement which would allow the UK to leave the EU, with a deal, as soon as possible,” said the prime minister’s spokesman.
He said cabinet had agreed it was “imperative to bring forward the withdrawal agreement in time for it to receive royal assent before the summer recess”.
David Lidington, who has been leading the talks for the Tories, gave an overview of progress.
No date has yet been set for parliament’s summer recess, which usually begins in mid-July. MPs are due to go on a Whitsun recess from 23 May – the day of the European elections – to 4 June.
May’s spokesman reiterated that she intended to step down once she had completed the first phase of the Brexit talks.
Labour has become increasingly concerned about the impact of the prime minister’s fragile authority on the outcome of the talks.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, speaking at a Wall Street Journal event, said it was becoming hard to see how Labour could “march our troops up the hill” when Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab were prepared to overturn any cross-party deal in what would be a “cataclysmic act of bad faith”.
Asked whether the talks were going anywhere, he said: “Today hasn’t helped … The customs union is absolutely key to us…. We are not near what we want. However, we then get a letter signed by senior Conservatives, including Boris Johnson, who is certainly going to be in contention for the leadership and is very likely to be the next leader, could well be in months.
In his letter on Tuesday, McDonnell said Johnson was not going to accept a customs union and would overturn a deal agreed in negotiations. “It gives us no security and we expect a response from government to that,” he said, adding: “We don’t think there is a deal there yet.”
McDonnell also confirmed the views of Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, that a cross-party deal would only attract the support of large numbers of MPs if a second referendum was attached.
He then set out what Labour would like to see on the ballot paper if a second referendum took place – a choice between a negotiated Brexit deal and remain. Such a referendum would infuriate hardline Brexit supporters who would want to see a “no deal” option put to the voters.
The prime minister’s spokesman declined to say whether the government’s new sense of urgency meant it would table the withdrawal agreement bill (WAB) next week, whether or not it had reached an agreement with Labour.
“I would emphasise the importance of sending a clear message to the public that parliament is getting on with delivering the result of the referendum,” he said.
He said a broad range of issues pertaining to the talks had been discussed – including the possibility of holding a series of votes in parliament in the hope of identifying a majority for some form of deal, if the negotiations failed.
The discussions took place against the backdrop of a growing Tory revolt about striking a deal with Labour, in particular signing up to a customs union.
Fourteen senior Tories, including the leadership contenders Johnson and Raab, signed a letter to May on Monday warning that such a move would alienate the “loyal middle” of the Conservative party.
May is also under renewed pressure to set out her departure date, with the executive of the backbench 1922 Committee expected to discuss for a third time on Thursday whether to change the leadership rules to allow a fresh vote of confidence. Its chair, Graham Brady, has urged her to set out a clearer timetable for her departure if her Brexit deal is not passed.
In Brussels, meanwhile, the prime minister’s Brexit negotiator, Olly Robbins, provided EU officials with copies of agreed text that has emerged out of the cross-party talks designed to be included in the withdrawal legislation, it is understood.
Brussels was briefed that a meeting of minds had been found in some areas, including parliament’s role in future trade talks and commitments on social and environmental protections demanded by Labour.
But EU sources said there was scant evidence of an imminent breakthrough on the far more contentious areas, including a permanent customs union or confirmatory referendum.
Robbins was due on Tuesday night to meet Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen, the secretary general of the council of the EU, and right-hand man to Donald Tusk, the European council president, who last month counselled the UK not to waste the extended article 50 negotiating period.
Robbins was expected to see the EU’s deputy chief negotiator, Sabine Weyand, on Wednesday.
The commission has said it is on a “break” from Brexit since the last extension of the UK’s membership of the EU in April.
Asked if it had now re-engaged on the issue, a spokesman said: “No, we continue in our Brexit break. I told you we will come out of the Brexit break if there is something happening in London. We will listen to Olly Robbins tomorrow.”
