The government has proposed a 28-day breathing space if parliament rejects Theresa May’s Brexit deal, as it looks for a compromise with Conservative rebels to avoid a string of defeats in the House of Commons.
The EU withdrawal bill is returning to the Commons for 12 hours of debate next week — now spread over two days after protests from backbenchers over the prospect of an all-night sitting.
The government’s flagship Brexit bill was peppered with 15 amendments by the House of Lords, which ministers must now decide to accept, or urge MPs to vote down.
Downing Street tabled a series of “amendments-in-lieu” on Thursday night – offering its own tweaks to the legislation – after talks with Tory rebels, including Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve.
The government hopes to soften the Lords amendment aimed at beefing up the “meaningful vote” MPs have been promised once May has struck a deal with Brussels.
Its toned-down version calls for ministers to be given 28 days to make a statement to parliament if MPs vote down the withdrawal agreement.
Labour ridiculed the government’s concessions, saying they did not go far enough in allowing MPs to control the process and lessen the risk of a no-deal Brexit by default.
Shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman said: “We will look at these amendments in detail over the coming days. But if this is the best the government can offer then they should be ready for the fight.”
She added: “There is a majority in parliament for a customs union and a truly meaningful vote. Parliament, not the cabinet, should decide the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU.”
As well as on the meaningful vote, the government is proposing to accept one amendment – on the role of EU agencies – and tweak a series of others, including on Northern Ireland and family reunion.
There was no sign of any flexibility on the most contentious issue of the customs union, where Tory rebels believe there is a majority in the Commons to defeat the government.
But the “mutineers” are still expecting fresh concessions before Tuesday and Wednesday’s debates. “They are looking at compromising on customs amendments,” said one.
There are some signs the rebels’ resolve may be softening, amid fears that if May were destabilised by a number of parliamentary defeats, she could be forced out – potentially clearing the way for a Brexiter to sweep into Downing Street.
