Brexiteers in new bid to oust 'nemesis' May
Tory Brexiteers have launched last ditch bid to leave the EU this week by calling for "nemesis" Theresa May to stand down over her handling of Brexit.
The UK is due to leave the bloc on Friday without a deal, a scenario the Prime Minister will attempt to avoid by requesting an extension of Article 50 at a crunch EU summit tomorrow.
But members of the Brexit-backing European Research Group (ERG) are attempting to organise an informal indicative vote of no confidence in Mrs May that same afternoon.
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Mark Francois MP has penned a letter “in a personal capacity” to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, entitled: “Enough is enough! If she goes on Wednesday, we can leave on Friday”.
He wrote: “I believe May has been a failure as leader of our party, which she now threatens to destroy. Hers is a classic example of hubris – and after hubris, comes nemesis.”
The move has received widespread support from other Brexiteers.
North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said: “The Prime Minister’s natural instinct is always to delay, to kick the can a bit further down the road, but she’s now run out of road.
“If we go for an extension. that will keep the uncertainty going. It’s damaging industry.”
Stone MP Sir Bill Cash, who was one of 117 Tory MPs to vote to oust the Prime Minister in an unsuccessful motion in December, said he would do so again.
“There is grave concern about the Prime Minister’s role in this extremely tragic and regrettable situation we find ourselves in,” he said
“I voted against her in the last confidence motion and I will do the same again. She is primarily responsible for all of this, along with a number of Conservative MPs who have voted with Marxist Jeremy Corbyn at the expense of our democracy.”
Mrs May was due to visit Germany and France today for urgent talks with European leaders, ahead of tomorrow’s emergency meeting of the European Council.
European Council president Donald Tusk has recommended a one-year extension to the Brexit process, with a break clause allowing an earlier departure if a withdrawal deal is ratified in Westminster. Talks between the Government and Labour to find an alternative Brexit deal are ongoing.