Here’s your Daily Politics Update.
May to hold vote on half her Brexit deal
Theresa May will put only half of her Brexit deal to MPs for a vote on Friday, putting forward the withdrawal agreement, without the political declaration on Britain’s future relationship with the EU, in an effort to secure MPs’ support.
The government warned MPs that unless the withdrawal agreement part of the prime minister’s deal is approved by parliament, Britain cannot legally leave the EU with a deal on Friday.
However, the withdrawal agreement – which contains the details around the Irish border backstop – is still likely to be rejected by the Commons. Around 30 pro-Brexit Tory MPs and 10 DUP MPs are expected to vote against the deal.
Labour MPs are also expected to vote against the withdrawal agreement – after Jeremy Corbyn spoke with May over the phone on Thursday, a spokesperson said: “Jeremy made clear Labour will not agree a blindfold Brexit to force through Theresa May’s damaging deal, which would leave the next Tory party leader free to rip up essential rights and protections and undermine jobs and living standards.”
MPs push for more indicative votes
MPs who support a soft Brexit are attempting to find compromises on the indicative votes that MPs rejected this week, in an attempt to find enough support for another round of votes on Monday – unless Theresa May’s deal is voted through on Friday.
After each indicative vote was voted against by MPs in the Commons on Wednesday, MPs are hoping to bring back compromises on Labour’s Brexit plan, and the Norway-style “common market 2.0” motion.
It is expected that the alternative Brexit options will be tabled on Monday and a series of them will be selected to be put forward for indicative votes, as they were on Wednesday.
Jeremy Hunt to end Tories “money, money, money” image
Jeremy Hunt has put forward his bid to succeed Theresa May, promising to change the image of the Conservatives as the “money, money, money” party.
In an interview with the London Evening Standard, the foreign secretary said that his party needed a “social mission”, saying: “People have got to see that we are not the money, money, money party. “We have consistently failed in my political lifetime to win the battle of values.”
Hunt set out a plan for pushing “One nation Conservatism” on the public, arguing that the battle to repair public finances and reach a Brexit deal had denied both David Cameron and Theresa May “a chance to show the British people what One Nation Conservatism can be”.
“That I think has to be our mission because, if we don’t win the battle of values, we won’t win over young people, and young people are not just the future of the country, they are the future of the Conservative Party,”
Business chief: MPs should ‘stop chasing rainbows’
The head of the British Chambers of Commerce has told MPs to stop “chasing rainbows” and make a decision on the best way forward in order to break the Brexit deadlock.
Reflecting the business world’s frustration over the growing uncertainty around Brexit, Adam Marshall said that MPs must either choose to support Theresa May’s deal, delay Brexit, or revoke article 50 and remain in the EU.
“Our elected representatives cannot keep chasing rainbows,” Marshall said earlier this week.
“Like all of us in business, they need to start making tough decisions, however personally or politically difficult they might be.”
“[Business is] counting the cost of uncertainty as the political impasse at Westminster continues. In many parts of our economy, real-world damage is happening right now,” he added.
