Get prepared to pour one out
Political insiders and journalists are tipping that Theresa May’s resignation will come on Wednesday night after her new Brexit bill failed to garner the cross-party support she hoped it would.
May announced on Tuesday that her new Brexit bill will include a requirement to hold a vote on whether or not to have a second referendum if it is passed, along with a safeguard on workers rights to remain “as good as or better” than EU standards.
However, the speech received an immediate backlash from MPs, with some who had previously supported her deal in March saying that they would no longer be able to back it.
During a statement in the Commons following PMQs on Wednesday, May reiterated the ten differences her new EU withdrawal would have, to a cold reception from her own benches. In the aftermath, it is speculated that members of May’s shadow cabinet will resign if she refuses to go.
Sky News journalist Jon Craig wrote on Twitter: “Very senior MP tells me the word from the Cabinet corridor in the HoC is that the PM will resign tonight, Andrea Leadsom is poised to resign to launch a leadership bid, others may also resign & David Lidington will take over as acting PM. Unconfirmed!”
While Mirror journalist Kevin Maquire said: “We’ll know the game’s up for Theresa May if Chris Grayling resigns, complaining she’s incompetent.”
We’ll know the game’s up for Theresa May if Chris Grayling resigns, complaining she’s incompetent
— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) May 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/liamyoung/status/1131223944625905664
I am told that the pizza club of Brexiter cabinet ministers, led by @andrealeadsom, are telling PM she must pull the Withdrawal Agreement Bill vote. Which @theresa_may may think is a bit rich, since it was Leadsom who led charge for the vote to be brought forward. But one…
— Robert Peston (@Peston) May 22, 2019
Very senior MP tells me the word from the Cabinet corridor in the HoC is that the PM will resign tonight, Andrea Leadsom is poised to resign to launch a leadership bid, others may also resign & David Lidington will take over as acting PM. Unconfirmed!
— Jon Craig (@joncraig) May 22, 2019
It is also rumoured that the prime minister will address the Tory backbench 1922 committee at 17:30, with it likely a statement from Downing Street will follow shortly after.
