– Amber Rudd and other Tory Remainers hold call and agree to give PM a fortnight
– If she can’t get a deal or win a vote in that time they will rebel to stop no deal
– Commons is expected to vote tomorrow on amendments including Cooper bill
– Labour’s Yvette Cooper’s amendment is designed to stop damaging No Deal exit
– Downing Street insiders warned Bill could change to delay Brexit indefinitely
– Cooper amendment has won backing of nearly ten Tory MPs who voted Remain
Theresa May has been told by Remainers in her own cabinet that she has two weeks to do a deal with Brussels or face a dozen or more resignations, it was revealed today.
Amber Rudd is leading a vanguard of Tories who warned the Prime Minister they will quit en masse if there is any chance of a no deal Brexit.
The rebel ministers include Ms Rudd, the current Work and Pensions Secretary, as well as Business Secretary Greg Clark, Justice Secretary David Gauke and Immigration Minister Caroline Noakes.
A group of around a dozen senior Tories held a conference call over the weekend and have agreed to delay their rebellion for two weeks to allow for Mrs May to negotiate a new backstop deal with the EU and hold a vote.
It means that they are now unlikely to back Labour MP Yvette Cooper’s amendment tomorrow, designed to prevent a no deal Brexit.
One of those on the conference call told the Telegraph: ‘We are not accepting jam tomorrow, we need a firm commitment to a date for the second meaningful vote. It would mean that Tuesday isn’t D-Day.’
Theresa May fears rebel Tory MPs will this week write a ‘blank cheque’ to Parliament which could allow Brexit to be delayed for a year or longer – or even stopped entirely.
The Commons is expected to vote tomorrow on various amendments – including one to seize power from ministers and hand it to backbench MPs so they can influence the timing of Britain’s departure.
Supporters of the plan – led by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and former Tory minister Nick Boles – say the amendment is designed to stop a damaging No Deal exit, as it would postpone the March 29 leaving date by nine months if a deal is not secured by February 26.
But Downing Street insiders last night warned the Bill could be changed later to delay Brexit indefinitely.
A senior source said: ‘Leaving aside the constitutional concerns around the Cooper Bill, it is clear from Yvette Cooper’s comments that backing her Bill means signing a blank cheque when it comes to delaying Brexit.
‘It could mean Brexit is delayed for nine months, a year, or more. It also opens the door to Brexit not happening at all.’ The warning came amid signs that Tory ministers who threatened to quit over a No Deal were stepping back from the brink.
Last week Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd suggested she could resign from Cabinet unless ministers were given a free vote on the anti-No Deal bill, adding privately that dozens of ministers could do the same.
But the Mail understands many have been reassured they will have an opportunity to stop No Deal at a later point.
Chancellor Philip Hammond and Mrs May’s effective deputy David Lidington have told them to keep their powder dry.
The source said: ‘We don’t think there will be fireworks this week. I don’t think there will be mass resignations.
‘People are working hard to make sure amendments go down that keep the party together.’
Yesterday Mr Lidington argued this week’s vote was not the ‘final decision point’ and insisted MPs will have another ‘meaningful vote’ on Mrs May’s deal next month once she has been back to Brussels.
He wrote in the Observer: ‘If Parliament wishes to avoid No Deal, I have no doubt it will find ways to express a view in the coming weeks.’