THERESA May is heading for another major defeat in the Commons with attempts to secure a last-minute concession from Brussels faltering.
Yesterday, Tory minister Andrea Leadsom said it was the EU’s fault for the failed talks, and accused them of “playing games”.
The leader of the House of Commons told Reuters she was “deeply disappointed with what we’re hearing coming out of the EU”.
READ MORE: Corbyn: Lukewarm on Brexit, and not much about independence
There are now less than 500 hours until the UK is due to quit Europe on March 29.
May has been unable to find a solution for the backstop, the safety net that prevents a hard border on the island of Ireland, by effectively keeping rules and standards the same in both the north and the Republic.
The current proposal means the only way to leave the backstop is if both London and Brussels agree. This has infuriated Brexiteers who believe it will leave the UK trapped in the EU.
The Government have been trying to urge the EU27 to provide “legally binding guarantees” that mean the backstop won’t be permanent.
On Friday, Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, proposed an agreement that would allow the UK to leave the backstop unilaterally, but only if Northern Ireland remained.
Nigel Dodds, the deputy leader of the DUP, who prop up May’s government in the Parliament, said this would annexe the province from the rest of the UK.
“This is neither a realistic nor sensible proposal from Michel Barnier. It disrespects the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom,” he said. “This is an attempt to get ahead of a possible blame game and appear positive when in reality it is going backwards to something rejected a year ago.”
READ MORE: EU rejects UK attempt to force concessions on backstop
Leadsom told Reuters: “There is still hope, but I have to say I’m deeply disappointed with what we’re hearing coming out of the EU. I do have to ask myself what game are they playing.”
Asked who would be to blame if May loses the parliamentary vote again on Tuesday, Leadsom said: “I would point to the EU needing to work closely with us.”
Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit co-ordinator for the European Parliament, backed Barnier.
“He has put forward constructive additions, now we wait for a credible response from the UK to ensure an orderly Brexit,” he said yesterday.
Talks are set to continue today.
The Prime Minister was due to fly to Brussels tomorrow morning to sign off any deal, but that now seems unlikely.
Back in January, when May last brought her Brexit deal before the Commons for the so-called meaningful vote, MPs rejected it by 230 votes, the biggest defeat for any government in the history of Parliament.
There has been little movement among MPs since then, and it seems all but certain that May’s deal will be defeated again.
What’s not certain is how bad the defeat will be.
If the margin is significantly smaller than in January there are rumours that May could try and hold a third meaningful vote.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister told MPs that if her deal was rejected, they would get two further votes, firstly on Wednesday, on whether they want a no-deal Brexit, and secondly on Thursday, on whether they want to delay Brexit.
On the face it there aren’t the numbers in the Commons for a no-deal Brexit, and the Prime Minister would face a slew of ministerial resignations if she urged her party to back coming out of Europe with no agreement.
There is also little clarity on what an extension to the Brexit negotiations would mean, or how long it would last, but it seems likely MPs will give their backing to some form of delay.
However, there are European Parliament elections due in May, with MEPs set to take up their seats in July.
Both the Tories or Labour have ruled out fighting those elections.
There could also be another vote on a second EU referendum this week.
Labour are reportedly considering whether to table a People’s Vote amendment on Thursday.
Yesterday, Edinburgh South Labour MP Ian Murray,called on Jeremy Corbyn to sack members of his shadow cabinet team if they refused to back the amendment.
Murray, who has been a prominent campaigner for a second Brexit referendum, spoke out on the issue at a fringe event at the Scottish Labour conference in Dundee. “The Prime Minister could be sitting on Friday with her deal down, no extension of Article 50, and Parliament not wanting a no-deal – and where on earth does that leave us?” he asked.
Murray, who was the only Labour MP in Scotland between 2015 and 2017, continued: “My big criticism is yes, the Labour Party has now got into the right position, but now it is time to step up.”
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