DAVID Mundell has once again threatened to resign … again.
According to the Daily Mail, the Secretary of State for Scotland is among a group of rebel ministers who want the Prime Minister to allow “indicative votes” on alternatives to her deal.
The 18 members of government have threatened to support an amendment on Monday, put forward by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, and Tory MP Oliver Letwin, that would effectively allow Parliament to seize control of the Brexit negotiations.
If passed it will allow MPs to indicate what they would like happen with Brexit if Theresa May's deal fails – that could be a Norway-style Brexit, Labour’s customs union plan, a second referendum, crashing out without a deal or revoking Article 50.
READ MORE: EU chiefs reject Theresa May's Brexit extension proposal
Mundell, and fellow Cabinet ministers Greg Clark, David Gauke, Amber Rudd and Claire Perry, along with seven junior ministers and three ministerial aides, are all said to be among the rebels.
One minister told the Mail they were determined to stop May forcing them into a choice between her deal and a hard Brexit.
“If the Prime Minister decides to go for ‘my deal or no deal’ then, oh dear,” one minister said.
It's not the first time Mundell has threatened to quit the Cabinet.
According to ITV's Robert Peston, he was one of nine ministers who last month warned May that he would quit unless she ruled out a no-deal Brexit.
READ MORE: SNP: David Mundell should resign for no-deal Brexit abstention
Mundell said he would not comment on private conversations he has had with the Prime Minister.
But he added: "What I have said to her repeatedly is that a no-deal Brexit is a very bad deal for Scotland and the United Kingdom and that we must do everything that we can to avoid that outcome."
Asked if he would leave the party or the Cabinet in the event that a no-deal Brexit becomes the Government's position, he said: "I'm most certainly not leaving the Conservative Party."
He also said he did not want to be "part of the soap opera psychodrama of people threatening to resign".
READ MORE: Blackford: Mundell should do his job ‘for once’ or resign
Labour’s shadow secretary of state for Scotland, Lesley Laird, wasn’t convinced. "This looks like yet another threat to resign from David Mundell – but we all know when push comes to shove he simply doesn't follow through,” she said.
"He is complicit in the shambles that we have witnessed since the EU referendum in 2016. Resigning at this point won't change the fact that he has propped up a failing Prime Minister, backed a dead deal, played fast and loose with devolution, and short-changed Scotland."
LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton had little sympathy for the minister: “It’s hard to believe that David Mundell will ever resign from Cabinet.
“For years he has huffed and puffed but never followed through on his threats to quit.
“Mr Mundell has sat round the Cabinet table making the decisions that have created this shambles.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel