Theresa May has secret plan ‘to offer EU £46bn divorce bill… but is hiding it from her MPs’
The Prime Minister is reportedly keeping the mammoth figure under wraps to avoid explosive row at the Tory conference next month
THERESA May is poised to sign off a Brexit bill of up to £46billion but is hiding it from her MPs, it was claimed last night.
Secret plans have been drawn up to make the offer in EU chiefs to kickstart faltering trade talks.
A senior source says the figure has been worked out by Whitehall number-crunchers who have been working flat out to put a realistic price tag on Britain’s departure.
They want to offer between £5billion and £15billion a year - for three years after we leave.
Under the plan, the eye-watering payments would end in time for the 2022 general election – but are being kept under wraps to avoid a massive row at next month’s Tory conference.
But the PM – who is publicly refusing to discuss the divorce bill with EU chiefs - risks being accused of hiding her true intentions to avoid a split which could topple her from power.
Brussels chiefs are demanding a Brexit bill of £92billion but senior Tory sources say Britain will make an opening offer of between £20billion and £30billion after Mrs May’s conference speech in Manchester on October 4.
That would give her two weeks to strike a deal before the next crucial EU summit on October 19.
An insider said: “We were looking at a final settlement of somewhere between £20billion and £30billion but it now looks like it will be much nearer £50billion.”
It is privately admitted the final bill has almost because the UK’s strong negotiating position was weakened at the general election.
It would mean Mrs May’s election shambles will cost taxpayers up to £30billion more.
The idea of staggering the cash over three years would give ministers scope to claim that nothing has changed – and we are paying the same level as our current annual bill of £13.1billon after rebate.
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Last night Downing Street insisted it did not recognise the plan.
A spokesman for Mr Davis dismissed the figure as “absolute rubbish” and said no settlement offer was anywhere near finalised yet.
But a source who claims to have discussed them with Mrs May’s inner circle said: “They are planning to do the Brexit bill and how much they’re going to pay after the party conference.
“They would look to do it as yearly payments for the transitional period. They think the bill has gone up since the election.”
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PM BLOW BY VOTERS
SEVEN in ten voters do not want Theresa May to fight the next General Election, a new poll reveals.
And 40 per cent of Tories disagreed with her vow to contest the vote for No10.
The poll for The Sunday Times found 48 per cent want Mrs May to quit before 2022 and 23 per cent want her out now.