Theresa May slaps down ‘treacherous’ ministers ‘plotting a second Brexit referendum’ and BETRAYING Leave voters
The Prime Minister will attempt to kill off the idea of a second vote on leaving the EU - after her key aides were forced to deny plotting one
THERESA MAY will today warn a new Brexit referendum would cause “irreparable damage” — after her key aides were forced to deny plotting one.
She will attempt to kill off the idea for good by telling MPs a referendum re-run would “break faith” with voters.
It came after her Chief of Staff Gavin Barwell and de-facto deputy PM David Lidington were accused of betrayal — amid claims both have been exploring the possibility of a “People’s Vote” to break the Brexit deadlock.
Throwing the Government into chaos, sources claimed Mr Lidington had met Labour MPs twice in the past two weeks to build a cross-party coalition for a new vote.
And insiders said Mr Barwell had told a Cabinet Minister a new referendum was “the only way forward”.
Both denied they wanted a new referendum.
But furious Ex-Cabinet Minister Priti Patel accused them of trying to “undermine” the Brexit vote and urged them to instead work on securing “a strong deal for the UK”.
She stormed: “A second Referendum would be a betrayal of the 17.4 million people who voted leave and a dishonest act by Government ministers.”
Tracey Crouch – who resigned as a minister last month – said the plotting made the Tories look “ridiculous”.
She said: “We were elected to provide the solution to difficult issues.
“We can’t just throw our arms up and shout that it’s too hard.”
The Sun Says
THERESA May is absolutely right to slap down the arch-Remainers baying for a second referendum.
In response to Tony Blair’s latest demand for a “People’s Vote”, she said it is the “democratic duty” of Parliament to deliver Brexit. Today, in the House of Commons, she will reiterate this.
With her chief of staff Gavin Barwell and deputy David Lidington accused of plotting a second referendum, Mrs May’s defiance is especially welcome.
What do these Tories think will happen to their party’s support if they force another referendum? It would be electoral suicide.
And, as The Sun has repeatedly warned, a second referendum would dangerously destabilise Britain.
Its backers all want to reverse Brexit, having never come to terms with their side losing. What did they think the first referendum was if not a “People’s Vote”?
Leave voters are sick of being caricatured by the Europhile establishment as manipulated, thick idiots who made the wrong decision.
The “People’s Vote” brigade cannot comprehend that 17.4million people wanted Britain to be unshackled from the EU.
Forcing a second referendum now would plunge our democracy into disarray, as the fury of millions of stitched-up voters is unleashed.
It is vital that, whatever happens, Mrs May doesn’t listen to anti-democratic voices around her, however loud they grow.
Another livid Eurosceptic Tory claimed “heads will roll over this”.
In a tweet, a defiant Mr Barwell insisted he “does not want” a second vote and was “not planning” one with political opponents.
But last night ex-Minister Sam Gyimah said Cabinet Ministers WERE in talks with MPs about another referendum – given it appeared almost certain the PM’s Brexit deal was dead.
He told the Sun: “You can’t say the Government should be prepared for every outcome but not the ones you don’t want.”
The incredible row came as:
- Health Secretary Matt Hancock called on the Cabinet to agree to radically step up No Deal planning after launching NHS contingency plans.
- Liam Fox became the first Brexit-backing Cabinet Minister to say Commons should get an “indicative” vote on alternative options.
- Jeremy Hunt launched a thinly veiled leadership bid by declaring he would love a “crack” at becoming Prime Minister.
- Former Tory party chairman Lord Patten labelled arch Eurosceptics “rodents” in an astonishing attack.
Yesterday he hit back and said Mrs May was in turn “irresponsible” for trying to “steamroller her MPs into accepting a deal they genuinely think is a bad one”.
In today’s Commons statement, the PM will urge MPs to abide by the outcome of the leave vote in 2016 as she desperately tries to salvage her credibility after the worst week of her career.
She will say: “Let us not break faith with the British people by trying to stage another referendum.
“Another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics, because it would say to millions who trusted in democracy, that our democracy does not deliver.
“Another vote which would likely leave us no further forward than that last.
“And another vote which would further divide our country at the very moment we should be working to unite it.”
GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk