Desperate Theresa May forced to call the UNIONS to beg for them to support her botched Brexit deal as she faces 228 vote defeat
The Prime Minister is doing a ring round of general secretaries as part of a leftie ambush to get some Labour MPs on side - totally unprecedented for a Tory PM
DESPERATE Theresa May is ringing around union leaders now to try and get Labour support for her hated Brexit deal.
Ministers also revealed they are considering accepting concessions on workers rights as part of a leftie ambush - as she could face a 228 vote defeat next week
In a completely unprecedented move for a Tory PM, she has called Unite's boss Len McClusky and GMB's Tim Roache, revealed today.
Mr Roache said he was glad the PM had "finally picked up the phone" but that the deal was not good enough.
"If the deal genuinely did the the job for GMB members, our union would support it, but it doesn't," he said.
Earlier today both unions came out all guns blazing against her deal, saying her efforts to woo them were still not enough to get their backing.
The PM's spokesperson said earlier that the calls were "constructive".
She added:" The PM speaks to leaders across a range of industries, business groups, and has done that consistently throughout this process and today she spoke to a couple of union leaders and there will be further engagement in the days ahead."
The news comes as a fresh BBC analysis said that the PM could face a whopping 228 vote loss.
The biggest previous loss in modern times was said to be 139 - over the Iraq War in 2003.
And tonight the Prime Minister said that she hoped her deal would get "widespread support across the whole of Parliament" in an attempt to win them.
She said in a press conference with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe that the deal was in the national interest.
Today Greg Clark said that MPs of all parties should work together to prevent the "disaster" of a No Deal.
The Business Secretary said ministers were looking at supporting Labour amendments such as extra protections for workers rights - one of Labour's six key tests to backing a deal.
He told the BBC: "It is my strong view that we need to come together. We need to act to avoid a no-deal because I don't think there is anything remotely like a majority in Parliament that will tolerate this."
Trade unionists don't want a No Deal Brexit but will be very sceptical of working with the Tories.
But just earlier today Jaguar confirmed they will be slashing 4,500 jobs, and leaders will be worried about the future.
The news comes on another turbulent day in Westminster:
- Jeremy Corbyn demanded another election as the way out of the Brexit mess - and hinted he could extend Article 50 too
- The Irish PM blasted May's concessions to give Northern Ireland a veto over the backstop
- Japan's PM Shinzo Abe said "the whole world" wanted to avoid No Deal Brexit
Brexiteer Labour MP John Mann has a Brexit amendment which could be accepted - which could sway up to 20 MPs over.
He met the PM last night along with others including Caroline Flint and Gareth Snell to discuss working together.
He told it would make the deal "more attractive".
And Caroline Flint added: "Given the government cannot rely on the hard Brexiteers on their side, they have to reach out across the House to Labour."
But Labour's John McDonnell has said Labour will refuse to back the PM, even if a few MPs can be peeled off.
And unions including Unite, GMB and the TUC came out to trash the latest concession too.
But Mr Roache said this evening that the PM should now extend Article 50.
He said today the Tories were trying to "con" them over workers' rights.
"Nobody’s fooled. May is just desperately trying to hang on. It’s increasingly evident that there is no government in power so let’s have the general election that the country needs to sort this out."
And the TUC has said they aren't behind it and the PM is "falling short".
Frances O'Grady said: "This amendment makes no change to a bad deal for working people's jobs and rights."
They say the changes aren't binding and don't provide long-term guarantees.
Yesterday the PM revealed new concessions to try and win over MPs - but they won't be legally binding.
And the Irish PM trashed them earlier, saying: "I don't think a Northern Ireland executive can hold a veto over the implementation of an international treaty between the UK and the EU."
The news came just hours after Theresa May suffered her second embarrassing Commons defeat over Brexit in 24 hours yesterday.
MPs voted to bind her hands and force her back to the Commons within three days with her Plan B if her deal fails.
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Meanwhile Labour's Sir Keir Starmer and Tory Sir Oliver Letwin are already discussing how to bring Parliament together for a deal in the event that Mrs May's agreement gets knocked down.
He said he would look at what "available options are realistically still on the table" if the deal is thrown out.
And he promised to enter cross-party talks "in the right spirit".
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