Remainers will try to pass a LAW blocking No Deal and forcing a long delay

Remainer MPs have launched an audacious new plot to stop a No Deal Brexit on April 12 as the Prime Minister faces down her feuding ministers during a five-hour 'mother of all Cabinet meetings' today.

The rebels had been hoping to pass a law to force a soft Brexit option on Theresa May tomorrow, but after their disastrous indicative votes last night will instead try to force through a bill compelling the PM to ask for a long delay at an EU summit on April 10.

Meanwhile, ministers are hunkered down in Downing Street debating the way ahead for Brexit with just ten days to go until Britain is due to leave the EU, and the morning after a top civil servant's doomsday warning about No Deal was revealed.

The Cabinet itself is bitterly divided between Remainers who favour a soft exit from the EU if May cannot get her deal through, and Brexiteers who want to leave without a deal.

Ministers must decide on one option before the rebel MPs led by Sir Oliver Letwin and Yvette Cooper force their hand by seizing control of Parliament again tomorrow.

Letwin and Cooper had planned to further whittle down the Brexit options tomorrow, but with time running out they today tabled a motion to pass a bill that would legally compel May to ask for a long delay. If it passes the remainers intend to force their bill to delay Brexit through the Commons and the Lords on Thursday. 

Sir Oliver said: 'This is a last-ditch attempt to prevent our country being exposed to the risks inherent in a No Deal exit' while Ms Cooper added: 'We are now in a really dangerous situation with a serious and growing risk of No Deal in 10 days' time. The UK needs an extension beyond April 12'.  

Speculation had been mounting that the Prime Minister would call a snap general election if she failed to get her deal through this week, but Chancellor Philip Hammond is warning that the Tory party lacks the funds to fight an election and should call a second referendum instead. 

The latest poll also puts Corbyn five points ahead, and observers warn that the Tories would lose heavily.

Ministers will be shown the gloomy polling data and Mr Hammond will urge them to 'compromise' because 'party and country cannot afford an election'.

Mrs May faces a possible Cabinet walkout with 15 ministers including Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Liz Truss and Michael Gove now calling on her to push for No Deal if she cannot get her own deal through Parliament.

But ten other ministers including Mr Hammond, Amber Rudd and Mrs May's deputy David Lidington are demanding she agrees to add a customs union to her EU divorce if MPs won't back it. 





MailOnline