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As it happenedended
6 years ago

DUP expected to abstain for second time on crucial Budget votes

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
Tuesday 20 November 2018 10:04 EST
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Which Conservative MPs have handed in letters of no confidence in Theresa May?

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MPs from the Democratic Unionist Party are expected to abstain for a second time on crucial Budget votes in the Commons in protest at Theresa May's Brexit deal.

It comes after Eurosceptics in the party faced questions over the apparent collapse of their efforts to trigger a no confidence in the prime minister.

At a press conference MPs from the European Research Group (ERG) of Brexiteer Conservatives were interrogated over their failure to persuade 48 colleagues to submit letters of no confidence in Ms May to the chair of the 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted "patience is a virtue, virtue is a grace" when pressed on whether the necessary 48 letters had been sent, as he warned his colleagues that now might be their only chance to remove Ms May ahead of the next general election.

Tory rebel organiser Steve Baker said it was "now or never" to oust Ms May and characterised the move as an "insurrection by a group of determined democrats" against the "might of the state".

It comes after Mr Rees-Mogg issued a rallying call to other Tory MPs to topple the prime minister last week, when he joined around 26 Conservative backbenchers in publicly submitting no-confidence letters to Sir Graham Brady, of the 1922 committee.

Asked why the threshold had not been met, he said: "Patience is a virtue, virtue is a grace. We will see what letters come in due time.

"Do 47 want to come with me or not? I may find that they don't or they don't do it today but when we get the meaningful vote. That's a decision for them."

This liveblog has now closed, but you can read about the events in Westminster today above

6 years ago

According to Sky News, the Supreme Court has rejects an application by ministers to stop a ruling asking the European Court of Justice whether the UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 10:07
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Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 10:08
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Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 10:19
6 years ago

Damian Collins, a Conservative MP who chairs the Commons culture select committee, has said he will not be supporting Theresa May's Brexit agreement in its current state.

Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 10:24
6 years ago

Jacob Rees-Mogg is now taking questions - he says the ERG does not have a collective view on Ms May's leadership.

He says "coup" is the wrong one words, and a rather "silly" one - rather he is using the democratic processes of the party 

Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 10:34
6 years ago

During the ERG press conference, David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, also confirmed that he had not submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa May to the chair of the Conservatives' 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady.

Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 10:45
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Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 11:04
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Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 11:09
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Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 11:17
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Ashley Cowburn20 November 2018 11:49

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