Theresa May is in a peculiar position after suffering the largest government defeat in history. Her Brexit plans look dead in the water and even she appeared to admit that she would now have to reach out to members of other parties and consider her options.
In a bid to capitalise on May’s misfortune, Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that Labour will table a motion of no confidence in the government. The vote will take place tomorrow afternoon following PMQs. Yet for all the calamity of the evening, the Prime Minister is on course to win it comfortably. Both the DUP and the Tory Brexiteers who voted against May’s deal say they will back May in a vote come tomorrow. Given that May emphasised her desire to agree a deal, those Remain MPs scared that May could go for no deal will also stick with her for the time-being.
But May’s troubles look set to get worse in the coming weeks and months. There had been an expectation that after tabling a no confidence vote, Labour would have to back a second referendum – as members desire – if it became apparent an early election wasn’t possible. Those around Corbyn appear to have no such plans. They suggest that they plan to simply keep tabling motions of no confidence in the coming weeks and months until one works.
Given that May now faces the near impossible task of coming up with a viable alternative Brexit vote that wins another 116 votes whilst also keeping Remain Tories, Leave Tories and the DUP on side, those future confidence votes will prove a lot trickier to win.
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