Labour ready to form government on Wednesday if PM deal rejected

Jeremy Corbyn is ready to take over as prime minister of a minority government on Wednesday morning if MPs reject Theresa May’s Brexit deal, Labour has told Sky News.

A party spokesperson vowed to “reset” negotiations with Brussels and “take the country forward” should the prime minister be defeated in parliament.

It came as Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng insisted the crunch vote would go ahead on Tuesday, amid reports it could be pulled to spare the government a large loss.

Sky News estimates around 100 Tory MPs are set to reject the deal.

The split could have deeper implications after Brexit is settled, former attorney-general Dominic Grieve also warned.

“There is a risk that the party will split and cannot continue in its current form,” he told Sky News.

And Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the government’s confidence-and-supply partners the Democratic Unionist Party, warned Mrs May couldn’t “count on our support” indefinitely.

Westminster is gearing up for Tuesday’s “meaningful vote” – the climax of 18 months’ of negotiations with Brussels.

Mrs May signed off a deal with the EU last month, but must now win the support of MPs.

The prime minister spoke to European Council president Donald Tusk on Sunday, who tweeted that it “will be an important week for the fate of #Brexit”.

Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow cabinet office minister, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday there should be a general election if Mrs May loses Tuesday’s vote.

“Our preferred option, very, very strongly, is that we refresh the parliament.

“Though we are ready to form a minority government should that be necessary – and it could happen on Wednesday morning – and to begin to reset the negotiation and take the country forward in a much better direction.”

Mr Kwarteng was upbeat about the government’s chances, telling Sky News they had a “good shot at winning” because “the deal is a strong deal”.

Meanwhile, Esther McVey, Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson failed to guarantee that they would not challenge Mrs May should she lose the vote.

In her first broadcast interview since quitting as work and pensions secretary last month over the government’s handling of Brexit, Ms McVey told Sophy Ridge: “If people asked me of course you’d give it serious concern.”

Former foreign secretary Mr Johnson said it was “nonsense” to suggest he had already been offering jobs in a future administration to fellow Tories.

But when asked to give an “absolute, categorical promise” that he would not stand against the prime minister, Mr Johnson told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan.”

Asked by Sophy Ridge if he had leadership ambitions, former Brexit secretary Mr Raab replied: “I’ve always said I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Rival protests took place in London on Sunday in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote.

Three were arrested at a “Brexit betrayal” march featuring controversial activist Tommy Robinson, while counter-protests were held by anti-fascist groups.

(c) Sky News 2018: Labour ready to form government on Wednesday if PM deal rejected