The cross-party alliance of MPs plotting to block a no-deal Brexit is struggling to agree on a plan to stop Boris Johnson carrying it out, a senior Tory has admitted.
Oliver Letwin said there were “various” ways to successfully bind the hands of the prime minister – but he was “not terribly optimistic” that MPs would settle on which route to pursue.
“I don’t see yet emerging an agreement on that,” Sir Oliver said – acknowledging there were “different first preferences” among the MPs, of many different parties.
The comment lifted the lid on intense behind-the-scenes rows, after a week in which party leaders also clashed publicly on who should be a caretaker prime minister, if Mr Johnson is toppled.
Sir Oliver also ruled out a vote of no confidence against the prime minister if it put Jeremy Corbyn in No 10, while leaving open the “distant possibility” of joining one if all else failed.
Instead, the Tory moderniser – a supporter of Theresa May’s failed deal – stressed the need for MPs to reach a consensus on “what the end game is”.
“You can’t just say ‘I don’t want to have a no deal exit’ – you also have to say ‘what do I want to have’ and get agreement on that,” Sir Oliver told BBC Radio 4.
He added: “At the moment, I’m not terribly optimistic about all this, because I don’t see yet emerging an agreement on that
“That’s why I think we need to talk, talk a lot, talk frankly. We have to try to find something that a majority will agree to.”
The MPs are believed to be divided on when and how to pass legislation to prevent a crash-out Brexit on Halloween and on the extent of the changes to the law.
No 10 anticipates an attempt similar to the Cooper-Letwin bill which, in March, forced the last prime minister to delay Brexit by seeking an extension of the Article 50 process.
However, many anti-Brexit MPs believe the fresh bid must go further to thwart Mr Johnson, who could simply refuse to co-operate with EU leaders – keeping a Halloween no-deal as the legal default.
Some are arguing for changing that default to require Article 50 to be revoked altogether if no extension has been granted by the eve of Halloween, keeping the UK in the EU.
More than 100 Labour MPs, the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats – but only a handful of Tory MPs – are committed to a Final Say referendum.
Sir Oliver described himself as the “easy one” in the negotiations, with fellow rebel Tories, Labour MPs fighting a no-deal, and the other opposition parties.
“I’d be happy with anything that forced a deal, or that forced the government – in absence of a deal – to hold a referendum,” he said.
“Whatever it is that gets us to an orderly result that has a democratic mandate behind it and a chance, therefore, for people to prosper in the future.”
On Mr Corbyn’s proposal to lead a caretaker government, Sir Oliver said: “I don’t think it’s at all likely that a majority would be formed for that and I personally wouldn’t want to vote for it. I wouldn’t be able to support that, no.”