Brexit: Theresa May warns of threat to the union as she sets out ‘plan B’

Theresa May has repeated her warning that allowing a second EU referendum would boost the campaign to “break up our United Kingdom” as she set out the government’s ‘plan B’ for Brexit.

The Prime Minister said the UK Government would waive the £65 fee for EU nationals to apply for settled status in the UK and offered an “enhanced role” for devolved administrations in the remaining Brexit process.

Mrs May was required to update MPs following the defeat of her Brexit deal by an unprecedented 230-vote margin in the House of Commons.

Parliamentarians will now put forward amendments to a government motion setting out which course they believe the Prime Minister should take, although the outcome of any votes on 29 January will not be legally binding.

Prime Minister. Picture: House of Commons/PA Wire

Following reports that the UK Government would seek to reopen the 1998 Belfast Agreement that cemented the Northern Irish peace process, Mrs May told MPs: “I have never even considered doing so – and neither would I.”

With no obvious solution to the deadlock over the controversial ‘backstop’ insurance policy on Irish border, the Prime Minister said she would hold further talks with the DUP and other MPs about how to honour commitments in the Belfast Agreement while getting a Brexit deal the Commons could support.

Mrs May insisted that her approach to Brexit had changed as a result of the government’s crushing defeat and following talks with opposition parties and backbench MPs, which Jeremy Corbyn has boycotted.

The Labour leader said he would not take part until a no-deal Brexit was taken off the table, a position also taken by the SNP following an initial meeting between Mrs May and Westminster leader Ian Blackford.

Responding to the Prime Minister, he said there should be “no more phoney talks”.

“We will be more flexible, open and inclusive in the future in how we engage Parliament in our approach to negotiating our future partnership with the European Union,” the Prime Minister pledged.

“Second, We will embed the strongest possible protections on workers’ rights and the environment.

“And third, we will work to identify how we can ensure that our commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland and Ireland can be delivered in a way that commands the support of this House, and the European Union.”

Mrs May said no-deal couldn’t be taken off the table without eventually revoking Article 50, warning that this would “go against the referendum result”.

The Prime Minister also warned against a second EU referendum, saying it “would set a difficult precedent that could have significant implications for how we handle referendums in this country - not least, strengthening the hand of those campaigning to break up our United Kingdom.”

She added that a second EU vote would “damage social cohesion by undermining faith in our democracy”.

Offering an “enhanced role” for devolved administrations, Mrs May said she would hold meetings with Nicola Sturgeon and the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford this week.

She also promised a greater role for parliamentary committees, with MPs getting to see more internal government information on Brexit on a confidential basis.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said independence would offer an “escape route” from Brexit for Scotland.

The First Minister said she would reveal details of her timetable for a second independence referendum within a “matter of weeks”.

“We did not vote for Brexit. We will not be dragged out of Europe by a Tory government we did not vote for,” Mr Blackford said.

“We might not be able to save the UK, but we can save Scotland.

“We have an escape route from the chaos of Brexit - an independent Scotland.”

SNP MP Stuart McDonald said the scrapping of the £65 settled status fee was a “major climb-down”.

The Scottish Government had condemned the fee and sought to cover the cost for public sector workers.

“This is a major climb-down from a Prime Minister desperately looking to detract attention from her continued failure to make progress achieving a deal,” Mr McDonald said.

“EU nationals should never have been asked to pay this fee – and it is welcome news that the UK government has finally listened.”

The announcement was welcomed by Scottish Tory MP Stephen Kerr, who said EU citizens “are our neighbours, friends, family, and work colleagues”.

“This decision is the right one and reinforces that they are an integral part of our country and are very welcome to stay here in the United Kingdom that they have made their home.”