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1922 Committee rejects rule change for Tory leadership contests – live news

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Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including PMQs

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Wed 24 Apr 2019 13.15 EDTFirst published on Wed 24 Apr 2019 04.04 EDT
Theresa May in Ireland on Wednesday.
Theresa May in Ireland on Wednesday. The PM can’t face a no-confidence vote from her party until December after senior backbenchers rejected rule change. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images
Theresa May in Ireland on Wednesday. The PM can’t face a no-confidence vote from her party until December after senior backbenchers rejected rule change. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images

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Key events

Afternoon summary

  • Theresa May is facing demands from the executive of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee - the “men in grey suits” of Tory folklore - to explain when she will resign if she fails to pass a Brexit deal. She has already promised to quit if MPs pass the withdrawal agreement, but now senior Tories want a timetable for her departure if the Brexit deadlock continues. Sir Graham Brady, the 1922 Committee chairman, set out his committee’s latest demand (see 5.53pm) as he confirmed that it was rejecting calls for the rules to be changed to allow an early no confidence vote in May. Under current rules MPs cannot trigger a new no confidence ballot until December, 12 months after the last one, but some Tories wanted this rule changed to allow a challenge much sooner.

That’s all from me for today.

Thanks for the comments.

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This is from my colleague Heather Stewart.

No plans for Theresa May to respond tonight to the 1922 committee's calls for her to set out a timetable for her departure if Brexit deal fails, Downing Street sources say.

— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) April 24, 2019

Here is the key quote from Sir Graham Brady (see 5.45pm)

We looked at the fact that the prime minister gave a very firm timetable for her departure as leader a few weeks ago in the eventuality that the withdrawal agreement is passed in parliament. We have resolved to request that she sets a similarly clearly timetable or schedule for her departure as leader in other circumstances. So real clarity for colleagues in parliament and for the Conservative party in general.

ITV’s Robert Peston thinks this is a humiliation for Theresa May.

The 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs have inflicted yet another humiliation on @theresa_may. Their committee led by Graham Brady have asked her to set out a “schedule and timetable” for her departure in all circumstances, ie whether or not her Brexit deal is...

— Robert Peston (@Peston) April 24, 2019
Sir Graham Brady Photograph: Sky News
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Conservative 1922 Committee says May should clarify when she will resign if Brexit deal does not get passed

Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the Conservative 1922 Committee, is speaking to Sky News.

He says, after a discussion yesterday and today, the committee has come to a “clear determination” that the rules should not be changed.

But he says it is also reminding Tory MPs that they can write to Brady if they have any concerns. He says he will express any concerns to the PM.

He also says May has already set out a timetable for her departure in the event of MPs passing the withdrawal agreement.

The 1922 Committee will ask May to set out a timetable for when she will go if the deal is not passed, he says.

  • Conservative 1922 Committee says May should clarify when she will resign if the Brexit deal does not get passed.

Q: There were some vocal calls for a rule change. Why did the executive rule the idea out?

Brady says the executive’s clear view was that this would not be appropriate. There were many reasons, but the main one was that the rule was in place. It was expected in December, when there was a confidence vote, that the rule would hold.

He says it is open to the 1922 Committee to change its mind. But he says the committee has reached a clear view. The matter is now settled, he says.

Q: What was your view?

Brady says he held back in case he had to cast a casting vote.

Q: How did the vote go?

Brady says it was very clear.

Here is more on the decision by the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, which is chaired by Sir Graham Brady, not to change the rules to allow an early no confidence vote in Theresa May.

From Politico Europe’s Charlie Cooper

1922 chair Graham Brady has confirmed there will be no rule change allowing confidence vote in Theresa May before Dec, but MPs are seeking “a roadmap” for May’s departure in the event her Brexit deal does NOT pass. PM has already indicated she’ll go if and when her deal passes

— Charlie Cooper (@CharlieCooper8) April 24, 2019

From the FT’s Sebastian Payne

Sir Graham Brady told Theresa May on Tuesday that the present situation is unsustainable. Will he now demand her exit date, in exchange for avoiding leadership rule changes and a messy challenge?

— Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) April 24, 2019

Conservative 1922 Committee rejects calls for rules to be changed to allow early no confidence vote in May

This is from Sky’s Beth Rigby.

NEW: Just out from ‘22. Executive have rejected rule change but do want a clearer timetable for departure

— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) April 24, 2019
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Gérard Araud, the outgoing French ambassador to the US, has said in a newspaper interview that UK influence in Washington is vanishing.

That prompted this response from Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary.

Mon cher ami @GerardAraud I am sure you enjoyed making hay with the UK's temporary Brexit travails but until there is a French President's bust in the Oval Office we will not take any lessons in having good relations with Washington 😉https://t.co/niw9EylI0g pic.twitter.com/RlI3ppqNFL

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) April 24, 2019

More United, a cross-party campaigning group set up after the 2016 EU referendum, has launched an MPs’ network. Its supporters include Nicky Morgan, David Lammy, Heidi Allen, Caroline Lucas, Jo Swinson and Stephen Kinnock. In a news release it says:

MPs in the network will be able to lead cross-party campaigns on issues which have been ignored because of Brexit. These include poverty and homelessness, responsible technology, mental health and urgent climate dangers.

And David Lammy, the Labour MP and a More United supporter, said:

A rare silver-lining to come out of the disastrous Brexit process is a new willingness among MPs to cooperate beyond traditional tribal loyalties. MPs have found that there is a special power in cross-party working and by publicly committing to seek out strong alliances that protect shared values we can help create positive changes that benefit the entire country.

MPs in the More United MP Network Photograph: More United

This is what Nicola Sturgeon said in the Scottish parliament earlier when Miles Briggs, a Conservative MSP, asked her whether, in the search for consensus, she would be willing to drop her bid for a second independence referendum. (See 2.45pm.) Sturgeon replied:

I said I’m open minded to people coming forward with proposals for change. If we can have serious and substantial proposals to deliver, perhaps not all of the change that I want to see but the change that will help protect this parliament, then I’m open minded to that. And I say that without precondition. So the onus is really on the Conservatives. Will they come forward in good faith and have that discussion? If they do, they will find me willing to have that in good faith.

No 10 says it will block Sturgeon's plan for second Scottish independence referendum

Downing Street has ruled out allowing another Scottish independence referendum. These are from my colleague Heather Stewart, who has been at the Number 10 afternoon lobby.

Flat rejection of Nicola Sturgeon’s call for another independence vote from Downing Street: “as we have been repeatedly clear, Scotland already had an independence referendum in 2014, and voted decisively to stay. Both sides need to respect the result of that referendum.”

— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) April 24, 2019

On Scottish independence, PM’s spox adds: “Now is not the time: now is the time for the UK to be pulling together”.

— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) April 24, 2019

Downing St also makes clear that no referendum could be held without UK government backing. “The constitution of the UK is rightly reserved to the UK parliament” - and all parties signed up to cross-party Smith Commission in 2015.

— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) April 24, 2019
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These are from the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn.

The revolution has failed (for now). Multiple sources tell me say the 1922 Executive will refuse to approve any changes to the leadership rules when it meets at 4pm by a comfortable majority. So May to stay.

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) April 24, 2019

It appears some of the public agitating for leadership rules changes in the last few days has quite badly backfired. It has turned some initially wavering 1922 exec members against.

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) April 24, 2019

Sir Graham Brady to announce the conclusion of the exec's deliberations to a full meeting of all Tory MPs at 5pm. So this looks like the second Brexiteer coup against May that has failed in four months.

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) April 24, 2019

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