Brexit: 100 Conservative MPs Set to Force Delay

By Staff, Agencies

UK lawmakers united in a so-called Brexit Delivery Group, with a goal of preventing London's disorganized withdrawal from the European Union, The Daily Telegraph reported.

A group of 100 moderate Tory parliamentarians warned British Prime Minister Theresa May that they are going to oppose the government she heads and force her to postpone Brexit if she cannot reach a deal with the EU that the British parliament would support, the paper reported late on 21 February citing a letter.

"Whilst we fully expect some changes to the backstop arrangements to be made by ministers in Brussels this week, there remains a chance that these will not satisfy some colleagues. Numerous members of our group have alerted us to their intention [should rejection of the deal look likely] to get behind amendments that are planned in the name of Oliver Letwin and others and which will have the twin effect of taking no deal off the table and delaying Brexit", the letter said as quoted by The Daily Telegraph.

The letter reportedly suggests that Tory MPs be granted a free vote as a way of bypassing a mass rebellion.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking changes to the Irish backstop, the protection policy intended to avoid a hard border in Ireland, but so far talks in Brussels have failed to reach a breakthrough.