Pro-European Tory MPs handed Theresa May a stay of execution last night after they signalled that they would not use a crunch vote to demand that Britain remain in a customs union with Europe. In a compromise brokered after hours of talks, a leading Tory rebel said that she would drop her support for a Lords amendment to the government’s flagship Brexit bill that would force ministers to negotiate a customs union with Brussels. Instead, a fresh amendment is expected to be tabled — backed by the rebels — that will commit Britain to negotiating a new customs “arrangement” with the EU. However, in a sign that the compromise had only bought time for the government, Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary, said that pro-Europeans
The UK government is set to table a fresh amendment to the Withdrawal Bill, calling for the country to be a part of a customs agreement, rather than a customs union with the EU. A spokesman said it was "likely" that MPs would vote against any deal which did not include an agreement on tariffs. Former education secretary Nicky Morgan said the compromise had bought prime minister Theresa May some "breathing space", but warned pro-EU MPs could still vote against her in future.