Furious Conservative MPs say to May: we will block the Brexit election | Policy

Conservative MPs across the party are threatening to reject Theresa May's attempt to lead early elections, warning that it would divide the Conservatives and exacerbate the Brexit crisis.

Demonstrating the collapse of the prime minister's leadership, the ministers are among those who warn Conservative MPs will lead a serious campaign to vote against an election presided by May, a decision she has hinted last week to break the stalemate Brexit.

The threat of an election immediately angered pro-Brexit and Pro-Rest MPs. May would need a two-thirds majority in the Commons to get one, which means that a serious Tories rebellion could block it. May would then be forced to ensure elections by supporting a vote of no confidence in his own government, which only requires a simple majority of deputies.

Foreign Minister Alan Duncan said, "If we have a general election before the Brexit resolution, it will only make things worse."

Antoinette Sandbach, a Conservative MP who supports another referendum on any agreement reached by Parliament, said she would vote against the election call. "The answer is not a general election and I will vote against it. We must find a way forward in Parliament and then submit it to the people in a confirmation referendum. "

Mark Francois, a member of the European research group of pro-Brexit MPs, said there was "no chance" that conservative MPs would back elections in May. "Of course they would not do it – not after the last time. And remember, she needs a super majority to do it. "

While the Conservative leadership contenders were already planning their way to replace May before another dangerous week for his premiership, it became clear that:

• The pro-Brexit ministers threaten to resign when they agree in May to adopt a permanent customs union with the EU this week.

• A new group of moderate conservatives, led by Amber Rudd, is being organized to try to prevent the party from moving further right under a new leader.

• Several other conservatives are willing to support the idea of ​​a referendum on any agreement eventually pbaded by Parliament.

Another highly unpredictable week could see the Parliament compel May to adopt a flexible Brexit and another attempt to pbad his contract. More than 100 Conservative MPs also signed a letter calling in May to exclude an extension of Britain's membership of the European Union, even if it meant supporting a Brexit without agreement.

At the same time, Deputy Labor Party leader Tom Watson said his party should "join" the European elections on May 23 in the case of an extension of Brexit, reaffirming the Labor Party's commitment to organize a referendum to confirm any agreement reached by Parliament.

"We now have until April 12 to either agree on a new path to a viable agreement on Brexit, with an extension of Article 50 that involves participating in the European elections, or else failing without any agreement, "he wrote on theguardian.com. "I think that Labor should accept the European elections, just as we should welcome the holding of a general election likely to eliminate this broken government. If we oppose a positive Brexit policy and say that any final agreement must be delivered to citizens, I am confident that the Labor Party can win. "

He added: "Local parties have already raised funds to finance the campaign and I asked our CEN [National Executive Committee] develop a plan to involve grbadroots members in the selection of candidates. "

Government ministers are now openly considering a significant delay or the absence of Brexit to avoid falls. Caroline Nokes, the Minister of Immigration, wrote to an elector that May's agreement "is dead". She added, "There are tough choices. For me, this must go in the direction of a long extension of Article 50 and / or the absence of Brexit rather than collapse. "

Some ministers now want to vote for a less binding Brexit in a new round of indicative votes on the Brexit options on Monday. May is ready to talk Sunday with his office. When the process took place last week, the firm was forced to abstain.

Giving the cabinet the right to vote could be enough to secure a majority for a permanent customs union with the EU – a plan that would prevent Britain from signing its own trade agreements but would solve many border problems.

May appeared to suggest to deputies on Friday that she could call an election if her agreement on Brexit was not pbaded, claiming that Parliament "was reaching the limits of this process". However, several influential Conservative figures and ministers have said that there is a high risk that Conservative MPs will vote against an election led by May.

A minister said he believed many Conservatives would vote against an election, adding that other parties, such as the newly formed British group Change, would also oppose it.

Nigel Evans, executive secretary of the 1922 Conservative Simple House Committee, said an election was a terrible idea that the cabinet would block. "I do not think the cabinet would allow him to do it," he said. "Theresa May can not start an election, she can not be the leader who will take us there. The party would not tolerate him.

Former Foreign Minister Alistair Burt, who resigned last week after voting for the MPs' takeover of the Brexit process, also made it clear that he was strongly opposed to early elections: the current situation of the country. "

Another minister said that this would only "aggravate the chaos". An influential Conservative said, "How many Conservative MPs would really want May to fight for another election? Twenty? Half of the cabinet would be against the idea. A very large number would vote against it.

However, other conservatives have predicted that if feelings were high, May would be able to get enough support for an election if she decided to appeal one. "It's not a good look for a MP to avoid his electorate," said a former minister. Another opposition MP said, "We would have the honor to vote for her."

An opinion poll for the Observer reveals that May's lead over Jeremy Corbyn, who would be the best prime minister, has been halved since last month, from 15 to 7 points. When Conservative leadership contenders clashed in Corbyn, Boris Johnson was the only one to have a lead over the Labor leader. A quarter of voters (25%) thought Johnson would be the best prime minister, compared to 24% for Corbyn.