May orders divided government to boycott indicative votes on Brexit | Policy

Theresa May's cabinet ministers at war will once again be asked to boycott Monday evening's tentative votes, as MPs try a second time to regroup around an alternative to its Brexit deal.

The prime minister had suggested that she "engage constructively" in the indicative vote process, set up by a group of multiparty MPs led by former Conservative minister Sir Oliver Letwin.

But sources on Downing Street have confirmed that the government would bring Conservative MPs to oppose the business motion that cancels Monday's votes.

Backbenchers and deputy ministers will then be allowed to vote freely on the various options being considered, which should include a customs union, a "common market 2.0" agreement similar to that of Norway, and a referendum.

The deeply divided cabinet, which Julian Smith, May's chief bad, described in an interview with the BBC on Monday as "the worst example of bad discipline by the government in British political history," will be advised of do not vote.

Asked about Smith's comments, May's spokeswoman said she continued to trust her chief bad. "I will leave it to historians to judge history," he said.

Smith suggested that the government should have been clearer following the 2017 general election, that he should look to a more flexible agreement on Brexit in order to constitute a majority in the suspended parliament.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said that "the Brexit soft" was "not a terminology that the Prime Minister has never used," but stressed his persistent objections to what Britain continues to be part of a customs union.

If MEPs are in favor of closer trade relations with the EU, the Prime Minister will have to make a decisive choice as to the acceptance and implementation of this decision.

Her spokeswoman declined to say what she would do, but stressed the government's persistent opposition to a customs union.

"She has repeatedly stated that she believes it is important for the UK to have its own trade policy," he said.

Many Brexiters on the benches of the Conservatives, including in the Cabinet, fiercely oppose the acceptance of a customs union. Vice President of the European Research Group, Steve Baker, told BBC Politics Live on Monday that he would not stop voting against the government on a motion of censure, if May subscribed to the policy.

"I think it would really break the party. I've already said that before. I'm not sure what will happen … It would be a flagrant violation of our promises about our manifesto, "he said.

Stressing whether he could support a motion of censure in these circumstances, he said: "At this point, I can not foresee any circumstances when, as a Conservative MP, I voted against the government. in a motion of confidence. But we are approaching the point where the stakes are now so important and thus transcending party politics and the raison d'être of this country, and the fundamental British value that political power rests on consent, that I think these questions are on the table. "

Downing Street hinted that it would be up to the cabinet, at its weekly meeting, to decide what to do if, as expected, MPs favored a moderate deal on Monday.

Government sources, however, have hinted that May could still aim to reach Parliament for the fourth time on Wednesday – as Letwin and his colleagues plan to set aside another day of parliamentary work, potentially to pbad legislation implementing the result of Monday's votes.

The prime minister warned MPs last Friday when her agreement was rejected by MPs: "I'm afraid we're reaching the limits of this process in this House," but we did not know exactly how she was hoping proceed.