"Many Photos" - Mark Francois says Olly Robbins should be taken to the Tower of London over Brexit

Jacob Rees-Mogg today said there is 'hope' Theresa May's deal can win the backing of her warring Tory MPs - if she tears up the hated Irish backstop.

Brexit-backing Tories have been striking a more conciliatory tone ahead of next Tuesday's crunch vote, when MPs will vote on various Brexit plans.

But signs Brexit hardliners and the DUP could finally back the PM's plan could come too late for No10 as Remainer MPs and Labour are plotting for the Commons to seize control of the talks. 

Labour has signalled it will back Yvette Cooper's amendment to take control of the parliamentary timetable so MPs can extend Article 50 until the end of the year.

Although Tory MP Andrew Murrison has also tabled an amendment which he hopes will win Brexiteer backing, stating that the backstop must end on 31 December 2021. 

Downing Street hopes that if the Murrison amendment is passed then it will pile pressure on the EU to finally time limit the backstop - and give Mrs May's Brexit deal a chance of being passed. 

Mr Rees-Mogg, chairman of the Tory Brexit-backing European Research Group, said: 'I think there is hope that there could be reformation of this deal to make it more acceptable. 

But we are not there yet. But we will not abandon our friends in the DUP.' 

He added:  'As long as the backstop is there, I will not vote for this deal.' 

Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured in London today) launched a fresh demand for the hated Irish backstop to be torn up for any Brexit deal to pass

Mrs May is holding meetings with Tory MPs today as she desperately tries to drum up support for her Brexit Plan B after her original deal was overwhelmingly defeated.  

Meanwhile a leading Tory Brexiteer today called for Britain's chief negotiator Olly Robbins to be sent to the Tower of London for colluding with the EU.

Tory MP Mark Francois accused the senior civil servant of 'colluding' with Brussels to try to keep Britain in the EU.

Tory MP calls for Olly Robbins to be sent to the Tower of London for colluding with the EU 

Meanwhile a leading Tory Brexiteer today called for Britain's chief negotiator Olly Robbins to be sent to the Tower of London for colluding with the EU.

Tory MP Mark Francois accused the senior civil servant of 'colluding' with Brussels to try to keep Britain in the EU.

In an interview with the ConHome website, Mr Francois accused 'the establishment' of trying to thwart the Brexit referendum result.

He said: 'And we have civil servants like Ollie Robbins who are very pro-EU, who have never wanted us to leave, and have done everything in their power, including colluding with the European Union, to try and keep us in.

'That's why they helped to negotiate a Withdrawal Agreement that effectively does that.

'Now at the end of all this, in my personal opinion, this is not necessarily the opinion of the ERG, Mr Robbins should go to the Tower, in which case he should arrive by river. Is that pugnacious enough for you?'  

Meanwhile, Jacob Rees-Mogg today launched a fresh demand for the hated Irish backstop to be torn up for any Brexit deal to pass.

In an interview with the ConHome website, Mr Francois accused 'the establishment' of trying to thwart the Brexit referendum result.

He said: 'And we have civil servants like Ollie Robbins who are very pro-EU, who have never wanted us to leave, and have done everything in their power, including colluding with the European Union, to try and keep us in.

'That's why they helped to negotiate a Withdrawal Agreement that effectively does that.

'Now at the end of all this, in my personal opinion, this is not necessarily the opinion of the ERG, Mr Robbins should go to the Tower, in which case he should arrive by river. Is that pugnacious enough for you?'

Mr Francois, the deputy chairman of the Brexit-backing European Research Group,, also demanded that the Irish backstop is ditched altogether.

There had been signs that Tory Brexiteers were softening their stance on the P's proposed Brexit deal - hinting they could back it if the backstop is time limited or the UK can get a way to exit it unilaterally.

But he poured cold water on the assertions by saying that tweaks to the deal are not enough.

He said: 'The Prime Minister would have to ask the European Union to ditch the entire backstop. Not tweak it, but ditch it. And then in turn the EU would have to agree.

Tory MP Mark Francois  (pictured, second on the right) accused the senior civil servant Ollie Robbins of 'colluding' with Brussels to try to keep Britain in the EU

Olly Robbins (pictured in Westminster last week)  has been attacked by Tory Brexiteers over the crunch talks with the European Union 

It comes as Mr Rees-Mogg will also try to turn the screw on the PM by using a speech ths afternoon to demand the backstop is ditched.

He will say:  'The backstop doesn't work for unionists in the Tory party, or the DUP. 

'The pretence that we might ever swallow it is now over,' he will tell a meeting of the Bruges Group.

'The tough stance comes despite mounting signs that Remainers will take the first step towards delaying Brexit next week.'

Tory infighting escalated again today amid claims hardline Brexiteers are 'running down the clock' by pretending they might back Mrs May's deal.  

There are also fears the tactics were intended to toughen Mrs May's resolve to face down a Remainer plot to block the UK from crashing out of the EU in March, according to The Times.

In the wake of her deal's humiliating defeat in the Commons last week, the PM has pledged to go back to Brussels and secure more concessions on the Irish border backstop.  

Theresa May is facing another devastating blow to her Brexit strategy after Labour lined up behind a Remainer plot to rule out no deal

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said his party is 'highly likely' to support an attempt by pro-EU MPs to seize control of Parliamentary business from the government, so legislation can be passed extending the Article 50 process.

The endorsement puts Mrs May on track for another humiliating defeat when the plan comes before the Commons next week, as more than a dozen Tories have vowed to rebel. 

Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned this morning that the scheme could cause constitutional chaos, and would have a 'calamitous' effect on public faith in politics. 

An extension would need to be approved by the EU - and the bloc would likely refuse unless cancelling Brexit altogether, a referendum, or a general election is on the cards. 

Meanwhile, George Osborne has joined the attack on the government by warning that crashing out of the EU would be like playing 'Russian roulette' with the UK economy. 

 

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News Photo Mark Francois says Olly Robbins should be taken to the Tower of London over Brexit
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