BORIS Johnson’s team believe he has the numbers to win a Brexit vote this week, it emerged today.
After Super Saturday flopped yesterday following a Tory rebel plot, the House of Commons has yet to hold a vote on the PM’s new deal.
Instead Boris had to write a letter last night to formally ask for a Brexit extension, though he later made clear in two other letters he didn’t really want one.
The EU has said they will give Boris a 48-hour lifeline to see if he can win a vote in the Commons before they consider a third delay.
The PM now faces a huge battle to deliver his Brexit Parliament this week.
Only when all of it goes through both the Commons and the Lords and gets rubber stamped by the Queen can he finally deliver our EU exit by the end of October.
Around 25 MPs are thought to still be undecided or have not confirmed which they will vote.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC this morning: “We seem to have the numbers in the House of Commons.”
A fragile coalition of Labour Leavers and Tory Eurosceptics which has emerged in the last 48 hours could push it over the line, he said.
In theory Boris now has a fighting chance of getting Brexit done on October 31 as he has repeatedly promised.
No10 wants to try and hold a meaningful vote in the Commons tomorrow, but it will be up to Speaker Bercow whether to allow it.
The legislation will likely come to the House on Tuesday for a crunch vote on the second reading which would finally give the green light to Brexit.
Michael Gove, the Cabinet office minister, said he believed it was still possible to leave on time.
He said today: “We are going to leave by October 31,” he told Sky News.
“We have the means and ability to do so.
“I think the mood in the country is clear and the Prime Minister’s determination is absolute.”
Most of Labour, the SNP, Lib Dems, DUP and a handful of independents are set to vote it down next week.
Any vote is likely to be incredibly close as the PM has no working majority in the Commons.
Boris will then face an even bigger battle to make sure it gets through with as few amendments as possible attached.
Sir Keir Starmer has already confirmed Labour has plans to try and tack dozens of changes on it, like making the deal conditional on a second referendum, or trying to tie Britain into a close relationship with the EU forever.
The DUP have said they will look carefully at the amendments in a threat that they will vote for them.
The party’s 10 MPs have been crucial in the Brexit process so far, and could derail Boris’ hopes of securing a deal.
Ex-Tory rebel Amber Rudd today revealed she would back Boris’ deal when it comes forward.
She told Sky: “I support the Prime Minister’s deal and I have told him I will support it next week.”
Labour’s Lucy Powell said the deal was “now likely to pass” and added that the next few days and weeks are “out final chance to shape Brexit”.
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