(Bloomberg) -- U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s government was said to be in last-minute talks with rebels in her Conservative Party ahead of a knife-edge vote on how much power Parliament should have to direct Brexit talks.
Oliver Letwin, a senior Conservative and former minister, is trying to broker a deal, according to a person familiar with the talks who declined to be identified. He would need to address the government’s concerns about an amendment to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill while satisfying Tory rebels who want to give Parliament a bigger say on the final Brexit deal. It could involve public statements from both sides.
A government spokesman told reporters that the government isn’t willing to compromise and cannot accept an amendable motion. May has been talking to rebels to try to win them over to her side, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Meanwhile government whips were pushing a hard line on the vote itself, likely to come around 3.30 p.m. According to another person, the Conservatives have said that the usual agreement that allows very sick lawmakers to have their votes counted so long as they are on the premises, even if they’re in an ambulance, won’t apply.
To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flavia Krause-Jackson at fjackson@bloomberg.net, Emma Ross-Thomas
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