Angela Merkel’s key ally to come to London to give crushing Brexit message to May
THERESA May's hopes of a breakthrough in Brexit talks are set to be dashed today by one of Angela Merkel's key allies.
The PM wants European leaders to agree to open discussions over trade and a transitional deal at next month's crucial EU summit, and has looked to shore up support for her approach by inviting key Brussels influencers in for talks.
Today it is the turn of Manfred Weber, leader of the European Parliament's largest party, the centre-right EPP group.
He will arrive in Downing Street to discuss the state of Brexit negotiations - but has warned the Prime Minister is likely to be disappointed with what he has to say.
Before departing for London, he told reporters in Strasbourg: "In the coming weeks we will see whether a constructive outcome is possible or whether the uncertainties continue to grow.
"In December it doesn't look like as if we are going to be entering into the second phase."
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He added: "But the clock is ticking. In spring 2019 Britain will leave.
"We need to warn the British government and call on them to put proposals on the table.”
Meanwhile, the Commons will continue its line-by-line scrutiny of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill after a first day which saw mounting evidence of Tory unrest about Mrs May's approach to Brexit.
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The Prime Minister was put on notice that she will face a revolt over moves to enshrine the date of Brexit in law, with former Cabinet minister Ken Clarke calling the proposal "ridiculous and unnecessary", adding: "It could be positively harmful to the national interest."
Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve told MPs that no amount of "arm twisting" would make him vote for the amendment which sets the UK's departure from the EU at 11pm March 29, 2019.
Tempers frayed after Bernard Jenkin said any MPs who did not want to fix the Brexit date are "open to the charge that they don't want us to leave the European Union", prompting fellow senior Tory Anna Soubry to label him a "disgrace".
In December it doesn't look like as if we are going to be entering into the second phase.
Ms Soubry also hit out at a Daily Telegraph front page labelling her, Mr Clarke, Mr Grieve and 12 other prominent Tory critics of the legislation "the Brexit mutineers".
It was a "blatant piece of bullying that goes to the very heart of democracy", she said, although she said she viewed it as a "badge of honour".
Brexit Minister Steve Baker said: "I regret any media attempts to divide our party.
"My Parliamentary colleagues have sincere suggestions to improve the Bill which we are working through and I respect them for that."
The amendment fixing the date of Brexit will not be voted on until next month at the earliest, and the Government survived the early skirmishes in the battle to get the so-called repeal bill through the Commons.
A series of attempts to rewrite the legislation were seen off with Government majorities ranging from 20 to 266.
