
May told to name date she will go: tories face euro election backlash
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The Prime Minister is expected to face fresh demands to set out details of her departure when she meets the 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers on Thursday. Mrs May told them in March that
she would quit after securing her EU divorce deal, which was defeated in the Commons. Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady expects Thursday's meeting to lead to a "clear
understanding" of Mrs May's timetable. But a No 10 source said: "People who want to see new leadership should vote for the Bill, get us out of the EU and then the leadership
contest can begin." Meanwhile, Brexit talks with Labour resume today with government sources insisting a deal could be reached and dismissing "doommongering" critics. But
sacked former defence secretary Gavin Williamson said the talks were a "grave mistake" and senior Tories said they expected them to "peter out" in days. Education
Secretary Damian Hinds said the Tories would be punished for the Brexit chaos in the May 23 European vote, which prisons minister Robert Buckland said would be a "giant opinion poll as
to the merits of Brexit". Mr Hinds said: "In a sense for some people, it [the European elections] is a second referendum." Mr Williamson, sacked by Mrs May over a security
leak, accused her of being "politically naive" and insisted doing a deal with Labour "is destined to fail". He said: "These talks are fruitless and not only will
they not deliver the Brexit that people voted for, they are a betrayal of the direct instructions the people gave us in 2016 and 2017. "Even if Labour do a deal, break bread with the
Prime Minister and announce that both parties have reached an agreement, it can only ever end in tears. The Labour Party does not exist to help the Conservative Party. Jeremy Corbyn will do
all he can to divide, disrupt and frustrate the Conservatives in the hope of bringing down the Government." A government source said yesterday: "The very fact we are having the
talks on Monday shows the doom-mongering reports aren't right. We are still talking to each other." Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "It's not getting very
far, but we are still engaging in those negotiations in good faith." The latest polls say Nigel Farage's Brexit Party will be victorious on May 23, when the UK elects 73 MEPs to
the European Parliament. Two separate studies have the Tories trailing in fourth place, behind Labour and the Lib Dems. Many Tory grassroots supporters and councillors have indicated they
plan to back the Brexit Party and some MPs have refused to say how they will vote.