Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team Theresa May and David Davis at odds over ‘backstop’ plan for avoiding a hard Irish border… Theresa May is facing a battle to keep her Brexit secretary David Davis on side after pushing a plan to keep some of the main elements of Britain’s relationship with the EU following Brexit. The decision to circulate details of the “backstop” plan yesterday morning puts the prime minister in direct conflict with Mr Davis, Boris Johnson and other Brexiteers, in one of the most dramatic showdowns of the past two years. Number 10 is understood to be scrambling to get Mr Davis back on side ahead of likely publication tomorrow morning. – The Times (£) One friend of Mr Davis last night said he was ready to resign over the issue. ‘Don’t put money on the fact he is still going to be in that job this time tomorrow,’ he said. Last night he held inconclusive private talks with Theresa May that were described as ‘very difficult’. ‘It was a very stern conversation on both sides,’ one source said. Contingency arrangements were being put in place last night for Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley to present the plan if Mr Davis refuses. A walkout by the Brexit Secretary could spark a vote of no confidence in Mrs May within days. Mr Davis’s intervention threw Downing Street into turmoil. He publicly suggested the new plans would have to be signed off by a meeting of Mrs May’s Brexit ‘war cabinet’ today. ‘The detail of this is being discussed at the moment,’ he said. ‘It would be improper of me to pre-empt the negotiation but I suspect it will be fairly decisive tomorrow.’ – Daily Mail Again, therefore, No 10 has had to row back because it either didn’t fully understand the level of unhappiness inside cabinet, or because they were aware of it but believed they could push on regardless – because the imperative of cracking on with the Brexit process is more important than political sensitivities at home. Brexiteers on the Tory benches would have been likely to erupt at the current proposal with no end date. So, if David Davis’ desires can be as one source suggested “managed” tomorrow, his fury may have avoided a wider revolt. – Laura Kuenssberg for BBC News Theresa May and David Davis locked in stand-off – The Sun David Davis refuses to front Theresa May’s Brexit backstop amid fears it will tie UK to EU ‘indefinitely’ – Telegraph (£) David Davis goes off-script on Irish border plans – Politico DD-Day? – Paul Goodman for ConservativeHome Will David Davis resign tomorrow? I would not bet against it – Robert Peston for The Spectator …as other Cabinet Brexiteers threaten revolt amid fears it will tie the UK to the EU ‘indefinitely’… Theresa May is facing a revolt from Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers after disclosing plans which they fear could keep Britain tied to the Customs Union “indefinitely” after Brexit. The Prime Minister has this morning shared with her Brexit war cabinet a note detailing her plans for an “Irish backstop” in the event that customs arrangements are still not resolved after 2021. The note has infuriated Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers because the legal text that is being sent to Brussels does not state when the backstop will come to an end. – Telegraph (£) Brexiteers claim Theresa May’s Northern Ireland plans would cause ‘Hotel California Brexit’ where we would never really leave – The Sun UK’s ‘backstop’ customs plan to be revealed – BBC News Even hardline Brexiteers should be worried now – Iain Martin for The Times (£) An Irish backstop and a customs union will never be the Brexit that people voted for – Owen Paterson for the Telegraph (£) …after Theresa May is accused of deceiving ministers over Brexit Brexiteers accused Theresa May of deception last night after Eurosceptic cabinet members were kept in the dark over a key negotiation document until hours before it was due to be published. The prime minister shared a blueprint for avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland with leading Remain-supporting cabinet ministers at the weekend, days before giving it to Boris Johnson, Liam Fox and Michael Gove. The “backstop” plan is opposed by Brexiteers because it commits the whole of the UK to elements of the customs union if London and Brussels cannot agree a deal on border controls for goods. Philip Hammond, the chancellor, and Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland secretary, were among those to see the four-page paper early as was David Davis, who saw the document as Brexit secretary. – The Times (£) Government agrees to split next week’s Commons Brexit Bill debate over two days… The Government has agreed to split the crunch Commons debate on Brexit over two days after fury at the original plan to hold 15 votes in a single day. The Tory chief whip Julian Smith told MPs they will still only get 12 hours to discuss the amendments made by the Lords to Theresa May’s flagship legislation – but Parliament will now not being sitting until gone midnight next Tuesday. Among the amendments to the EU withdrawal bill be voted on are motions to keep Britain tied to the single market and customs union after Brexit, as well as enshrining EU human rights law in UK statute. The Prime Minister faces potential defeat on some of them as pro-EU Tory rebels threaten to vote with Labour and tie her hands. This afternoon several of the most prominent pro-EU Tories, Ken Clarke, Anna Soubry, Dominic Grieve and Antoinette Sandbach were seen arriving in Downing Street for talks in Number 10. – The Sun …while Michael Gove signals first climbdown over replacements for EU environment laws… Michael Gove yesterday signalled the first Government climbdown on its landmark Brexit bill – over green standards. Speaking in London, the Environment Secretary said he would table new proposals for replacing EU environment protections after the Lords last month voted down original plans. The vote was one of 15 Lords defeats for the Government over its EU Withdrawal Bill and sparked a bitter Cabinet dust-up. At the time a furious Mr Gove blamed “short-sighted” Philip Hammond for the defeat – saying he had blocked plans to give a post-Brexit watchdog the power to impose fines if the Government or councils fail to cut pollution or boost recycling.- The Sun …as rebel MPs push for a change of course on Brexit Rebel MPs are pushing for the government to change course on Brexit and negotiate an agreement that would keep Britain in the EU’s single market. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have rejected staying in the European Economic Area (EEA), but supporters of a Norway-style agreement say it would protect jobs and businesses. Brexit legislation will return to the Commons next week, setting up a parliamentary showdown on the UK’s European exit. It comes after the Lords inflicted 15 defeats on the EU Withdrawal Bill, which the government will attempt to overturn during a marathon Commons debate on Tuesday. Both Labour and the Conservatives are divided on Brexit, with disquiet in Mr Corbyn’s party over an amendment tabled by shadow cabinet ministers which stops short of backing EEA membership. – Sky News The Brexit vote will be defined by chaos and deadlock – Rachel Cunliffe for City A.M. Jeremy Corbyn taunts May over Brexit delays at PMQs… Jeremy Corbyn has compared the government’s Brexit strategy to the chaos on Britain’s railways. The Labour leader said there have been “more Brexit delays than Northern Rail” and asked Theresa May to confirm whether the government’s Brexit white paper will be published before MPs vote on the EU withdrawal bill next Thursday. But despite facing repeated calls from Mr Corbyn other Labour MPs during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) to name a date, Mrs May refused to confirm when the negotiating strategy will be published. It was widely concluded that Wednesday’s PMQs was one of the worst for Mrs May in months and one of the best for Mr Corbyn. – Sky News Jeremy Corbyn: Brexit ‘shambles like Northern Rail’ – BBC News Theresa May derailed by Brexit as Jeremy Corbyn enjoys easy ride bashing the PM on the customs union chaos – The Sun PM sidesteps questions on publication of Brexit strategy – Reuters …as he is attacked by his own MPs over Brexit… Jeremy Corbyn was attacked by dozens of Labour MPs on Wednesday after ruling out any support for membership of the European Economic Area. On Tuesday, the Labour party decided against a challenge to the government over membership of the EEA after Brexit, which would see the UK adopt the “Norway model” in order to maintain participation in the EU’s single market. The issue will be voted on next week as parliament considers 15 amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill, the main piece of Brexit legislation, proposed by the House of Lords. – FT (£) Jeremy Corbyn faces Labour rebellion over Brexit shift – The Times (£) …while Sir Keir Starmer claims Labour is united on Brexit amendments Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has told Today that Labour is “virtually” all united on next week’s Brexit Bill amendments.The party is tabling its own amendment to the Brexit Bill which would call on the government to make maintaining “full access” to the EU internal market an objective of the negotiations with Brussels. The move stops just short of calling for the full single market membership sought by a vocal group of Labour MPs after the House of Lords backed a Norway style membership of the European Economic Area. – BBC News Labour’s Brexit chief Keir Starmer admits party’s MPs are split over whether to join the EEA – The Sun Labour’s four Brexit tribes – The Times (£) Labour must come clean – The Times editorial (£) Davis accuses the EU of ‘shooting itself in the foot just to prove the gun works’ by weakening post-Brexit security ties David Davis has accused the EU of “shooting itself in the foot just to prove the gun works” by weakening security ties after Brexit. In a speech on his vision for Britain’s post-Brexit security partnership he warned the EU that any attempt to punish us by cutting us out of key programmes would not only make British citizens less safe but would also end up harming the whole of Europe.The Brexit Secretary attacked Brussels over the threat to kick Britain out of the key Galileo satellite programme that the UK helped to pay for. Brussels has gone ahead with choosing the next batch of satellites neutralising Britain’s threat to freeze the procurement stage until a deal is struck to keep the partnership in place. – The Sun David Davis accuses EU of legalistic approach to post-Brexit security – Politico EU fraud watchdog issues fierce criticism of UK customs The EU’s fraud watchdog has issued a stinging critique of fraud prevention in UK customs processes in its annual report, accusing the UK of being a magnet for fraudsters. The tough language comes just days after logistics and port chiefs have said that technological solutions could not be ready by March 2019 and that they did not understand what Brexit means. It also follows criticism from the DUP, who called Prime Minister Theresa May’s plans for customs post-Brexit “half-cooked”. One major case involved a vast fraud network in which Chinese goods were being passed through customs at ports without the correct amount of duty being paid. – Telegraph (£) Brussels starts countdown to sideline Britain from Galileo The European Union has taken the first step to creating its own space agency that would sideline Britain after Brexit and seal the control of Brussels over civil and military satellite systems such as Galileo. The power grab comes as the European Commission uses Brexit to push Britain to the margins of Europe’s satellite industry, which is increasingly significant for military and commercial uses. David Davis, the Brexit secretary, yesterday accused the EU of putting dogma before security by pushing Britain out of the Galileo satellite programme, with military capabilities Britain had helped pay for and design. “The commission’s position seems to be shooting itself in the foot just to prove the gun works,” he said. – The Times (£) Owen Paterson: An Irish backstop and a customs union will never be the Brexit that people voted for There is an attitude among Remainers that regards the EU’s customs union as a comforting thing. It is, they seem to think, a benign economic version of Nato, keeping us safely inside a warm embrace. Of course it is nothing of the kind. Any benefits of “frictionless” trade with the EU are completely negated by its own protectionist barriers. Goods sold within the EU are 20 per cent more expensive on average than market prices outside, because tariff walls allow internal producers to bump up their prices. – Owen Paterson MP for the Telegraph (£) Iain Duncan Smith: If the EU won’t talk about trade, we must leave the table Fourteen months on from triggering Article 50, we still haven’t discussed the vital trade relationship between Britain and the EU. Though British negotiators have sought mutually beneficial arrangements, it has become clear that’s not what the EU intended. The actions of Juncker and Barnier, who have gratuitously rebuffed the UK, tell us all we need to know. From Galileo to the Horizon projects, their behaviour is calculated to give maximum offence. Even the UK’s offer of defence intelligence co-operation, which the EU needs, has been ridiculed. Yet if we have been surprised, it is our fault. – Iain Duncan Smith MP for The Times (£) James Forsyth: Why the Brexit backstop is causing trouble The government’s proposal for a UK-wide backstop will not contain an end date. This, as the Times’ Sam Coates points out, is bound to be controversial. For if the backstop contains no end date, it could end up running indefinitely. Indeed, with the UK in a customs union and having to follow EU rules on goods and agriculture, it is hard to see what incentive the EU would have to discuss a trade deal. After all, what would be left to discuss would be services: where the UK has a £92 billion surplus.There is a meeting of the Brexit inner Cabinet tomorrow.- James Forsyth for The Spectator John Redwood: Crunch time for Brexit he Commons when it votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill has a simple decision to make. Will it take back control, as the majority wish, or will it seek to perpetuate the Puppet Parliament we have lived with for many years? Will it side with the people, or with the peers? Does it understand the democratic mandate of the Referendum and the last general election, or does it think the EU and its most fanatic supporters are right to ignore such votes, to govern on with ears closed to the views of the voters? The attitude of the Lords majority is sad to listen to. So many of them who allowed or encouraged the surrender of so much of our power of self government to Brussels have been fighting a rearguard action against reclaiming our right to democratic self government. These people do not even have the excuse that they sold our freedoms for a good price. – John Redwood MP for The Commentator Gavin Ashenden: It was a terrible error of judgment for Justin Welby to publicly embrace EU utopianism There is a convention that clergy don’t speak out on political matters where their “flock” or constituency reflect both sides of the argument. It’s a sensible one and has saved many an Archbishop from unnecessary humiliation and risking national disrespect. Although those who lean to the Left find the temptation too hard to overcome sometimes, ignoring this convention suggests one of three things: that you think you have a hot-line to God (not impossible but unlikely); that you believe your own personal political judgment is beyond criticism; or that you seriously disrespect your political opponents and their views. – Gavin Ashenden for the Telegraph (£) Sadiq Khan: Politicians must stand up for Britain’s post-Brexit future It is almost two years since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Since the referendum, it is fair to say that the government’s Brexit strategy has been characterised by confusion, indecision, and political infighting – and that’s to put it mildly. With the clock ticking ahead of our scheduled exit in March, we are now approaching an absolutely crucial period if we are to protect London and the UK’s prosperity – and avoid a Brexit scenario that costs jobs, harms investment, and does long-lasting damage to our whole country. – Sadiq Khan for City A.M. Comment in brief Weep for Brexit: the British dash for independence has failed – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard for the Telegraph (£) Brexit talks are headed for a summer crisis – Nick Timothy for The Telegraph (£) Brexit and a pig’s ear – Peter Divey for CommentCentral EU should back Trump in a trade war with China – Tim Newark for the Express Today’s Brexit chaos is only the beginning: debate about the EU will be with us always – Tom Harris for the Telegraph (£) The tale of the Brexiteer TV repairman and the FBPE campaigner – Iain Martin for Reaction Netanyahu is in Britain. And the Duke of Cambridge will visit Israel – a sign that the two countries are drawing even closer. – Sir Eric Pickles for ConservativeHome May’s own troops voice their discontent about her Brexit paralysis – Andrew Gimson for ConservativeHome Labour’s Brexit strategy gets picked apart – Steerpike for The Spectator Corbyn trolls his own pro-EU backbenchers over the EEA, while seeking to pick his battles on the Withdrawal Bill – Mark Wallace for ConservativeHome Even our Brexit negotiators have given up – Walter Ellis for Reaction Brexit is an investment opportunity – Rob Lee on Briefings for Brexit News in brief Insurers told no softening of EU insurance rule due to Brexit uncertainty – Telegraph (£) UK cars ‘won’t qualify for free trade deals’ post-Brexit – Sky News EU faces Poland test – Politico Boris Johnson and Philip Hammond demand British companies are spared from effects of US sanctions against Iran – The Sun European leaders are warning businesses on the continent not to use British parts in their goods after Brexit – The Sun Britons may lose cap on EU phone bills after Brexit – Sky News