Brexit: Ex-minister Guto Bebb says PM puts party before country

Guto Bebb said Brexiteers had "repaid" Theresa May for concessions by voting against her

A former Tory Wales Office minister has accused Theresa May of putting the party's political interest ahead of the country in the Brexit talks.

Guto Bebb said her strategy was "truly concerning".

The prime minister hopes to win over Tory Brexiteer MPs and the DUP, by resolving their concerns over the "backstop" plan for the Irish border.

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said Mrs May was prepared to shift her position to get a deal with the EU.

Aberconwy Conservative MP Mr Bebb, who resigned as a defence minister over a vote on Brexit in 2018, said Mrs May had given too much ground to the pro-Brexit European Research Group.

Her Brexit deal was defeated by a record majority of 230 in the Commons last week.

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Mr Bebb said: "I think the prime minister is clearly in danger of allowing people to claim that she is putting party before country.

"The strategy now being pursued by the prime minister is more about Conservative party unity in the long term than what is the right thing to do about the British and Welsh economy.

"I think that is truly concerning for somebody such as myself."

Mr Bebb, who supported Remain in the referendum, accused the prime minister of conceding ground to Tory Brexiteers "time and time again", adding: "They have repaid that by actually voting against her, staging an attempted coup against her leadership, voting down her deal last week.

"So I do genuinely ask myself why does the prime minister not see that she can never give them enough unless she goes for a no-deal."

'Thread of agreement'

On Monday Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said the government was "focused on getting a deal".

"The PM is prepared to shift her position in light of the defeat last week, but we also expect the EU to look pragmatically at reasonable proposals that we plan to come up with having engaged cross-party on this basis," he said.

"We all recognise, be it those remainers or those who want to honour the outcome of the referendum, that the best way to do that is by getting a deal.

"It's what business wants, it's what the majority of the House of Commons want and it's what the EU want.

"There is a thread of agreement and we believe we can get there - that will satisfy the House of Commons as well as the EU as well as resolve the backstop challenge.

"There will need to be shifts and we expect everyone to work pragmatically in order to come to that position."