Theresa May should ‘look closely’ at customs union Brexit if MPs back it, says cabinet minister

Theresa May would need to look "very closely" at a customs union Brexit if parliament voted for it, a cabinet minister has said.

Parliament is due to hold another round of indicative votes on Monday after MPs rejected the Prime Minister's withdrawal agreement for a third time on Friday.

At the last showing of indicative votes, where MPs signal their preferences for alternative Brexit options, a proposal by father of the House Ken Clarke for some form of a customs-union based arrangement just fell short of reaching a majority.

Justice secretary David Gauke told the BBC that the government will have to consider "very carefully the will of parliament".

"My view is that the best outcome is the Prime Minister's deal, but If the Prime Minister's deal is not the favoured outcome of parliament then ]we would need to consider what it would want to do."

When asked whether May would have to go back to the EU to negotiate a customs union if MPs voted for it, Gauke said: “I think she would need to look very closely at that.

“If parliament is voting overwhelmingly against leaving the European Union without a deal but is voting in favour of a softer Brexit, then I don’t think it is sustainable to say we will ignore parliament’s position and leave without a deal.”

After Friday's defeat, the Prime Minister is weighing up her options, including holding another meaningful vote on her deal or possibly a general election to break the deadlock.

Brexiter cabinet ministers have warned her they will resign if she moves towards a customs-union type "soft" Brexit, while their Remain counterparts have threatened the same action if she pursues a no-deal Brexit.

Labour's Tom Watson said the situation meant they had been put on "election footing" by leader Jeremy Corbyn. 

The deputy leader said a second referendum was the "only way we can bring the country back together now".