THE Prime Minister could hold a snap general election if Remain-leaning MPs veto her Brexit deal.

Theresa May also talked tough to EU leaders by throwing Britain’s world-beating security and intelligence abilities on to the Article 50 negotiating table.

During her landmark Lancaster House speech, Mrs May finally bowed to MPs’ demands by pledging to give them a say on the final Brexit terms in a vote in both Houses of Parliament.

But when quizzed on whether she would allow the result to bind her and keep Britain in the EU, she would say only: “I am sure the British parliament will want to deliver on the views of the British people in respect to the democratic decision taken.”

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Ministers confirmed the Prime Minister wants to be able to call a fresh nationwide poll in 2019 to win a popular mandate for her Brexit deal, if it proves necessary.

One Cabinet minister told The Sun: “The PM knows she always has the voters up her sleeve, and she wants to keep them there.

“If Parliament tries to block the deal she has brokered and recommended, she will then go to the country.”

A source close to the PM also confirmed that a potential Brexit-deal general election would be “a political choice that would be made at the time”.

Millionaire Ukip backer Arron Banks even branded the offer of a Parliament vote a mistake by Mrs May.
Mr Banks said: “With the promise of a parliamentary vote on her deal with the EU, May has opened the door to a Remainer coup.”

But reinforcing Mrs May’s determination to complete Brexit whether there is a deal or not, the PM’s official spokeswoman added: “We are now seeking a new partnership with the EU.

“Either way, we will very clearly be leaving the EU.”

As part of her vision for a new strategic partnership, Mrs May also made a substantial offer to EU countries to enshrine in writing the significant help they already get from Britain’s security and intelligence agencies for the first time.

The PM told them: “Our intelligence capabilities — unique in Europe — have already saved countless lives in very many terrorist plots that have been thwarted in countries across our continent.

“After Brexit, Britain wants to be a good friend and neighbour in every way, and that includes defending the safety and security of all of our citizens.

“A global Britain will continue to cooperate with its European partners in important areas such as crime, terrorism and foreign affairs.”

That included British troops currently stationed in Estonia, Poland and Romania to guard against resurgent Russia continuing to “do their duty”, she added.

No10 insisted the PM did not ever intend to withdraw life-saving intelligence sharing as part of hardball talks.

It is a threat that MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger explicitly warned her against making last month.

But the UK’s major contribution to cross-European crime fighting, via institutions such as Europol, was up for grabs.

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