Theresa May's 'bold offer' on Brexit dismissed even before it's made public

Britain's Prime Minster Theresa May leaves after speaking at a EU election campaign event in Bristol. Photo / AP

British Prime Minister Theresa May's final attempt to get a Brexit deal through Parliament appears doomed after a leaked document suggested it was nothing more than a "retread" of old ideas.

May claims she has a "bold offer" to put to MPs next month, but it is said to contain nothing new on customs arrangements and retains the controversial Northern Irish backstop.

To stand any chance of winning the vote, May must persuade Brexiteer Tory MPs who opposed her deal in the previous three votes to change their minds. However, leading Eurosceptics said there was "nothing new" to tempt them.

If May loses the vote in the first week of June, she will be expected to announce her resignation plans immediately and call a leadership election to find her replacement.

Boris Johnson, the favourite to replace May, is being given daily advice by Tory election guru Sir Lynton Crosby, who helped Scott Morrison, Australia's Prime Minister, to a "miracle" win at the weekend.

Other candidates are also ramping up their campaigns with speeches this week.

May announced yesterday that the withdrawal agreement bill, the legislation needed for Britain to leave the EU with a deal, would "represent a new, bold offer to MPs across the House of Commons, with an improved package of measures that I believe can win new support".

But a five-page summary sent to the Cabinet last week appeared to contain no new ideas.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been involved in unsuccessful cross-party talks, said nothing he had heard "leads me to believe it's fundamentally any different" from previous Brexit offers.

- AP