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| 'Meaningful vote' compromise bid dismissed by Brexiteers | 'Meaningful vote' compromise bid dismissed by Brexiteers |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A government bid to find a compromise to win over rebels before the Commons Brexit vote has run into criticism. | A government bid to find a compromise to win over rebels before the Commons Brexit vote has run into criticism. |
| A Tory backbench amendment - understood to have No 10's backing - offers MPs more of a say over the contentious issue of the Northern Ireland backstop. | A Tory backbench amendment - understood to have No 10's backing - offers MPs more of a say over the contentious issue of the Northern Ireland backstop. |
| DUP leader Arlene Foster dismissed it as "legislative tinkering" while Tory Brexiteers said it was "desperate". | DUP leader Arlene Foster dismissed it as "legislative tinkering" while Tory Brexiteers said it was "desperate". |
| Many MPs have expressed concerns about the backstop, aimed at preventing a "hard border" on the island of Ireland. | Many MPs have expressed concerns about the backstop, aimed at preventing a "hard border" on the island of Ireland. |
| It would mean Northern Ireland staying aligned to some EU rules, which many MPs say is unacceptable. | It would mean Northern Ireland staying aligned to some EU rules, which many MPs say is unacceptable. |
| The UK would also not be able to leave the backstop without EU agreement. | The UK would also not be able to leave the backstop without EU agreement. |
| Cabinet ministers are travelling around the UK on Friday as Theresa May continues to seek support for her Brexit deal. | |
| The withdrawal deal negotiated between the UK and EU has been endorsed by EU leaders but must also be backed by Parliament if it is to come into force. | The withdrawal deal negotiated between the UK and EU has been endorsed by EU leaders but must also be backed by Parliament if it is to come into force. |
| MPs will decide whether to accept it next Tuesday, but dozens of Tories are expected to reject it, as will the DUP, whose support keeps Mrs May's government in power. | MPs will decide whether to accept it next Tuesday, but dozens of Tories are expected to reject it, as will the DUP, whose support keeps Mrs May's government in power. |
| Will May's suggestion win over any Brexiteers? | Will May's suggestion win over any Brexiteers? |
| By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor | By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor |
| What Theresa May sketched out on Thursday was the idea of allowing MPs to choose when and if they want to go into the controversial "backstop" - the insurance policy against a hard border on the island of Ireland. | What Theresa May sketched out on Thursday was the idea of allowing MPs to choose when and if they want to go into the controversial "backstop" - the insurance policy against a hard border on the island of Ireland. |
| Clearly, to try to get some angry Brexiteers to change their minds, the PM is trying to give a sense that they might have more of a say. | Clearly, to try to get some angry Brexiteers to change their minds, the PM is trying to give a sense that they might have more of a say. |
| They could, as the agreement already suggests, just extend the "transition period", giving the two sides longer to come up with a free trade deal that would mean the dreaded backstop is never used. | They could, as the agreement already suggests, just extend the "transition period", giving the two sides longer to come up with a free trade deal that would mean the dreaded backstop is never used. |
| It's not surprising that MPs would have a vote on that. But Number 10 clearly hopes it will give some grumpy MPs a sense that they will have more of a say, introducing another layer of decision-making so that the backstop can be avoided. | It's not surprising that MPs would have a vote on that. But Number 10 clearly hopes it will give some grumpy MPs a sense that they will have more of a say, introducing another layer of decision-making so that the backstop can be avoided. |
| Read more from Laura here | Read more from Laura here |
| The prime minister has suggested that MPs could be "given a role" in deciding whether to activate the backstop, and on Thursday night, a Tory backbench amendment was laid down intended to do that. | The prime minister has suggested that MPs could be "given a role" in deciding whether to activate the backstop, and on Thursday night, a Tory backbench amendment was laid down intended to do that. |
| The amendment - which is understood to have government support - would also give the devolved administrations - particularly the Northern Ireland Assembly - more say in the process, and press the UK and EU to agree a future trade deal within a year of the implementation period ending. | The amendment - which is understood to have government support - would also give the devolved administrations - particularly the Northern Ireland Assembly - more say in the process, and press the UK and EU to agree a future trade deal within a year of the implementation period ending. |
| Former Northern Ireland minister Hugo Swire tabled the amendment along with Bob Neill and Richard Graham. | Former Northern Ireland minister Hugo Swire tabled the amendment along with Bob Neill and Richard Graham. |
| Mr Graham said: "What we are trying to achieve is something that gets a lot of support from colleagues and that the government, we hope, will take forward because it will make a real difference to the vote." | Mr Graham said: "What we are trying to achieve is something that gets a lot of support from colleagues and that the government, we hope, will take forward because it will make a real difference to the vote." |
| But Conservative Brexiteer Steve Baker said: "Giving Parliament the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea is desperate and will persuade very few." | But Conservative Brexiteer Steve Baker said: "Giving Parliament the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea is desperate and will persuade very few." |
| And one senior source from the Conservative European Research Group told the BBC it was "transparent and risible". | And one senior source from the Conservative European Research Group told the BBC it was "transparent and risible". |
| And DUP Leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Domestic legislative tinkering won't cut it. The legally binding international withdrawal treaty would remain fundamentally flawed, as evidenced by the attorney general's legal advice." | And DUP Leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Domestic legislative tinkering won't cut it. The legally binding international withdrawal treaty would remain fundamentally flawed, as evidenced by the attorney general's legal advice." |
| Ministers 'speaking with communities' | |
| Five days before MPs vote on the deal negotiated with the EU, Philip Hammond and Matt Hancock will be among those trying to sell it to the public. | Five days before MPs vote on the deal negotiated with the EU, Philip Hammond and Matt Hancock will be among those trying to sell it to the public. |
| The chancellor will visit a school in Chertsey, Surrey, while the health secretary will go to a hospital in Portsmouth on Friday. | The chancellor will visit a school in Chertsey, Surrey, while the health secretary will go to a hospital in Portsmouth on Friday. |
| Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington will meet small business leaders in Belfast and Scottish Secretary David Mundell is due to speak to employers in Glasgow. | Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington will meet small business leaders in Belfast and Scottish Secretary David Mundell is due to speak to employers in Glasgow. |
| Around 30 ministers in total will join the push to gain support for the withdrawal agreement. | Around 30 ministers in total will join the push to gain support for the withdrawal agreement. |
| Theresa May said: "I've been speaking to factory workers in Scotland, farmers in Wales and people right across the country, answering their questions about the deal and our future. | Theresa May said: "I've been speaking to factory workers in Scotland, farmers in Wales and people right across the country, answering their questions about the deal and our future. |
| "Overwhelmingly, the message I've heard is that people want us to get on with it. | "Overwhelmingly, the message I've heard is that people want us to get on with it. |
| "And that's why it's important that ministers are out speaking with communities across the UK today about how the deal works for them." | "And that's why it's important that ministers are out speaking with communities across the UK today about how the deal works for them." |
| But in an article in the Guardian, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said the deal represented a "monumental and damaging failure for our country" and represented "a worst of all worlds deal, that works for nobody, whether they voted leave or remain". | But in an article in the Guardian, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said the deal represented a "monumental and damaging failure for our country" and represented "a worst of all worlds deal, that works for nobody, whether they voted leave or remain". |
| He confirmed that, if the deal was rejected and Labour's preferred outcome - a general election - was not on offer, "all options" remained on the table, including "the option of campaigning for a public vote to break the deadlock". | He confirmed that, if the deal was rejected and Labour's preferred outcome - a general election - was not on offer, "all options" remained on the table, including "the option of campaigning for a public vote to break the deadlock". |