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Brexit: Corbyn says he will table no-confidence motion 'at the appropriate time' – Politics live Brexit: Corbyn says he will table no-confidence motion 'at the appropriate time' – Politics live
(35 minutes later)
In the Commons debate Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Wesminster, is speaking now. He says pulling the vote yesterday was an act of “pathetic cowardice” by Theresa May.
The SNP’s Tommy Sheppard intervenes. He says May is engaged in a “sordid exercise to placate the ultra rightwing of her own party”. Blackford agrees.
Brussels will “finalise” their plans on no-deal planning in the next few weeks, Ireland’s taoiseach has said during leaders’ questions in the Dail.
Leo Varadkar indicated he could not flick the switch on Ireland’s contingency planning until the EU’s plans were complete and they “won’t be finalised until the middle of January”.
He rejected calls from Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald to press the button on a referendum on the future place of Northern Ireland.
Under the Good Friday agreement a poll in Ireland and Northern Ireland can be called at anytime to determine the future place of the state, whether in the UK or part of united Ireland.
Lidington says there are also those who want a second referendum to reverse Brexit.
They have to accept that this would certainly be devisive, but that it might not be decisive.
When the issue comes back to the Commons, MPs will have hard decisions to take, he says.
Lidington says there are “home truths” that need to be faced, by some Tory and Labour MPs.
Some argue the UK could just leave the EU and trade on WTO terms. But that would do serious harm to manufacturing sectors. A sudden severance of preferential trade access in four months time would be hugely damaging, he says.
He also says that, if people want a trade deal, the withdrawal agreement is an essential gateway to that deal. And a backstop will have to be part of the agreement, he says.
Lidington says Corbyn needs to clarify his own Brexit position.
He says Corbyn wants the UK to be in the customs union, but for the UK to be able to do its own trade deals. That is not possible, Lidington says.
He says Corbyn claims a customs union for the UK would solve the backstop problem. But it would not.
And Corbyn wants a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU, but without signing up to EU state aid rules. That is impossible too, Lidington says.
Labour’s Hilary Benn, chair of the Brexit committee, asks if there will be a new debate when Theresa May comes back with her revised deal? Or will the Commons just go ahead with the last two days of the debate that has already happened.
Lidington says that is a fair question. He says the default position at the moment is that the debate will pick up where it left off (which would mean MPs who have already spoken cannot speak again). But he says it will depend on what is in the deal, and whether it is deemed necessary to have to start the debate all over again.
Lidington says government has not decided to whether the Brexit debate will resume from where it left off, or whether a new debate will start from scratch.
Douglas Ross, a Conservative, asks if the delay means the immigration white paper will get published before the debate resumes.
Lidington says he spoke to Sajid Javid, the home secretary, about that today. He says Javid said he would be ready to publish that very soon.
Labour’s Stephen Doughty asks if Lidington or any member of the cabinet has seen the codicil to the deal that May is hoping to agree. (Earlier Doughty said that this has already been drafted - see 2.13pm.)
Lidington says he cannot comment on cabinet discussions.
Lidington says the government will bring this back for a vote by 21 January at the latest.
That is a deadline, not a target, he says.
Lidington says there is a wish in the Commons to bring this matter to a head.
He says the the remaining stages of the main Brexit debate, and the vote, have not been cancelled. They have just been deferred. And the business of the House motion going with it remains in force.
The DUP MP Gavin Robinson says that only a “fundamental alternation of the text” of the Brexit deal in relation to the backstop will be acceptable to his party. And he says the DUP will want to see legal advice from the attorney general confirming that.
Lidingon says May said yesterday that nothing as being ruled out.
Ivan Lewis, the independent MP, says ministers do not even know themselves whether they are telling the truth, because they are not being told the truth by the prime ministers.Ivan Lewis, the independent MP, says ministers do not even know themselves whether they are telling the truth, because they are not being told the truth by the prime ministers.
Labour’s Angela Eagle says May has “shredded her credibility”. MPs find it impossible to believe what she says, Eagle says.Labour’s Angela Eagle says May has “shredded her credibility”. MPs find it impossible to believe what she says, Eagle says.
Lidington says he does not accept that.Lidington says he does not accept that.
Lidington says MPs expressed concerns about the backstop. The PM listened, she says. And that is why she has gone back to Europe to get fresh assurances.
David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister, and Theresa May’s de facto deputy, is responding for the government.
He says over the last two months May has spent 22 hours at the despatch box at the Commons answering questions about Brexit. She has made six oral statements, as well as opening the debate, he says.
Corbyn says May must put her deal to a vote when she returns from Brussels.
There must be no more delays and no more tricks. Parliament must take control, he says.
Corbyn says last night he wrote to Theresa May, with four other opposition leaders (from the SNP, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens0, setting out key questions on Brexit.
Here is an extract from the letter.
Our constitution works on the basis that the government control the business of the House of Commons because they have a majority in the House. The Government appear to be avoiding a vote on a change to the Business because they fear they cannot command a majority.
Therefore, can you confirm:
That you will put to the House the proposal to defer the debate on your deal and the meaningful vote?
That you confirm the deal before the House of Commons is dead and that the revised proposal will be substantially different from today?
That this House will be given the opportunity to debate the government’s negotiating objectives?
That the requirement for the government to make a statement under Section 13 of the EU Withdrawal Act, to this House by 21 January on ‘no deal’ still applies following your decision to defer the vote?
Can the secretary of state confirm this is not the case?
The length of time parliament will have to scrutinise any revised deal and the planned schedule in parliament including the date for any meaningful vote?
Corbyn says May is only seeking reassurances on her trip to Europe. She is only seeking warm words, and that’s when she can get out of the car. (See 12.21pm.)
Corbyn says at least a dozen ministers were sent out yesterday morning saying that there would be a vote, before they were told there would not be a vote.
The SNP’s Pete Wishart asks Corbyn to table a motion of no confidence in the government.
Corbyn says he will do the appropriate thing “at the appropriate time”.
Labour’s Tanmanjeet Dhesi asks Corbyn about the BuzzFeed report saying EU officials were told the vote would be pulled 24 hours before cabinet minsters were told.
Corbyn says that is very disturbing. MPs should be told first, he says.
Labour’s Stephen Doughty says he has also been told EU officials were told first. And he says he has been told that the addendum that May is seeking was actually drafted weeks ago.
Jeremy Corbyn is opening the emergency debate now.
He says he has never witnessed such an “abject mess” in all his time as an MP.
He says Theresa May “demeaned her office” yesterday by running away from the vote.
There is nothing wrong with standing by your principles. But May did not even do that, he says.
He says the majority of MPs know “this deal is dead”. They want to work on a realistic solution to Brexit.
Catriona Matheson, the SNP’s head of press at Westminster, says John McDonnell is talking nonsense about why the SNP want a no confidence vote now. (See 1.42pm.)
This is desperate nonsense from John McDonnell. @theSNP are currently polling 21 points ahead of Labour, who are currently THIRD in Scotland in latest polling (YouGov poll https://t.co/cTljv91VHz). https://t.co/E9MsoSaO2p