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| Brexit vote: Jeremy Corbyn tables no-confidence motion after May defeat – Politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Germany’s vice chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said the vote was a “bitter day for Europe”. | |
| “We are well prepared - but a hard Brexit would be the least attractive choice, for the EU and [Great Britain],” said Scholz, who is also finance minister. | |
| Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre-right CDU party and her likely successor, tweeted that she “deeply regretted” the British decision. “A hard Brexit will be the worst of all options,” she said, urging the British people to “not rush” into anything. | |
| In France, President Emmanuel Macron repeated that the EU had gone “as far as it could”, while the Spanish government said in a statement it regretted “the negative result” but it still hoped the deal would win approval, adding that a no-deal exit would hit the EU but be “catastrophic” for the UK. | |
| These are from Sky’s Beth Rigby. | |
| From a Tory MP. “Extraordinary. You couldn’t make it up. 100 ardent Brexiteers join Corbyn & anti-Brexit campaigners to vote *against* Brexit - and make chance of 2ndRef and-or the price of cross-support much higher. (A Customs Union will now be Labour’s price) 1/2 | |
| Senior Tory MP: “The ERG like kidnappers who just shot the hostage. Now it’s EFTA as Plan B.” 2/2 | |
| Vernon Bogdanor, the politics professor and constitutional expert, has told Sky News that he thinks tonight’s vote make a no-deal Brexit more likely than a second referendum. He pointed out that the Commons has already passed legislation saying the UK will be leaving the EU on 29 March. Holding a second referendum would be very difficult, he said, because the government would have to pass legislation, and Brexiters would “fight it tooth and nail”. He went on: | |
| There are about 40 odd sitting days left till March 29. If no other statute is passed, we leave without a deal. I take the view ... that the vote tonight makes a no-deal departure more likely than a second referendum. | |
| My colleague Joseph Harker has written a column saying that Theresa May has turned the UK into a laughing stock and that she should go. Here is an extract: | |
| After her devastating defeat, Theresa May tried gamely to set out her agenda for the next few weeks. Right now, for Britain’s sake, May’s only plan should be to leave office. To unblock the political gridlock, there has to be another leader: one who can negotiate afresh with Europe and who can call an election to try to win a majority for whatever they agree. May’s reputation is shot. Regardless of whether she cobbles together enough support to see off Labour’s vote of no confidence tomorrow, she must go. | |
| For Britain’s sake, Theresa May, just go | Joseph Harker | |
| Business leaders are unanimous in their dismay at the vote and the prospect of leaving the EU without a deal. | |
| The Federation of Small Businesses said many of its members would struggle to survive should deadlock in parliament lead to the country crashing out of the EU. | |
| “It is vital that there is a transition period, to give smaller firms time to adapt to whatever the final outcome turns out to be,” said Mike Cherry, the head of the FSB. He went on: | |
| Small business confidence has plummeted to its lowest point since the wake of the financial crash. Four in 10 expect performance to worsen over this quarter, two thirds are not planning to increase capital investment, and a third see lack of the right skills as a barrier to growth. | |
| That’s what political uncertainty does to business: it makes it impossible to plan, innovate and expand. | |
| He was joined by the leader of the CBI, Carolyn Fairbairn and the boss of the British Chambers of Commerce, Adam Marshall, along with leaders of the retail industry and the City in condemning the failure to secure a compromise agreement that allows firms access to the EU customs union. | |
| Echoing the line taken by the DUP (see 8.44pm), Boris Johnson, the Brexiter former foreign secretary, told the BBC that the result of the vote gave Theresa May a “massive mandate” to go back to Brussels and renegotiate. | Echoing the line taken by the DUP (see 8.44pm), Boris Johnson, the Brexiter former foreign secretary, told the BBC that the result of the vote gave Theresa May a “massive mandate” to go back to Brussels and renegotiate. |
| He insisted that no-deal was “not at all” off the table, saying: | He insisted that no-deal was “not at all” off the table, saying: |
| We should not only be keeping the good bits of the deal, getting rid of the backstop, but we should also be actively preparing for no-deal with ever more enthusiasm. | We should not only be keeping the good bits of the deal, getting rid of the backstop, but we should also be actively preparing for no-deal with ever more enthusiasm. |
| And he claimed May’s leadership was not an issue. Asked if she was the right person to lead the party and the country, he said: | And he claimed May’s leadership was not an issue. Asked if she was the right person to lead the party and the country, he said: |
| The Tory party had a go at all that, we all had a go at all that in December. That is not the issue. The issue is not who does it, the issue is what to do. | The Tory party had a go at all that, we all had a go at all that in December. That is not the issue. The issue is not who does it, the issue is what to do. |
| Downing Street said the cross-party talks on how to take Brexit forward promised by Theresa May in her statement to MPs (see 8.11am) should start as “swiftly as possible” once the vote of confidence was out of the way. The prime minister’s spokesman told journalists: | |
| We want to identify what would be required to secure the backing of the house consistent with what we believe to be the result of the referendum. We want to leave with a deal and we want to work with others who share that. | |
| The spokesman declined to be drawn on whether the talks would include Jeremy Corbyn. On this point, he said: | |
| Let’s not pre-empt talks before they have happened. We will look to engage widely with people we believe share our objectives. | Let’s not pre-empt talks before they have happened. We will look to engage widely with people we believe share our objectives. |
| Here is a rare picture of MPs in the no lobby voting against the government tonight. | Here is a rare picture of MPs in the no lobby voting against the government tonight. |
| Photography is not normally allowed in the division lobbies, but several MPs have been tweeting pictures this evening. I flagged up some earlier. Here are some more. | Photography is not normally allowed in the division lobbies, but several MPs have been tweeting pictures this evening. I flagged up some earlier. Here are some more. |
| From Labour’s Debbie Abrahams | From Labour’s Debbie Abrahams |
| The no lobby for the Government's motion... pic.twitter.com/dc6IMzGpHv | The no lobby for the Government's motion... pic.twitter.com/dc6IMzGpHv |
| From Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle | From Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle |
| In the no voting lobby to vote against this deal. I’ve rarely seen it this full. May has united the Commons against her and her deal. Next step #NoConfidenceNow pic.twitter.com/uFPp9Vx2gu | In the no voting lobby to vote against this deal. I’ve rarely seen it this full. May has united the Commons against her and her deal. Next step #NoConfidenceNow pic.twitter.com/uFPp9Vx2gu |
| From the Greens’ Caroline Lucas | From the Greens’ Caroline Lucas |
| It’s unusually busy in the No Lobby - that’s a good sign!#BrexitVote pic.twitter.com/OVehgKup2c | It’s unusually busy in the No Lobby - that’s a good sign!#BrexitVote pic.twitter.com/OVehgKup2c |
| Tom Pursglove has said he resigned as a Conservative party vice-chair in order to vote against the Brexit deal. | Tom Pursglove has said he resigned as a Conservative party vice-chair in order to vote against the Brexit deal. |
| Lord Mandelson, the Labour pro-European, former cabinet minister and former European commissioner, has just told Sky News he is taking it for granted that article 50 will have to be extended. | Lord Mandelson, the Labour pro-European, former cabinet minister and former European commissioner, has just told Sky News he is taking it for granted that article 50 will have to be extended. |
| Here is my colleague Jonathan Freedland’s verdict on the result. | Here is my colleague Jonathan Freedland’s verdict on the result. |
| After this staggering defeat for May, our island is left lost and adrift | Jonathan Freedland | After this staggering defeat for May, our island is left lost and adrift | Jonathan Freedland |
| This has been Britain’s European story, repeatedly seeing what was a project of peace, designed to end centuries of bloodshed, as a scam designed to swindle the Brits of their money. You can go further back, to repeated wars against the French, the Spanish and the Germans. Or you can go further back still to the first Brexit nearly five centuries ago, when Henry VIII sought to take back control by breaking from Rome. | This has been Britain’s European story, repeatedly seeing what was a project of peace, designed to end centuries of bloodshed, as a scam designed to swindle the Brits of their money. You can go further back, to repeated wars against the French, the Spanish and the Germans. Or you can go further back still to the first Brexit nearly five centuries ago, when Henry VIII sought to take back control by breaking from Rome. |
| Wherever you choose the starting point, the end point is clear enough. It ends like this, in the sight of a parliament paralysed by indecision, still unable to embrace Europe – but just as unable to break away. And in the spectacle of an island lost and adrift. | Wherever you choose the starting point, the end point is clear enough. It ends like this, in the sight of a parliament paralysed by indecision, still unable to embrace Europe – but just as unable to break away. And in the spectacle of an island lost and adrift. |
| This is from RTE’s Jon Williams. Currency traders are making the same assessment about the impact of this result as the People’s Vote campaigners. (See 8.35pm.) | This is from RTE’s Jon Williams. Currency traders are making the same assessment about the impact of this result as the People’s Vote campaigners. (See 8.35pm.) |
| #TheresaMay goes down to historic defeat, and Pound surges against Euro. #Brexit. pic.twitter.com/oTDBEAN2VL | #TheresaMay goes down to historic defeat, and Pound surges against Euro. #Brexit. pic.twitter.com/oTDBEAN2VL |
| Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, has welcomed the result of tonight’s vote. In a statment she said: | Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, has welcomed the result of tonight’s vote. In a statment she said: |
| By rejecting the withdrawal agreement, parliament has acted in the best interests of the entire United Kingdom. | By rejecting the withdrawal agreement, parliament has acted in the best interests of the entire United Kingdom. |
| The House of Commons has sent an unmistakable message to the prime minister and the European Union that this deal is rejected. | The House of Commons has sent an unmistakable message to the prime minister and the European Union that this deal is rejected. |
| Mrs May will now be able to demonstrate to the Brussels’ negotiators that changes are required if any deal is to command the support of parliament ... | Mrs May will now be able to demonstrate to the Brussels’ negotiators that changes are required if any deal is to command the support of parliament ... |
| Reassurances whether in the form of letters or warm words, will not be enough. The prime minister must now go back to the European Union and seek fundamental change to the withdrawal agreement. | Reassurances whether in the form of letters or warm words, will not be enough. The prime minister must now go back to the European Union and seek fundamental change to the withdrawal agreement. |
| A source from the European Research Group, which is chaired by Jacob Rees-Mogg and which represents Tory MPs pushing for a harder Brexit, says of course they will vote for Theresa May in the confidence motion – even though they were prominent in voting against the deal tonight. | A source from the European Research Group, which is chaired by Jacob Rees-Mogg and which represents Tory MPs pushing for a harder Brexit, says of course they will vote for Theresa May in the confidence motion – even though they were prominent in voting against the deal tonight. |
| Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said the SNP supports Jeremy Corbyn’s confidence motion. | Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said the SNP supports Jeremy Corbyn’s confidence motion. |
| Describing the vote as “a defeat of historic proportions for the prime minister and her government”, Sturgeon said: | Describing the vote as “a defeat of historic proportions for the prime minister and her government”, Sturgeon said: |
| It has been crystal clear for months that the prime minister’s approach was heading for a crushing defeat. Instead of facing up to that fact, she wasted valuable time with her postponement of the meaningful vote in December. There is no more time to waste. | It has been crystal clear for months that the prime minister’s approach was heading for a crushing defeat. Instead of facing up to that fact, she wasted valuable time with her postponement of the meaningful vote in December. There is no more time to waste. |
| She went on to call for the article 50 process to be halted “urgently” and that legislation be brought to hold a second referendum on EU membership. | She went on to call for the article 50 process to be halted “urgently” and that legislation be brought to hold a second referendum on EU membership. |
| Sturgeon added: | Sturgeon added: |
| The SNP supports the tabled vote of no-confidence in the government – but regardless of who leads the government, the reality is that a second EU referendum, with the option of remain on the ballot paper, is now the only credible option to avoid untold damage to the economy and the prospects of future generations. | The SNP supports the tabled vote of no-confidence in the government – but regardless of who leads the government, the reality is that a second EU referendum, with the option of remain on the ballot paper, is now the only credible option to avoid untold damage to the economy and the prospects of future generations. |
| It is also the only option, within the UK, that would allow Scotland’s democratic wish to remain in Europe to be respected. | It is also the only option, within the UK, that would allow Scotland’s democratic wish to remain in Europe to be respected. |
| Here is some footage from the People’s Vote rally at Westminster, showing what happened when the result of the vote was announced. | Here is some footage from the People’s Vote rally at Westminster, showing what happened when the result of the vote was announced. |
| Scenes from the People's Vote rally as @theresa_may #Brexit deal was voted in the @HouseofCommons #Westminster @itvnews pic.twitter.com/dq2Vp1LI68 | Scenes from the People's Vote rally as @theresa_may #Brexit deal was voted in the @HouseofCommons #Westminster @itvnews pic.twitter.com/dq2Vp1LI68 |
| Ding Dong the deal is dead!!! #BrexitVote pic.twitter.com/gGkM6z3ptT | Ding Dong the deal is dead!!! #BrexitVote pic.twitter.com/gGkM6z3ptT |
| Campaigners are cheering because they think the result increases the chances of Brexit being cancelled, or at least being made much softer. That is probably a fair assessment, although it would be a mistake to think that this vote comes anything close to settling the issue, and what will happen next remains very uncertain. | Campaigners are cheering because they think the result increases the chances of Brexit being cancelled, or at least being made much softer. That is probably a fair assessment, although it would be a mistake to think that this vote comes anything close to settling the issue, and what will happen next remains very uncertain. |
| Here are the figures for how the parties voted on Theresa May’s deal: | Here are the figures for how the parties voted on Theresa May’s deal: |
| For the deal – 202 | For the deal – 202 |
| Conservatives: 196 | Conservatives: 196 |
| Labour: 3 (Ian Austin, Sir Kevin Barron and John Mann) | Labour: 3 (Ian Austin, Sir Kevin Barron and John Mann) |
| Independents: 3 (Frank Field, Lady Hermon, and Stephen Lloyd) | Independents: 3 (Frank Field, Lady Hermon, and Stephen Lloyd) |
| Against the deal – 432 | Against the deal – 432 |
| Labour: 248 | Labour: 248 |
| Conservatives: 118 | Conservatives: 118 |
| SNP: 35 | SNP: 35 |
| Lib Dems: 11 | Lib Dems: 11 |
| DUP: 10 | DUP: 10 |
| Independents: 5 (Kelvin Hopkins, Ivan Lewis, Jared O’Mara, Fiona Onasanya, and John Woodcock) | Independents: 5 (Kelvin Hopkins, Ivan Lewis, Jared O’Mara, Fiona Onasanya, and John Woodcock) |
| Plaid Cymru: 4 | Plaid Cymru: 4 |
| Greens: 1 | Greens: 1 |
| Majority against – 230 | Majority against – 230 |