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| Brexit: Not enough support for Brexit deal vote yet, says PM | Brexit: Not enough support for Brexit deal vote yet, says PM |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Theresa May says she does not have enough support to win a vote on her EU withdrawal deal "as things stand". | Theresa May says she does not have enough support to win a vote on her EU withdrawal deal "as things stand". |
| She said she would continue trying to get MPs to back it before putting it to the Commons for a third time this week. | She said she would continue trying to get MPs to back it before putting it to the Commons for a third time this week. |
| The PM will also order Tory MPs to vote against a bid by a group of MPs, headed by Tory Sir Oliver Letwin, to hold votes on alternatives to her plan. | The PM will also order Tory MPs to vote against a bid by a group of MPs, headed by Tory Sir Oliver Letwin, to hold votes on alternatives to her plan. |
| The government would give MPs time to hold such votes, but Mrs May said she was "sceptical" about the process. | The government would give MPs time to hold such votes, but Mrs May said she was "sceptical" about the process. |
| She said the government would not commit to delivering the outcome of the votes but would "engage constructively" with MPs. | She said the government would not commit to delivering the outcome of the votes but would "engage constructively" with MPs. |
| "The votes could lead to an outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU," she told MPs. | "The votes could lead to an outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU," she told MPs. |
| "No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is." | "No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is." |
| DUP leader Arlene Foster told the prime minister her party had not changed its position and would not be backing her deal, in a telephone call after this morning's cabinet meeting. | DUP leader Arlene Foster told the prime minister her party had not changed its position and would not be backing her deal, in a telephone call after this morning's cabinet meeting. |
| The prime minister said the "default outcome" remained leaving the EU without a deal. | The prime minister said the "default outcome" remained leaving the EU without a deal. |
| "The alternative is to pursue a different form of Brexit or a second referendum," she said. | "The alternative is to pursue a different form of Brexit or a second referendum," she said. |
| "But the bottom line remains: if the House does not approve the withdrawal agreement this week and is not prepared to countenance leaving without a deal, we would have to seek a longer extension." | "But the bottom line remains: if the House does not approve the withdrawal agreement this week and is not prepared to countenance leaving without a deal, we would have to seek a longer extension." |
| That would mean holding European elections, she added, and would mean "we will not have been able to guarantee Brexit". | That would mean holding European elections, she added, and would mean "we will not have been able to guarantee Brexit". |
| She also confirmed that on Wednesday, the government will seek to change the UK's 29 March departure date through a piece of secondary legislation, which will make 11pm on 12 April the earliest Brexit date. | She also confirmed that on Wednesday, the government will seek to change the UK's 29 March departure date through a piece of secondary legislation, which will make 11pm on 12 April the earliest Brexit date. |
| But she warned MPs that even if they voted against the change, it would still happen because it was contained in a piece of international law. | But she warned MPs that even if they voted against the change, it would still happen because it was contained in a piece of international law. |
| Commons Speaker John Bercow has selected three Brexit proposals to be voted on by MPs later: | |
| Confirming that the government will oppose Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment, Mrs May said it would set an "unwelcome precedent which would overturn the balance of our democratic institutions". | |
| She said the government would provide time for MPs to debate alternatives but added: "When we have tried this kind of thing in the past, it has produced contradictory outcomes or no outcome at all." | She said the government would provide time for MPs to debate alternatives but added: "When we have tried this kind of thing in the past, it has produced contradictory outcomes or no outcome at all." |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn confirmed that his party will back Sir Oliver Letwin's attempt to secure "indicative votes" on Brexit, telling MPs: "It is time for Parliament to take control." | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn confirmed that his party will back Sir Oliver Letwin's attempt to secure "indicative votes" on Brexit, telling MPs: "It is time for Parliament to take control." |
| EU no-deal preparation 'completed' | EU no-deal preparation 'completed' |
| Mrs May's EU deal has been overwhelmingly rejected in the Commons twice. | Mrs May's EU deal has been overwhelmingly rejected in the Commons twice. |
| She has said she would only bring it back for a third Commons vote if there was "sufficient support" for it - and she spent the weekend trying to persuade Brexiteer Tories to get behind it. | She has said she would only bring it back for a third Commons vote if there was "sufficient support" for it - and she spent the weekend trying to persuade Brexiteer Tories to get behind it. |
| But many are thought likely to take their lead from the DUP, which has led objections to the Irish backstop clause. | But many are thought likely to take their lead from the DUP, which has led objections to the Irish backstop clause. |
| Meanwhile, the EU has said all its preparation for an "increasingly likely" no-deal scenario on 12 April has been completed. | Meanwhile, the EU has said all its preparation for an "increasingly likely" no-deal scenario on 12 April has been completed. |
| Jeremy Corbyn met the prime minister for over an hour earlier, and had what Labour described as a "frank and comprehensive exchange of views" on Brexit. | Jeremy Corbyn met the prime minister for over an hour earlier, and had what Labour described as a "frank and comprehensive exchange of views" on Brexit. |
| Mr Corbyn told the PM there was no basis for holding a third vote on her deal. | Mr Corbyn told the PM there was no basis for holding a third vote on her deal. |
| Last week Mrs May was forced to ask the EU for an extension to Article 50 and hundreds of thousands of people marched in central London calling for another EU referendum. | Last week Mrs May was forced to ask the EU for an extension to Article 50 and hundreds of thousands of people marched in central London calling for another EU referendum. |
| What's happening this week? | What's happening this week? |
| Monday: MPs will debate the Brexit next steps and a number of amendments - possible alternatives - to the government plan will be put to a vote. The most important of these is the indicative votes plan. | Monday: MPs will debate the Brexit next steps and a number of amendments - possible alternatives - to the government plan will be put to a vote. The most important of these is the indicative votes plan. |
| Wednesday: This is when indicative votes would be held - we don't know yet whether MPs will be free to vote how they want or be directed along party lines. The chances of any genuine cross-party consensus being achieved are not high. MPs will also debate and vote on removing 29 March from UK law as the day Britain leaves the EU. | Wednesday: This is when indicative votes would be held - we don't know yet whether MPs will be free to vote how they want or be directed along party lines. The chances of any genuine cross-party consensus being achieved are not high. MPs will also debate and vote on removing 29 March from UK law as the day Britain leaves the EU. |
| Thursday: A possible opportunity for meaningful vote three. The prime minister may hope that Brexiteers will finally decide to throw their weight behind her deal because indicative votes have shown that otherwise the UK could be heading for the sort of softer Brexit they would hate. | Thursday: A possible opportunity for meaningful vote three. The prime minister may hope that Brexiteers will finally decide to throw their weight behind her deal because indicative votes have shown that otherwise the UK could be heading for the sort of softer Brexit they would hate. |
| Friday: This is still written into law as the day the UK leaves the EU. The PM is attempting to change that through a piece of secondary legislation. If she succeeds, the earliest Brexit will happen is 11pm on 12 April. | Friday: This is still written into law as the day the UK leaves the EU. The PM is attempting to change that through a piece of secondary legislation. If she succeeds, the earliest Brexit will happen is 11pm on 12 April. |
| Read more on the week ahead in Parliament | Read more on the week ahead in Parliament |
| The indicative votes are a process for MPs to indicate which version of Brexit they might like if they don't fancy the prime minister's deal. | The indicative votes are a process for MPs to indicate which version of Brexit they might like if they don't fancy the prime minister's deal. |
| But there's a clash in government over whether or not they should go into this process at all. | But there's a clash in government over whether or not they should go into this process at all. |
| Parliament is going to do this anyway and the government has given a commitment for MPs to be able to have their say on a series of different ideas. | Parliament is going to do this anyway and the government has given a commitment for MPs to be able to have their say on a series of different ideas. |
| To be clear, it would not bind the government - even if there is one option that gets a clear preference from Parliament. | To be clear, it would not bind the government - even if there is one option that gets a clear preference from Parliament. |
| It would still have to get through the cabinet and it would still have to be workable for the Tory party. | It would still have to get through the cabinet and it would still have to be workable for the Tory party. |
| That could then mean if Parliament puts down a marker to have a softer Brexit, Theresa May is stuck with the same problem she's had all along: if she moves to something softer she might implode the Tory party. | That could then mean if Parliament puts down a marker to have a softer Brexit, Theresa May is stuck with the same problem she's had all along: if she moves to something softer she might implode the Tory party. |
| Quite openly now, people in government are talking about something more dramatic as a way out. | Quite openly now, people in government are talking about something more dramatic as a way out. |
| Cryptically they call that a "democratic event". What would we call that? An election. | Cryptically they call that a "democratic event". What would we call that? An election. |
| Government vs Parliament | Government vs Parliament |
| In normal times, the government runs the country and Parliament - comprising all the MPs and Lords who are not members of the government - is there to monitor and scrutinise the way they are running things. | In normal times, the government runs the country and Parliament - comprising all the MPs and Lords who are not members of the government - is there to monitor and scrutinise the way they are running things. |
| The government cannot make new laws or raise taxes without Parliament's agreement. And Parliament can challenge or block many of the decisions made by government ministers. | The government cannot make new laws or raise taxes without Parliament's agreement. And Parliament can challenge or block many of the decisions made by government ministers. |
| But ultimately it is the elected government that calls the shots - partly because it controls what gets debated in the Commons. | But ultimately it is the elected government that calls the shots - partly because it controls what gets debated in the Commons. |
| A group of MPs is now bidding to take over the Commons timetable on one day this week, so it can hold votes on alternatives to the government's Brexit plans. | A group of MPs is now bidding to take over the Commons timetable on one day this week, so it can hold votes on alternatives to the government's Brexit plans. |
| The government does not have to abide by the outcome of these votes - and the prime minister has ordered Tory MPs to vote against the move, arguing it would set a dangerous precedent. | The government does not have to abide by the outcome of these votes - and the prime minister has ordered Tory MPs to vote against the move, arguing it would set a dangerous precedent. |
| She says the government will give MPs Parliamentary time to debate and vote on alternatives, in an effort to retain control. | She says the government will give MPs Parliamentary time to debate and vote on alternatives, in an effort to retain control. |