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Brexit: May tells MPs she does not have enough support to win third meaningful vote – live news Brexit: May tells MPs she does not have enough support to win third meaningful vote – live news
(32 minutes later)
David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister, is now opening the Brexit debate.
It is next steps six, or NS6. If you want reminding what all the others, there is a summary here.
John Bercow, the speaker, says he has selected three amendments for the Brexit debate.
1) Labour’s amendment. This calls on the government “to provide sufficient parliamentary time this week for this house to find a majority for a different approach”.
2) Oliver Letwin’s amendment. This calls for Commons business on Wednesday to be set aside for a series of indicative votes. It does not specify what options will be voted on, or how the votes will take place.
3) Dame Margaret Beckett’s amendment. This says that if the UK is seven calendar days from leaving without a deal, the house should be recalled to consider a motion on whether or not MPs approve such a move.
Theresa May’s statement is now over. On a point of order, Labour’s Angela Eagle asks what would be the point of indicative votes given May has said she will not abide by the results.
John Bercow, the speaker, says that is an “extremely important point”. But he cannot rule on it now, he says.
Here are the main points from what Theresa May said in her opening statement, and in her responses to MPs. It hasn’t been a great success. She angered the DUP by suggesting the politicians in Northern Ireland were to blame for article 50 being extended, she disappointed MPs hoping that she was genuinely committed to indicative votes, and some of what she said about the possibility of a long Brexit delay seemed to contradict what she was saying last week.
Oh, and she also had to issue what was effectively a non-apology apology.
On the plus side, unless I missed it, no Conservative called for her to resign. Given that there were stories in yesterday’s Sunday papers claiming a Tory coup was already underway, that probably counts as an achievement.
Here are the main points.
May said she did not yet have the support to win a third meaningful vote. But she implied she was hoping that would change by the end of the week. She said:
Mr Speaker, I continue to believe that the right path forward is for the United Kingdom to leave the EU as soon as possible with a deal, now on 22nd May.
But it is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the house to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote. I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the house to build support, so that we can bring the vote forward this week, and guarantee Brexit.
May implied that she decided to delay Brexit primarily because the absence of an executive in Northern Ireland meant it was not ready for a no-deal Brexit. She said:
And I requested a short extension to the article 50 process to 30th June. I regret having to do so. I wanted to deliver Brexit on 29th March. But I am conscious of my duties as prime minister to all parts of our United Kingdom and of the damage to that union leaving without a deal could do when one part of it is without devolved government and unable therefore to prepare properly.
This is not an argument that May has made in public before. The DUP are to a large extent to blame for the fact that Northern Ireland does not have a power-sharing executive (although they claim it’s the fault of Sinn Fein) and DUP MPs like Nigel Dodds (see 4.07pm) and Sammy Wilson (see 4.32pm) responded angrily.
She claimed that passing the Letwin amendment tonight would unbalance “our democratic institutions”. She said:
The amendment in the name of [Oliver Letwin] seeks to provide for this process by taking control of the order paper. I continue to believe doing so would be an unwelcome precedent to set, which would overturn the balance of our democratic institutions. So the government will oppose this amendment this evening.
She said she was “sceptical” about whether an indicative votes process could deliver a solution to Brexit and she refused to commit to accepting any outcome indicative votes might produce. The government is committed to trying to find a consensus in parliament if May’s deal does not get passed, although it has not given details of how it will do this yet and it has generally not been referring to “indicative votes”. May said the commitment still stood. But she went on:
I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes.
When we have tried this kind of thing in the past, it has produced contradictory outcomes or no outcome at all. There is a further risk when it comes to Brexit, as the UK is only one half of the equation and the votes could lead to an outcome that is unnegotiable with the EU.
No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is.
So I cannot commit the government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this house. But I do commit to engaging constructively with this process.
She implied she would reject calls for the UK to stay in the customs union (see 4.04pm) and calls for a second referendum (4.42pm) even if MPs backed them in indicative votes.
She implied that a lengthy article 50 extension was still an option. This was a prospect she seemed to rule out last Wednesday. But today she said:
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 will have to seek a longer extension. This would entail the UK having to hold European elections. And it would mean that we will not have been able to guarantee Brexit.
She also described this option as a “slow Brexit”.
She claimed in her opening statement that a no-deal Brexit would only happen if MPs vote for it. She said:
We must confront the reality of the hard choices before us.
Unless this house agrees to it, no deal will not happen.
But, when pressed on this, she refused to confirm that a no-deal Brexit would only happen if MPs voted for it (see 5pm), and she insisted she was not taking no deal off the table. (See 4.30pm.)
She sought to repair the damage done to her relations with MPs by her speech last week, in which she blamed them for blocking Brexit, by saying she respected people who disagreed with her. She said:
Mr Speaker, this is the first chance I have had to address the House since my remarks last Wednesday evening.
I expressed my frustration with our collective failure to take a decision, but I know that many members across this house are frustrated too.
We all have difficult jobs to do.
People on all sides of the debate hold passionate views and I respect those differences.
I would also like to thank all of those colleagues that have supported the deal so far, and those that have taken the time to meet with me to discuss their concerns.
Later, in the face of further criticism over what she said, she said she “regrets” the impression she gave. (See 5.18pm.)
She refused to confirm that she intends to lead the next stage of the Brexit negotiations. (See 5.21pm.)
She said MPs would vote on the statutory instrument changing the date of Brexit in the EU Withdrawal Act on Wednesday.
The SNP’s Lisa Cameron asks if May intends to lead the next phase of the Brexit negotiations.
May says she has always said there is a job to be done, and she intends to carry on doing it.
May refuses to confirm that she intends to lead the next stage of the Brexit negotiations.
May says it was never her intention for her speech last week to be seen as an attack on MPs and she says she “regrets” if it is seen like that.
Labour’s Jess Phillips says this is all about a psychodrama in the Conservative party. She says May constantly disappoints her.Labour’s Jess Phillips says this is all about a psychodrama in the Conservative party. She says May constantly disappoints her.
Labour’s Paula Sheriff says she asked May last week to dial down the hate. But May responded with a “despicable” speech attacking MPs. What will May do now to dial down the hate?Labour’s Paula Sheriff says she asked May last week to dial down the hate. But May responded with a “despicable” speech attacking MPs. What will May do now to dial down the hate?
May says in her speech last week she was expressing her frustration. She says, after their conversation, she took action to ensure some of the things Sheriff mentioned were investigated. May says she will take care about the language she uses.May says in her speech last week she was expressing her frustration. She says, after their conversation, she took action to ensure some of the things Sheriff mentioned were investigated. May says she will take care about the language she uses.
Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, says he welcomes the line in May’s statement saying, unless the Commons agrees, no deal will not happen. Does that mean there will only be a no-deal Brexit if MPs vote for it?Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, says he welcomes the line in May’s statement saying, unless the Commons agrees, no deal will not happen. Does that mean there will only be a no-deal Brexit if MPs vote for it?
May says MPs must back her deal if they want to avoid no deal.May says MPs must back her deal if they want to avoid no deal.
The Tory Brexiter Martin Vickers asks May for an assurance that she will not agree a further, long extension of article 50.The Tory Brexiter Martin Vickers asks May for an assurance that she will not agree a further, long extension of article 50.
May says she wants the UK to leave the EU soon. She says a long extension would involve the UK having to participate in the European elections. Constituents would find that unacceptable, she says.May says she wants the UK to leave the EU soon. She says a long extension would involve the UK having to participate in the European elections. Constituents would find that unacceptable, she says.
May says MPs will vote on the the statutory instrument changing the date of Brexit in the EU Withdrawal Act on Wednesday.May says MPs will vote on the the statutory instrument changing the date of Brexit in the EU Withdrawal Act on Wednesday.
Chris Leslie, the Independent Group MP, asks May if she is saying she will reject a confirmatory vote if that is what MPs vote for in indicative votes.Chris Leslie, the Independent Group MP, asks May if she is saying she will reject a confirmatory vote if that is what MPs vote for in indicative votes.
May says people want a confirmatory vote to have remain on the ballot paper. So it would be a second referendum, she says. And that means it would defy what people voted for in the referendum.May says people want a confirmatory vote to have remain on the ballot paper. So it would be a second referendum, she says. And that means it would defy what people voted for in the referendum.
May suggests she would refuse to accept a plan for a referendum if MPs back it in indicative votes.May suggests she would refuse to accept a plan for a referendum if MPs back it in indicative votes.
Here is the full text of Theresa May’s opening statement.Here is the full text of Theresa May’s opening statement.
Labour’s Seema Malhotra asks if May is willing to shift her red lines in response to how MPs vote in indicative votes.
May says she has aready set out her position on this.
The DUP’s Sammy Wilson says all of the government’s no-deal planning applies to Northern Ireland. He accuses May in her statement (see 3.36pm) of using Northern Ireland as an excuse for delaying Brexit.
Crispin Blunt, the Tory Brexiter, says what May said in her statement about MPs voting against no deal torpedoes her deal. He says it is the most shameful surrender by the UK since Singapore in 1942.
May says she is not taking no deal off the table.
Labour’s Stephen Doughty asks why it is acceptable for May to call three votes on her deal, but for the public to be denied a second vote.
May says the Commons has to implement the results of the referendum.
Rachel Maclean, a Conservative, asks May to confirm that the government will not hold European elections. People would find that hard to understand.
May says she agrees. But she says the only way to be sure of avoiding that is to pass her deal.
May says some MPs want her to say what she will do on 11 April if her deal is not passed. And others want her to say she will do whatever MPs ask. The two arguments are not consistent, she says.
Sarah Newton, who resigned as disabilities minister earlier this month to vote against no deal, asks if May can say any more about how she will let MPs find a way forward.
May says David Lidington will address this in his speech at the start of the debate later. But she says any plan must accept the EU’s unwillingness to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement.
Labour’s Pat McFadden asks if May regrets what she said about MPs in her speech last week.
May says she was trying to make the point that it is the moment for parliament to decide.
Ken Clarke, the Tory pro-European, asks May to back away from the Tory manifesto. He says it only came out half way through the campaign. And she dropped one idea in it (the so-called “dementia tax”) very quickly.
May says, if Clarke were still a minister, he would not agree to any plan produced by parliament.
Labour’s Rachel Reeves asks May to confirm that, if she does not get her deal passed by 12 April, she will seek a longer extension of article 50.
May says she cannot say that she will accept anything that comes up in parliament. All MPs have a duty to deliver on the manifestos on which they were elected, she says.