This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/mar/27/brexit-latest-news-live-debate-indicative-votes--to-vote-on-alternative-votes-as-speculation-mounts-may-could-announce-plans-to-quit-live-news

The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 16 Version 17
Brexit: May suffers fresh setback as DUP says it will vote against deal for third time - live news Brexit: all eight indicative vote options defeated by MPs - live news
(32 minutes later)
Patrick McLoughlin, the former Tory chief whip, asks John Bercow if his “no repeat votes” ruling means these matters cannot be put to a vote again.
Bercow says that is not the case. He says this is a different process. The business motion made it clear it would be a two-step process.
McLoughlin tries to intervene again, but Bercow won’t let him. MPs jeer very loudly. It feels as if Bercow is losing control of the house, but eventually he restores control, and says he won’t be intimidated by McLoughlin.
Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, says the House of Commons cannot find a way forward. The issue must be put back to the people.
Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, says tonight’s results show there is no easy way forward. They strengthen the government’s view that the PM’s deal is the best option.
He says any deal must include a withdrawal agreement.
If MPs want to leave the EU with a deal, they must back the withdrawal agreement, he says.
He says otherwise he cannot say where this process will end.
Barclay, the Brexit secretary, says the indicative votes results show why the PM’s deal is the best way forward.
Oliver Letwin makes a point of order. He says he thought all ideas put to a vote tonight would fail to get a majority. But he says he wants to go ahead with a further debate and votes on Monday.
Some MPs are jeering at him, implying such a debate would be pointless.
Letwin goes on. He says he hopes that MPs will back May’s deal in a vote on Friday, which would obviate the need for further indicative votes.
Here are the results of the indicative votes on the Brexit alternatives.
I have taken the summary of what each amendment does from the Press Association summary featured earlier.
MPs vote against all eight options considered under the indicative votes process. This is what Oliver Letwin, the MP who championed this process, said he expected to happen in his Today interview this morning.
B - John Baron’s - No deal
Backed by Conservative MPs John Baron, David Amess, Martin Vickers and Stephen Metcalfe, the motion proposes leaving the European Union without a deal on April 12.
For: 160
Against: 400
D - Nick Boles’s - common market 2.0
Tabled by Conservatives Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Andrew Percy and Labour’s Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell and Diana Johnson. The motion proposes UK membership of the European free trade association and European Economic Area. It allows continued participation in the single market and a “comprehensive customs arrangement” with the EU after Brexit, which would remain in place until the agreement of a wider trade deal which guarantees frictionless movement of goods and an open border in Ireland.
For: 188
Against: 283
H - George Eustice’s - Efta and EEA
A motion tabled by Conservative MP George Eustice – who quit as agriculture minister this month to fight for Brexit – proposes remaining within the EEA and rejoining Efta, but remaining outside a customs union with the EU. The motion was also signed by Conservative MPs including former minister Nicky Morgan and head of the Brexit Delivery Group Simon Hart.
For: 65
Against: 377
J - Ken Clarke’s - Customs union
Requires a commitment to negotiate a “permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU” in any Brexit deal. Tabled by veteran Conservative Europhile Ken Clarke, backed by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, Helen Goodman and chair of the Commons Brexit committee Hilary Benn and Tory former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Sarah Newton.
For: 264
Against: 272
K - Labour’s - Customs union and alignment with single market
Labour has tabled a motion proposing its plan for a close economic relationship with the EU. The plan includes a comprehensive customs union with a UK say on future trade deals; close alignment with the single market; matching new EU rights and protections; participation in EU agencies and funding programmes; and agreement on future security arrangements, including access to the European arrest warrant
For: 237
Against: 307
L - Joanna Cherry’s - Revocation to avoid no deal
Under this plan, if the government has not passed its withdrawal agreement, it would have to stage a vote on a no-deal Brexit two sitting days before the scheduled date of departure. If MPs refuse to authorise no-deal, the prime minister would be required to halt Brexit by revoking article 50. The motion, tabled by the SNP’s Joanna Cherry, has been signed by 33 MPs including the Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable, Labour’s Ben Bradshaw and all 11 members of the Independent Group.
For: 184
Against: 293
M - Dame Margaret Beckett’s - Confirmatory public vote
Drawn up by Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson and tabled by former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett with the backing of scores of MPs across the House, this motion would require a public vote to confirm any Brexit deal passed by parliament before its ratification.
For: 268
Against: 295
O - Marcus Fysh’s - Contingent preferential arrangements
A group of Conservative MPs, including Marcus Fysh, Steve Baker and Priti Patel, have signed a motion that calls for the government to seek to agree preferential trade arrangements with the EU, in case the UK is unable to implement a withdrawal agreement with the bloc.
For: 139
Against: 422
The division bell is going. That means John Bercow, the Speaker, will announce the results of the indicative votes in about two minutes.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, says stopping Brexit “is possible now”.
The first preference of @theSNP has always been to stop Brexit. If that’s not possible - and until relatively recently it seemed it wasn’t - we’d opt for soft Brexit over hard. But stopping Brexit is possible now and we voted tonight to give that the best chance. https://t.co/UR9ceVmrMJ
The Conservative MP Huw Merriman says he backed the Becket amendment for a confirmatory referendum on the Brexit agreement.
Voted for the #WithdrawalAgreement twice but I’ve lost faith in Parliament to deliver so voted for #KyleWilson tonight to persuade the public to deliver it. No Deal my fallback so kept it on table. All other options undeliverable/unpalatable. Confusing times! pic.twitter.com/4gcgGJHs18
Here is Philip Hammond, the chancellor, on Theresa May’s resignation.
@theresa_may has demonstrated once again that she puts getting an orderly Brexit done ahead of everything else.
The Commons sitting has been suspended but, as my colleague Dan Sabbagh and others report, there is a bit of a row going on about the fact that the mace is still there.
Speaker has walked out suspending proceedings until the indicative votes are counted. But Tories are furiously pointing to the mace, still in its place, and trying to encourage deputy speaker Eleanor Laing to take the chair. Which would be a parliamentary take over...
From Labour’s Kerry McCarthy
The mace is still in place which I think is the cause of the uproar. It’s not meant to be there if we’re not sitting, but I don’t know if a brief suspension counts. It’s not normal for the Chamber to be occupied without anyone in the chair.
From the SNP’s Peter Grant
Speaker suspends sitting & vacates chair while we wait for results of this evening’s votes - as he had said he would do.Tory MPs object that the mace is still there.They object by trying to raise points of order to an empty chair.What a total shambles of a parliament.
John Bercow, the Speaker, says he is not able to announce the results of the indicative votes ballot yet because they have not all been counted. But he says he hopes to be able to announce them soon.
So he suspends the house.
MPs have backed the statutory instrument changing Brexit date in the EU Withdrawal Act by 441 votes to 105 - a majority of 336.MPs have backed the statutory instrument changing Brexit date in the EU Withdrawal Act by 441 votes to 105 - a majority of 336.
Alastair Campbell, the former communications chief for Tony Blair and a People’s Vote campaigner, is wondering if Jacob Rees-Mogg will perform a fresh U-turn and revert to opposing the deal.Alastair Campbell, the former communications chief for Tony Blair and a People’s Vote campaigner, is wondering if Jacob Rees-Mogg will perform a fresh U-turn and revert to opposing the deal.
The @duponline do like to take things to the wire but they are looking pretty MIND MADE UP to me. Assume @Jacob_Rees_Mogg and @BorisJohnson will now have to rediscover the principles they had when they said they would only switch behind May if the DUP movedThe @duponline do like to take things to the wire but they are looking pretty MIND MADE UP to me. Assume @Jacob_Rees_Mogg and @BorisJohnson will now have to rediscover the principles they had when they said they would only switch behind May if the DUP moved
This is what Rees-Mogg told LBC recently.This is what Rees-Mogg told LBC recently.
So if the DUP felt the United Kingdom were being divided up in the deal, then that would mean it were impossible to vote for the deal under any circumstances.So if the DUP felt the United Kingdom were being divided up in the deal, then that would mean it were impossible to vote for the deal under any circumstances.
MPs are now voting on the statutory instrument changing the date of Brexit in the EU Withdrawal Act.MPs are now voting on the statutory instrument changing the date of Brexit in the EU Withdrawal Act.
Turning back to Labour for a moment, these are from my colleague Heather Stewart.Turning back to Labour for a moment, these are from my colleague Heather Stewart.
Hearing at least two shadow cabinet rebels on tonight's indicative votes - and some junior frontbench resignations, including Grimsby MP Melanie Onn.Hearing at least two shadow cabinet rebels on tonight's indicative votes - and some junior frontbench resignations, including Grimsby MP Melanie Onn.
Hearing three shadow ministers - @IanLaveryMP, @GwynneMP and @jon_trickett - rebelled against the Labour whip and abstained on Margaret Beckett's referendum motion tonight.Hearing three shadow ministers - @IanLaveryMP, @GwynneMP and @jon_trickett - rebelled against the Labour whip and abstained on Margaret Beckett's referendum motion tonight.
Sky’s Beth Rigby had the some thought as I did when she read the DUP statement.Sky’s Beth Rigby had the some thought as I did when she read the DUP statement.
It’s still a No from the DUP but could they abstain? pic.twitter.com/bBlStC7Is5It’s still a No from the DUP but could they abstain? pic.twitter.com/bBlStC7Is5
It provoked this response from the DUP’s deputy leader, Nigel Dodds.It provoked this response from the DUP’s deputy leader, Nigel Dodds.
The DUP do not abstain on the Union. https://t.co/l4oSPj75V2The DUP do not abstain on the Union. https://t.co/l4oSPj75V2
The DUP will definitely be voting against May’s deal, not abstaining, a source confirms.The DUP will definitely be voting against May’s deal, not abstaining, a source confirms.
And here is the full version of the DUP statement.
The DUP and the government have had good discussions in recent days and some progress on domestic legislation has been made. All concerned recognise the need to ensure that as we leave the European Union the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is maintained.
However, given the fact that the necessary changes we seek to the backstop have not been secured between the government and the European Union, and the remaining and ongoing strategic risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped in backstop arrangements at the end of the implementation period, we will not be supporting the government if they table a fresh meaningful vote.
The backstop, if operational, has the potential to create an internal trade border within the United Kingdom and would cut us off from our main internal market, being Great Britain.
We want to secure the United Kingdom’s departure from, and our future relationship with, the European Union on terms that accord with our key objectives to ensure the integrity of the United Kingdom.
In our view the current withdrawal agreement does not do so and the backstop, which we warned this government against from its first inception, poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom and will inevitably limit the United Kingdom’s ability to negotiate on the type of future relationship with the EU.
The DUP statement does not say whether the party will abstain, or vote against the deal, but the reference to the backstop being “an unacceptable threat” to the union implies the latter.
Here is the DUP statement.
LATEST⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Y91C4aA09Q
Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, has said her party cannot support Theresa May’s deal.
BREAK: DUP leader Arlene Foster tells @SkyNews her party “regrets” that it is unable to support the Withdrawal Agreement while it “poses a threat to the integrity of the UK.” #Brexit pic.twitter.com/Cb2zMP2iQ7
Our coverage of the indicative votes debate was not as thorough as it would have been had it not been overshadowed by Theresa May’s announcement about resigning before the next phase of the Brexit talks get underway.
But if you’re interested, the full transcript is now on the Hansard website.
In the Commons the debate on the EU Withdrawal Act statutory instrument is still going on. The Brexiter Sir Bernard Jenkin says tonight will be remembered as the moment when the House of Commons turned against Brexit, and began to ignore the mandate given to MPs to implement the referendum result.
The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg has more on Tory Brexiters who are switching towards backing the PM’s deal.
Whittingdale now on board for the deal as well -but Number 10 has a long way to go to be sure they'll get enough switchers to be able to be sure of getting deal over the line
25 Tory resisters have now definitely changed their minds and will back the deal
In the Commons MPs are now debating the statutory instrument changing the date of Brexit as set out in the EU Withdrawal Act. Opening the debate, Robin Walker, a Brexit minister, said the agreement with the EU at the summit last week meant the date of Brexit in international law had already been moved – to 22 May if the withdrawal agreement passes this week, or to 12 April otherwise. But the date also needs to be changed in the EU Withdrawal Act, which repeals the European Communities Act 1972. Walker said if the EU Withdrawal Act were not amended, there would be legal confusion.
The statutory instrument needs to be passed by both the Commons and the Lords. In the Lords peers passed it earlier today, without a division, but some Brexiter peers did complain about the need for a delay.
The former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Forsyth said:
This is not a very pleasant place we find ourselves in and it has come about because there has been a conspiracy by remainers. There has been a conspiracy by members of both houses who have sought from the beginning to frustrate what 17.4 million people voted for.
The Conservative MP Tom Pursglove is another Brexiter who has been persuaded to back Theresa May’s deal after previously voting against it, the Sun’s Matt Dathan reports.
Tory MP Tom Pursglove is another switcher tonight. He told the ERG tonight he's now backing the deal
An ERG source has sent out some lines from the speech that Steve Baker, the ERG deputy chairman, gave at the ERG meeting this evening. It turns out he really did talk about bulldozing parliament. (See 7.43pm.) Baker said:
I’m consumed with a ferocious rage after that pantomime [May in the ‘22] ...
What is our liberty for if not to govern ourselves?
Like all of you I have wrestled with my conscience about what to do.
I could tear this place down and bulldoze it into the river.
These fools and knaves and cowards are voting on things they don’t even understand.
We’ve been put in this place by people whose addiction to power without responsibility has led them to put the choice of no Brexit or this deal.
I may yet resign the whip rather than be part of this.
The source said that Baker received an enormous standing ovation at the end of the speech and that he was hugged by Jacob Rees-Mogg and others afterwards. “We are not a hugging group,” the source said.
He also said he thought there was “no way” that enough ERG members were going to switch for Theresa May’s deal to pass.
There was a time when the Brexiters wanted to restore the constitutional supremacy of parliament. Now, according to Bloomberg’s Robert Hutton, some of them have other plans for the place.
Steve Baker is NOT, repeat NOT, voting for May's deal. But he DOES want to bulldoze Parliament into the Thames. https://t.co/B2i2hS65Xb via @business