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Brexit: all eight indicative vote options defeated by MPs - live news
All eight indicative vote options on Brexit defeated by MPs – as it happened
(over 1 year later)
Speaker John Bercow reads out the results of the eight indicative votes – all of which were defeated.
ITV’s Daniel Hewitt has also issued a prediction for what might happen next.
Here is our main story on the results of the indicative votes ballot.
Unless DUP come on board we’re surely heading for a really long delay to Brexit. MPs will vote down May’s deal, then pick an alternative which she won’t implement, she’ll resign and EU will give us a long extension while Tories elect new leader and possibly a general election 🤷♂️
MPs reject all alternative Brexit options
I will wrap this up now. Here a short summary of today’s developments:
Here is the full text of what Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, said in his point of order after the results were announced.
All eight alternative Brexit proposals MPs voted on tonight in indicative votes were rejected by parliament. Sir Oliver Letwin, who is responsible for these indicative votes, said in the Commons immediately after the results were read out that this had been expected, and that the indicative votes were a “two-step process” that would deliver more decisive support for some of the proposals in a second day of voting on Monday, which Speaker John Bercow has allowed.
The house has today considered a wide variety of options as a way forward.
Theresa May told Tory MPs this afternoon that she would resign if her withdrawal agreement gets approved by parliament in a third meaningful vote (MV3). However, before her announcement, Speaker John Bercow reiterated in the Commons that he would not allow another vote on the same deal unless it is substantially amended.
And it demonstrates that there are no easy options here. There is no simple way forward.
The DUP has confirmed that it will not support May’s deal if it comes back for a third vote, and that none of its MPs will abstain, making it highly unlikely that Theresa May’s deal could get enough votes to pass.
The deal the government has negotiated is a compromise, both with the EU and with members across this house.
Boris Johnson has said he will now support May’s deal, which many interpret as a sign that he wants to replace her as PM if she resigns.
That is the nature of complex negotiations.
That’s all from me, goodnight.
The results of the process this house has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the government has negotiated is the best option.
This is a good summary of today’s events.
Furthermore, Mr Speaker, although this was not a significant feature of today’s debate, any deal must include a withdrawal agreement.
Trying a new thing tonight - ICYMI best bits of the day as shown on #bbcnews10 watchable here now ... https://t.co/sBsgGqCTRy
It is the government’s firm wish to get the withdrawal agreement approved by this house, and I urge all members, no matter the view on what the future relationship should be, if you believe in delivering on the referendum result by leaving the EU with a deal, then it’s necessary to back the withdrawal agreement.
Earlier, Sky’s Kate McCann had pondered the possibility of a DUP split over whether to back May’s deal or not.
If we do not do that, then there are no guarantees about where this process will end.
Tory Brexiteer said earlier if DUP shifted against PM’s deal a chunk of those who changed their minds would switch back (even if they look daft doing it). Rees-Mogg confirms his vote is tied to theirs. ...But what if DUP split?
It is for that reason that I call on all members from across this House, in the national interest, to back the prime minister’s deal.
This is her comment on the matter since the votes:
Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former communications chief and a People’s Vote campaigner, has tweeted out a list of Labour MPs who did not back the Beckett amendment for a confirmatory referendum.
One thing we all know now is anything is possible when it comes to Brexit. And remember, there is pressure on the DUP behind the scenes to end uncertainty around Brexit ...
Labour MPs who abstained or voted against @peoplesvote_uk pic.twitter.com/TsoORlSVZu
The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Deacon has summarised Theresa May’s limbo like this:
The Times’ Sam Coates has tweeted more of the results.
Theresa May must now simultaneously stay and resign
Results - No deal Supported by 3 Labour MPs pic.twitter.com/03bxl7drCk
The trouble for Theresa May, as of tonight, is this: She has promised Tory Brexiters to resign if her deal gets through parliament, implying the caveat that if it fails, she plans to cling on.
Results - Common Market 2.0Note DUP *abstained* pic.twitter.com/eVBqpY3KmI
Unfortunately she made a remark in the Commons on March 20, where she said: “As prime minister I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than June 30.” Many pundits were interpreting that sentence as a hint that she would step down if the failure of her deal would prompt MPs to push for a longer extension beyond June 30 - an option Donald Tusk has not ruled out.
Results - EEA but no customs unionLabour oppose because it means endorsing May’s deal pic.twitter.com/IwRnHBIk8j
This means that if she were to stand by her word, the PM is definitely resigning, whether her deal goes ahead (her promise today) or not (long extension, most likely).
Results - Customs UnionThe closest of all the votes - DUP also abstained pic.twitter.com/dGnd2f8R1V
Perhaps Speaker John Bercow, who has restated tonight that he won’t allow a third meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement unless its modified, will deliver a solution to the PM’s dilemma.
Results - Labour planKen Clarke voted for Labour plan! pic.twitter.com/G0DazZKBSK
James Forsyth, the Spectator’s political editor, has just made a prediction on what might happen next:
Those #indicativevotes in full. pic.twitter.com/Khc8fZ6gmt
Here’s an unlikely but not impossible Brexit scenario: May brings back just the WA. Promises Labour an election-where they can argue about future partnership-if they vote it through. At same time, May tells Tories they can use until May 22 to elect a new leader for that campaign
You can read all the division lists for the eight votes here.
Compared to the Tory whip however, the Labour whip looks almost muscly.
Patrick McLoughlin tries again with his point of order about why John Bercow is allowing repeat votes on the indicative vote Brexit alternatives.
This from Sky’s Faisal Islam:
Bercow says this was meant to be a process. The Commons decided earlier that this should take place over two days, he says.
Blimey less than HALF Conservative MPs voted for a Three Line Whip on extending A50 UK law legal date SI - something they were told would cause deep legal problems. Just 150 voted for, 93 against, rest abstained. Passed on Labour votes....This cant lasthttps://t.co/F4cT7FihbY
And here are the results, ranked in order, with the least unpopular at the top.
Labour’s Barry Gardiner, who told BBC Radio 4 this morning that Labour was “not a Remain party”, is apparently not the only person who needs to get to know his party better, if one is to believe Owen Smith MP.
J - Ken Clarke’s - Customs union
Labour is an internationalist, pro-European, ‘Remain’ Party. Or it is nothing. If every Labour MP had been true to our roots, a People’s Vote could have passed tonight. We will not be forgiven if we fail our country and allow Brexit to break the UK.
For: 264
But it is not only the Tory party that is battling an internal crisis: 27 Labour MPs defied the three-line whip tonight and voted against the second referendum proposal tabled by Margaret Beckett.
Against: 272
Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow housing minister, Melanie Onn, has resigned.
Majority against: 8
Read the full story written by my colleagues Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot.
M - Dame Margaret Beckett’s - Confirmatory public vote
Labour frontbencher resigns to vote against second referendum
For: 268
Jacob-Rees Mogg meanwhile seems to have done a U-Turn re May’s deal, for which he only expressed support in today’s Daily Mail.
Against: 295
This from Paul Brand, ITV News’ political correspondent:
Majority against: 27
BREAKING: @Jacob_Rees_Mogg tells #peston that if DUP can't be brought round, then "I will support the DUP, if they are still opposing it". In other words, he's off-side again.
K - Labour’s - Customs union and alignment with single market
Criticising the sudden support of hardline Brexiters like Boris Johnson for Theresa May’s deal, now that she has offered to quit when it passes, is another popular activity tonight.
For: 237
Here the SMP’s Jamie Hepburn: “The future of Theresa May should not be what we are focussing on tonight, the future of our country is what we should be focussing on.”
Against: 307
The @SNP’s, @JamieHepburn is shocked how focussed we are on Theresa May at this point in the Brexit process #bbcdn pic.twitter.com/hj56kfmaYk
Majority against: 70
This is Gary Lineker’s message to Boris Johnson:
D - Nick Boles’s - common market 2.0
Completely shameless. Doesn’t give a toss for the country. He’ll do, say, support anything that he thinks gives him a smidgen of a chance of being PM. https://t.co/jauGSyFQlM
For: 188
If you enjoy mingling with many immensely frustrated people, I suggest you go on Twitter now.
Against: 283
Earlier in the Commons much jeering, such as “ridiculous waste of time, crazy, crazy”, was heard when Sir Oliver Letwin tried to defend the indicative votes and bringing the rejected proposals back again for more votes on Monday.
Majority against: 95
Many similar sentiments are aired elsewhere tonight.
L - Joanna Cherry’s - Revocation to avoid no deal
Brilliant to hear a whole range of new Brexit options that MPs don’t want. Truly illuminating.
For: 184
So Parliament takes control and then proves it can't decide. Great. What a waste of timeRemember Friday is the deadlineCan we just decide if we want to leave with this deal or not leave?Any MP who refuses to address that basic choice should be treated to @maitlis sideeye 🙄
Against: 293
In a spectacular display of indecision, the House of Commons has voted against remaining in the EU and every version of leaving the EU.
Majority against: 109
This from Stephen Bush, political editor at the New Statesman:
B - John Baron’s - No deal
As we expected, nothing got a majority and the thing which got closest was a softer Brexit than May's (the customs union). But what we didn't expect is that the next most popular option is a second ref: https://t.co/DIt0ixAUKE
For: 160
Labour MP Jess Phillips reacts to Theresa May’s attempt to get Tory Brexiters to back her deal by promising to resign.
Against: 400
“Since about November last year, she felt like she was captive to hardline Tory Brexiteers who never had her best interests at heart… only ever their own.” Labour MP Jess Phillips on how Brexiteers steered Theresa May's decision-making. #newsnight | @jessphillips pic.twitter.com/XqkndEoOyX
Majority against: 240
This from Conservative peer Andrew Lansley:
O - Marcus Fysh’s - Contingent preferential arrangements
Important to note that the lowest anti vote was in relation to the Customs Union and the Cabinet did not vote. I interpret this as the option most likely to reach a majority if all MPs are voting.
For: 139
Against: 422
Majority against: 283
H - George Eustice’s - Efta and EEA
For: 65
Against: 377
Majority against: 312
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 in a general election, he says.
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
