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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brexit: Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn meet after timetable rejected | Brexit: Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn meet after timetable rejected |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Boris Johnson has met Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn amid uncertainty over what happens next with Brexit. | Boris Johnson has met Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn amid uncertainty over what happens next with Brexit. |
| The meeting comes after MPs rejected the PM's plan to fast-track Brexit legislation through Parliament. | The meeting comes after MPs rejected the PM's plan to fast-track Brexit legislation through Parliament. |
| The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says she understands nothing was agreed. | The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says she understands nothing was agreed. |
| Labour was keen to discuss a different timetable for the Brexit bill, while the PM wanted to know what Mr Corbyn would do if the EU refused to extend the 31 October deadline, she added. | Labour was keen to discuss a different timetable for the Brexit bill, while the PM wanted to know what Mr Corbyn would do if the EU refused to extend the 31 October deadline, she added. |
| A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Jeremy Corbyn reiterated Labour's offer to the prime minister to agree a reasonable timetable to debate, scrutinise and amend the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, and restated that Labour will support a general election when the threat of a no-deal crash-out is off the table." | A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Jeremy Corbyn reiterated Labour's offer to the prime minister to agree a reasonable timetable to debate, scrutinise and amend the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, and restated that Labour will support a general election when the threat of a no-deal crash-out is off the table." |
| The PM said he would pause the progress of the bill after MPs rejected a plan to pass it in just three days. | The PM said he would pause the progress of the bill after MPs rejected a plan to pass it in just three days. |
| After that defeat, Mr Corbyn said his party was prepared to work with the government to agree "a reasonable timetable" to scrutinise the Brexit legislation properly. | After that defeat, Mr Corbyn said his party was prepared to work with the government to agree "a reasonable timetable" to scrutinise the Brexit legislation properly. |
| At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said it was "remarkable" that MPs backed the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) on its first hurdle through the Commons, but a "great shame" the House did not back the timetable for it. | At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said it was "remarkable" that MPs backed the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) on its first hurdle through the Commons, but a "great shame" the House did not back the timetable for it. |
| They "willed the end but not the means", he said. | They "willed the end but not the means", he said. |
| And Mr Johnson said it was "peculiar" that Mr Corbyn appeared to want him to bring back the bill when Labour MPs were told to vote against it on Tuesday. | And Mr Johnson said it was "peculiar" that Mr Corbyn appeared to want him to bring back the bill when Labour MPs were told to vote against it on Tuesday. |
| In reply, the Labour leader said it was Mr Johnson who had "decided to delay his own withdrawal bill" when he made the decision to pause it. | |
| He listed a number of concerns his party had with it, arguing the deal "creates a very real border down the Irish Sea", with customs checks required on goods between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, as well as raising serious issues around workers' rights. | |
| Mr Corbyn also accused Mr Johnson of trying "to prevent genuine democratic scrutiny and debate" on the deal with the attempt to fast-track the legislation through Parliament. | |
| "Does the prime minister accept that Parliament should have the necessary time to improve on this worse-than-terrible treaty?" he asked. | |
| Mr Johnson replied that the UK was "preserved whole and entire by these arrangements" and repeatedly insisted the deal was "approved by Parliament" on Tuesday night. | |
| Tuesday's vote on the bill - so-called "second reading" - was only the first stage of Parliamentary scrutiny. | |
| Detailed dissection by MPs at the committee stage would come next - along with attempts to amend the bill - followed by further votes in the House. If it was eventually approved by the Commons a similar process of scrutiny would be carried out by peers in the Lords. | |
| General election | General election |
| Meanwhile, EU leaders are considering whether to grant a delay to the Brexit deadline and what length it should be. | Meanwhile, EU leaders are considering whether to grant a delay to the Brexit deadline and what length it should be. |
| Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has confirmed he supports the proposal to grant the UK's request. | Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has confirmed he supports the proposal to grant the UK's request. |
| Mr Johnson was forced by law to send a letter to Brussels requesting a three-month extension, and No 10 had indicated he would push for a general election if the EU agreed. | Mr Johnson was forced by law to send a letter to Brussels requesting a three-month extension, and No 10 had indicated he would push for a general election if the EU agreed. |
| However, he cannot simply call one, as prime ministers did before the passage of the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act. | However, he cannot simply call one, as prime ministers did before the passage of the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act. |
| Under that act, he would need the backing of Parliament, and opposition MPs have previously ruled out holding one until the possibility of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October was ruled out altogether. | Under that act, he would need the backing of Parliament, and opposition MPs have previously ruled out holding one until the possibility of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October was ruled out altogether. |
| Some Conservative MPs say the government should take the Labour Party up on its offer to come up with a timetable for the WAB that satisfies all sides. | Some Conservative MPs say the government should take the Labour Party up on its offer to come up with a timetable for the WAB that satisfies all sides. |