Cabinet approves Theresa May's EU withdrawal agreement but 'up to 10 ministers' voice major concerns

After months of wrangling, draft agreement with Brussels gets through Cabinet

Theresa May says cabinet has agreed draft Brexit withdrawal agreement

Theresa May has announced on the steps of Downing Street that her cabinet has reached a collective decision to back the draft Brexit agreement.

Senior ministers were summoned to No 10 for one-on-one meetings with the prime minister as news finally emerged of a draft agreement with Brussels after months of wrangling.

Ahead of the cabinet showdown, Ms May faced Jeremy Corbyn for a dramatic session of prime minister's questions, where he accused the PM of offering the British people a choice between a "botched deal and no deal".

She also faced the wrath of one Eurosceptic Tory MP, Peter Bone, who said if media reports over Ms May's Brexit deal were "accurate" then she would lose the support of Tory colleagues.

As it happened...

Key Points

• Theresa May's cabinet approves EU withdrawal agreement
• Government forced into embarrassing climbdown over fixed-odds betting terminals
• May's deal plunged into crisis as Scottish Conservatives threaten to rebel
• EU says it will 'retain all controls' under PM's Brexit agreement
• DUP warn May's blueprint could lead to break up of the United Kingdom

[14 November 2018 08:32 · Lizzy Buchan]

Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog, where we will be bringing you all the latest updates from Westminster and Brussels throughout the day.

[14 November 2018 08:50 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May is preparing for a showdown cabinet meeting at which she will demand ministers back a draft Brexit deal finally reached by British and EU negotiators.

The prime minister called in her most senior frontbenchers for one-on-one meetings as the breakthrough emerged, in a bid to secure their backing ahead of the crunch cabinet on Wednesday.

But a furious backlash hit Ms May within minutes of the draft deal being announced, with Conservative Brexiteers threatening her leadership and her DUP partners vowing to block it in the Commons.

More here:

[14 November 2018 09:03 · Lizzy Buchan]

Senior ministers have been invited into Downing Street one-by-one as Theresa May seeks to sell her Brexit deal to the cabinet ahead of today's crunch meeting.

The emergency cabinet meeting will start at 2pm and is expected to run for three hours.

Number 10 is twitchy about possible resignations from cabinet Brexiteers. Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, who is among the cabinet ministers most likely to walk, has been into Downing Street this morning.

Reporters outside said she was stoney faced and refused to answer any questions.

[14 November 2018 09:11 · Lizzy Buchan]

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - whose MPs prop up Theresa May's government - has issued warnings over the PM's Brexit deal.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP chief whip, said the blueprint deal would leave Northern Ireland closely aligned with the EU and could increase support for Scottish independence, saying "this is not the right Brexit".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today the unionist party "don't fear a general election", when asked whether it would risk Jeremy Corbyn, a long-term supporter of a united Ireland.

He said: "It's not about who is prime minister, it's not about who governs the country, it's about the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK, that is fundamental for us.

"And it is not just us, the DUP does not stand alone on this, we have many friends within the Conservative Party and indeed in some other parties, who believe this deal has the potential to lead to the break-up of the UK.

"That is not something we can support."

DUP leader Arlene Foster is on her way to London now.

[14 November 2018 09:26 · Lizzy Buchan]

[14 November 2018 09:47 · Lizzy Buchan]

Nick Hurd has been appointed Minister for London, Downing Street said.

The Home Office Minister and MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner in the capital's north west, replaces Jo Johnson following his resignation from the government over Brexit last week.

London Minister is a supplementary post and Mr Hurd will remain in his role at the Home Office.

[14 November 2018 09:59 · Lizzy Buchan]

Big story here: 

Brussels will “retain all the controls” over swathes of British regulation under the Brexit deal struck by Theresa May, EU negotiators have told member states.

A leaked diplomatic note from a meeting between Commission officials and ambassadors from the EU’s 27 countries reveals how Brussels views the “level playing field” rules signed up to by the prime minister.

Expect fury from Eurosceptics.

[14 November 2018 10:15 · Lizzy Buchan]

William Hague has warned Tory MPs that “Brexit might not happen at all” if they carry out their threat to wreck Theresa May’s hard-won agreement with the EU.

The former Conservative leader said the real “fear” of Eurosceptics should be a fresh referendum to halt Brexit – downplaying the claim that the UK could crash out with no agreement at all.

Story here: 

[14 November 2018 10:29 · Lizzy Buchan]

My colleague Rob Merrick is watching the Home Affairs Committee, where MPs are engaged in challenging ministers on their Brexit preparations.

[14 November 2018 10:37 · Lizzy Buchan]

Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, and Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright have all been into Number 10.

Liz Truss, the chief secretary to the Treasury, has also been inside.