Westminster today - as it happened: Government wins Syria motion vote by majority of 61

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Syria air strikes: How events unfolded

Theresa May has avoided defeat on a non-binding motion in the Commons over Britain’s role in the missile strikes on Syria’s suspected chemical weapons facilities.

A motion brought forward by Jeremy Corbyn, which stated the House of Commons has considered Parliament's rights in relation to the approval of military action by British forces overseas, was approved by 317 to 256 - majority 61.

Several Labour MPs defied Mr Corbyn's request to vote against the emergency debate motion, as the Opposition sought to express its dissatisfaction at the Government's treatment of Parliament in relation to the military action in Syria.

Opening the debate, Mr Corbyn said: “I am sorry to say the Prime Minister's decision not to recall Parliament and engage in further military action in Syria last week showed a flagrant disregard for this convention.”

But Ms May defended her decision to take action without seeking Parliament's approval, saying that coming to the Commons beforehand would have compromised the “effectiveness of our operations and safety of British servicemen and women”.

Earlier on Tuesday, Theresa May also apologised to Caribbean leaders for the Government’s “appalling treatment” of the so-called Windrush generation.

It comes after Amber Rudd, the home secretary, announced on Monday she was setting up a new taskforce to speed up the regularisation of the immigration status of people who arrived in the UK as long ago as the 1940s.

This live blog is now closed

Key Points

• 'Day of national shame' - Theresa May apologises over Windrush generation deportation threat
• May defends Syria air strikes amid criticism for refusal to grant parliamentary vote

[17 April 2018 08:25 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 April 2018 08:25 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 April 2018 08:27 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 April 2018 08:42 · Ashley Cowburn]

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said that the Home Office was still not aware of any cases where Windrush generation Britons had been deported.

There had been confusion on Monday, after immigration minister Caroline Nokes appeared to suggest that some individuals may already have been deported in error.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd later told MPs she was not aware of any specific cases.

On Tuesday Mr Lidington said: "I talked to the Home Secretary about this last night and the position is that we have no information.

"We don't know of any cases where someone has been deported from this category."

He added that Home Office staff were searching records to see if anything had gone "appallingly wrong in that way".

[17 April 2018 08:47 · Lizzy Buchan]

Brexit trade plan for Commonwealth branded a ‘fool’s errand’ by MP independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

[17 April 2018 08:50 · Lizzy Buchan]

Our @IndyPolitics liveblog is up and running, with the latest on Syria, Windrush and the Commonwealth meeting👇 twitter.com/independent/st…

[17 April 2018 09:03 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 April 2018 09:16 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the Press Association on the voting registration deadline ahead of May's local elections.

There has been a last-minute rush in applications to register to vote in this year's local elections, ahead of Tuesday's deadline.

Nearly 60,000 applications were made on Saturday April 14 plus 53,000 on Sunday - in both cases, more than four times the daily average for 2018.

A further 76,000 applications were made on Monday.

People have until 11.59pm on Tuesday night to apply to vote in the elections on May 3.

Around 4,400 council seats will be up for grabs on polling day, in what will be the first big test for political parties at the ballot box since the general election in June 2017.

[17 April 2018 09:38 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 April 2018 09:40 · Lizzy Buchan]

I'm at @Commonwealth18 , where Theresa May is to make a speech. Amid the Windrush controversy, the PM is sat on stage with Dominica-born Baroness Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary General.