As it happened: Theresa May survives customs vote humiliation by six votes despite Tory rebellion

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Theresa May narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat after MPs voted by a majority of just six not to keep the UK in a customs union with the EU if a trade deal isn't agreed by January.

The razor-thin division saw 12 pro-EU Tories vote against the government by backing the amendment during debates on key Brexit legislation in the Commons on Tuesday evening.

Ministers were able to dodge humiliation with the help of five Labour MPs as the motion was defeated by 307 votes to 301.

The amendment would have forced the government to adopt a negotiating objective of seeking to keep the UK in “a customs union” with the EU after Brexit, unless it has managed to negotiate a “frictionless free trade area for goods” by 21 January next year.

Reports have suggested Tory whips told the party’s MPs a vote of no confidence in the government would be raised if the customs union amendment had been passed.

Minutes earlier, Ms May suffered only her second-ever Brexit defeat in the Commons as MPs voted to keep the UK in the European Medicines Agency.

The government also performed a U-turn on a proposal to bring forward the start of the summer Parliamentary recess to Thursday, rather than the planned 24 July date.

But the Government did not move the motion amid growing Tory opposition to the plan, with several pro-European Tories having already indicated they would have opposed any attempt to cut short the term with so much work to do on Brexit.

Labour was also understood to have instructed its MPs to vote against the proposal.

You can check back on all the Brexit news from today as it happened:

Key Points

• Theresa May narrowly avoids embarrassing customs defeat
• Government drops plans to bring forward MPs' summer break
• Brexit campaign Vote Leave fined and referred to police
• MP calls for public inquiry into referendum after revelations

[17 July 2018 10:40 · Ashley Cowburn]

Here's a Labour MP calling for the referendum to be rerun in light of the finding by the Electoral Commission that Vote Leave broke electoral law.

[17 July 2018 10:51 · Ashley Cowburn]

After a meeting of Labour's shadow cabinet, the party has confirmed it will voting against government plans for an early summer recess. Expect a government climbdown in the next few hours on this proposal. At least 7 Conservative MPs have said they will defy their party on the issue.

[17 July 2018 11:01 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the Press Association:

The Government's promise of a £20.5 billion boost for the NHS will put debt on an "unsustainable upward trajectory" without tax rises or spending cuts to pay for it, the Office for Budget Responsibility has warned.

In its Fiscal Sustainability Report, the OBR said that, without changes to tax and spend policy, public sector net debt could rise from 80% of GDP to almost 283% by 2067.

And it dismissed suggestions that the increased NHS spending could be paid for with a "Brexit dividend", stating that "Brexit is more likely to weaken than strengthen the public finances overall".

[17 July 2018 11:14 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 July 2018 11:15 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 July 2018 11:31 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 July 2018 11:32 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 July 2018 11:41 · Ashley Cowburn]

An urgent question on the Electoral Commission investigation into Vote Leave will take place in the House of Commons at approximately 12.30pm.

It was granted to Labour MP Chuka Umunna by Speaker John Bercow.

[17 July 2018 11:52 · Ashley Cowburn]

[17 July 2018 12:02 · Ashley Cowburn]

A European Commission spokesman said of the white paper: "We have seen it.

"We are now analysing, we're discussing it with our member states and the European Parliament."

Asked to comment on the Commons votes, the spokesman made reference to the EU's Berlaymont building HQ, stating: "On Westminster politics, I will certainly resist the temptation to go into Westminster politics.

"We have enough Berlaymont politics that keeps us busy here."