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

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What is still needed to complete a deal with the EU?

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 19:51 · Kristin Hugo]

[17 July 2018 20:11 · Kristin Hugo]

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[17 July 2018 20:35 · Kristin Hugo]

[17 July 2018 20:50 · Kristin Hugo]

Mike Thompson, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, and Steve Bates, chief executive of the BioIndustry Association, have issued a joint statement following the vote to accept new clause 17 of the trade bill earlier, which will keep the UK participating in the European medicines regulatory network partnership:

  “Today, Parliament has sent a clear message that patients and public health should be a top priority for the Government in these negotiations.

“Every month, 37 million packs of medicine arrive in the UK from the EU and 45 million move the other way.

“Therefore, it is essential that the UK continues to participate in the EMA after Brexit, as set out in the Brexit White Paper and in the Prime Minister's Mansion House speech.”

[17 July 2018 20:57 · Kristin Hugo]

[17 July 2018 21:04 · Kristin Hugo]

Thanks for following all the news from a busy day in the Commons with The Independent.

Come back tomorrow, when we will be covering the latest from Westminster once again.