Brexit news - live: MPs pass emergency law forcing prime minister to avert no deal by one vote
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A cross-party bid to block a no-deal Brexit has cleared the Commons after Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn met for last-ditch talks to break the deadlock.
In a series of late-night votes, MPs backed the bill, tabled by Labour's Yvette Cooper, which was rushed through in a single day to prevent the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal next Friday.
It comes after Ms May was hit by two ministerial resignations over her decision to hold talks with Mr Corbyn, which also sparked fury among Tory MPs.
Mr Corbyn said the meeting in the prime minister's Commons office was "useful but inconclusive", adding: "There has not been as much change as I expected".
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Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay has said the “remorseless logic” of the Commons meant the UK was heading for a softer Brexit.
“It’s undesirable but it’s the remorseless logic of the numbers of the House of Commons. The prime minister’s deal won’t go through and no deal in law is taken off the table, then the consequence of that is either a soft Brexit or no Brexit at all.”
Mr Barclay blamed hard Brexiteers in the ERG who refused to support Ms May’s deal. “It’s regrettable that what we have been saying for several months now is coming to pass but that is the remorseless logic of not backing the prime minister’s deal.
“Because the alternative then is to have to seek votes from the opposition benches because 35 of my own colleagues would not support the prime minister’s deal.”
Of the offer to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Mr Barclay said: “We’re not setting pre-conditions, but nor is it a blank check.”
ERG spokesman Jacob Rees-Mogg has said the Brexit process “has now been taken control of entirely by people who backed Remain … We should leave on 12 April without a deal.”
In a feisty exchange on the Today programme, he also defended his retweet of a speech made by a leader in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
“I think this is typical of the BBC’s obsession, dare I say it the Today programme’s obsession about this. (James) Naughtie said quite shamefully the other week that the ERG was like the National Front in France.”
When told Mr Naughtie, a Today programme presenter, had been quoting someone else on the ERG, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “No he wasn’t, he said it himself – it was his view. And he’s a BBC person … What Mr Naughtie said was an outrageous slur.
“So when Mr Naughtie quotes somebody and it’s not his view that’s fine, but when I quote somebody and it’s not my view that’s a great shock, and that seems to me typical of the Today programme’s lefty approach.”
Junior Brexit minister Robin Walker has suggested any government agreement reached with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn could not be overturned by the next leader of the Conservative party.
More on that remarkable Jacob Rees-Mogg interview on the Today programme earlier.
A sign the DUP could yet still change its mind on Theresa May’s deal? Asked if the prime minister’s decision to hold talks with Labour had frozen it out, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the party was “still in a very strong and influential position” and that events could change quickly.
Mr Donaldson said the DUP’s 10 MPs continued to demand changes to her EU withdrawal deal and would need “at the very least a time limit on that backstop” before they would consider supporting it.
More cabinet backing for Theresa May. Speaking outside her home this morning, international development secretary Penny Mordaunt said people were “fed-up of the limbo”.
“The only way to leave is with the withdrawal agreement. The prime minister is trying to get it through on Conservative votes and has not been able to, she’s now trying to do it with Labour votes.
“I would say to colleagues who want a truer Brexit, I still hope we can do this with Conservative and DUP votes. But above all else, the public are fed-up of the limbo and business needs certainty.”
Transport secretary Chris Grayling, who has made clear he is not a fan of a softer Brexit based on a customs union, will have something else on his mind this morning.
He has been lambasted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for “continual shortcomings” by his department over the Crossrail project.
Here’s our Travel Correspondent Simon Calder with all the details.
Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey has poured cold water on the idea Labour could agree a quick Brexit deal within days. She said any deal would have to be “legally-binding”.
Here’s our Deputy Political Editor Rob Merrick with more.
Steve secretary Steve Barclay is speaking at the Brexit committee in parliament this morning. He has made clear the government still wants to leave the EU by 22 May, but he is now answering questions from committee chair Hilary Benn about the kinds of delay that might be possible.
Mr Barclay says that if “your legislation” – referring to the Cooper bill being drawn up to stop a no deal crash out scenario – passes in the Commons, then we are headed for a softer kind of Brexit or even no Brexit at all.
He again uses the phrase “remorseless logic” – one he used on the BBC this morning – when talking about numbers in the Commons for a softer Brexit.
We have the first cabinet resignation of the day – Nigel Adams has quit over the prime minister’s offer to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
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