Brexit news: MPs reject every single indicative vote option as Theresa May vows to quit to get her deal passed

Follow The Independent's coverage of how the day's political events unfolded

Indicative votes: MPs reject all 8 different Brexit options

MPs have failed to unite around any Brexit strategy after a series of indicative votes revealed no majority in the Commons for any plan.

Attempts to break the Brexit impasse floundered when MPs rejected eight different options, including a fresh referendum, a customs union and a no-deal exit.

In a dramatic day in Westminster, Theresa May told Tory MPs she will resign before the next phase of Brexit talks, in an attempt to secure support for her deal.

Addressing the 1922 committee of backbench Conservatives, the prime minister said she “would not remain in post for the next phase of the negotiations”, making way for a successor once her Brexit deal has passed.

Senior Brexiteers including Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith signalled they would pivot to back the prime minister’s deal – but the DUP dealt Ms May a fresh blow by refusing to support her.

But it seems her offered sacrifice may have been in vain, as the Democratic Unionist Party announced it would not back a deal which “poses an unacceptable threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom”.

In a potentially fatal blow to Ms May’s chances, DUP leader Arlene Foster said the Northern Irish party “cannot sign up” to the deal because of its controversial “backstop” provisions.

Westminster leader Nigel Dodds made clear the party’s 10 MPs will vote against the deal if it is brought back for a third “meaningful vote”, declaring: “The DUP do not abstain on the Union.”

The decision leaves Ms May in need of the votes of large numbers of Labour MPs or rebel Tory Brexiteers, many of whom are expected to be strongly influenced by the DUP’s stance.

She has indicated she will only make a third attempt to pass the deal, following its overwhelming defeat by 230 votes in January and 149 in March, if she has a credible chance of success.

Follow along with our coverage of how the day unfolded

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Key Points

• Theresa May says she will resign before next phase if Brexit deal passes
• Boris Johnson signals he will back PM's Brexit deal as hardliners soften
• ...but DUP deliver hammer blow by refusing to back the government
• MPs fail to unite behind any Brexit plan in series of "indicative votes"
• John Bercow casts doubt on whether he will allow third meaningful vote

[27 March 2019 08:14 · Shehab.Khan]

Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the day's political events on what is set to be another dramatic day in Westminster.

[27 March 2019 08:27 · Shehab.Khan]

A bit of confusion this morning about Labour's position on backing a second referendum. 

Labour backbencher Peter Kyle, one of the architect's of the plan, said he believed Mr Corbyn  would now support it.

"He will order MPs to vote for this. We had a really constructive process of engaging with him. At no point was he instinctively against this," Mr Kyle told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Moments, later Barry Gardiner, the shadow international trade secretary, cast doubt on the position. 

"What it says in that amendment is that any deal should be subject to a second public vote," Mr Gardiner told Sky News. 

"That would mean even if our preferred option of a new customs union and an alignment of rights were to get through, that would also perhaps be knocked out by a second public vote. That has not been our party's position so far," he added. 

[27 March 2019 08:29 · Shehab.Khan]

Sir Oliver Letwin, the architect of the plan for the Commons to stage a series of indicative votes on the way forward on Brexit, warned that if Theresa May tried to ignore the outcome, MPs could seek to force her to act.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme he said: 

If on Monday one or more propositions get a majority backing in the House of Commons, then we will have to work with the Government to implement them.

The way I would hope it would happen under those circumstances is that we would have sensible, workmanlike discussions across the House of Commons and the Government would move forward in an orderly fashion.

If the Government didn't agree to that, then those who I am working with across the parties will move to legislate to mandate the Government - if we can obtain majorities in the House of Commons and House of Lords for that - to carry that forward."

[27 March 2019 08:36 · Shehab.Khan]

Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk are addressing the European Parliament, 

Speaking in Strasbourg, Mr Tusk said the EU should be "open to a long extension". 

Before the European Council I said we should be open to a long extension if the UK wants to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK's participation in the European Parliament elections.

Then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you: let me be clear, such thinking is unacceptable.

[27 March 2019 08:37 · Shehab.Khan]

Mr Tusk also added that the petition to revoke Article 50, which has been signed be almost six million people, should not be ignored. 

You cannot betray the six million people who signed a petition to revoke Article 50, the one million people who marched for a people's vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union.

They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by the UK parliament but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber because they are Europeans."

[27 March 2019 08:40 · Shehab.Khan]

Follow the live stream of Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk addressing the European Parliament:

[27 March 2019 08:41 · Shehab.Khan]

Donald Tusk is speaking at the European Parliament and has warned the UK against "betraying" Remain voters:

[27 March 2019 08:47 · Shehab.Khan]

As mentioned previously, a lot of confusion about Labour's position on a backing a second referendum. The Independent's Deputy Political Editor, Rob Merrick, has filed a report on this morning's events: 

[27 March 2019 08:52 · Shehab.Khan]

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the Government hopes to be able to bring Theresa May's Brexit deal back to the Commons this week for a third "meaningful vote".

Mrs Leadsom told BBC Radio 4's Today programme:

I think that there is a real possibility that it does. We are completely determined to make sure that we can get enough support to bring it back.

The Prime Minister said she is working hard, as many colleagues are, to persuade colleagues to support it."

[27 March 2019 08:52 · Shehab.Khan]

Mrs Leadsom refused to be drawn on whether Theresa May should commit to standing down once the Withdrawal Agreement is passed in order to win over wavering MPs.

"I am fully supporting the Prime Minister to get us out of the European Union," she said.

Asked if Mrs May should stand down after that, she said: "I think that is a matter for her. I am not expressing a view."