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As it happenedended1550509075

Theresa May endures humiliating loss as Tory rebels refuse to back government plan

Benjamin Kentish
Political Correspondent
Thursday 14 February 2019 16:30 GMT
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Brexit: Theresa May dismisses claims she plans to extend Article 50 as something “overheard in a bar”

Theresa May has suffered another embarrassing defeat in the Commons, after MPs again voted down her Brexit plans on Valentine's Day.

By a majority of 45, the prime minister's latest non-binding motion - endorsing her plans - was rejected by MPs after a considerable rebellion from Conservative backbenchers.

The defeat came after the pro-Brexit Tory European Research Group announced they had taken a "collective decision" to abstain.

Immediately after the vote, Jeremy Corbyn said he was "surprised" the prime minister wasn't present in the Commons "to hear the result of this vote".

He added: "I was going to ask her to come to the despatch box now and admit her strategy has failed and bring forward to the House a coherent plan.

"A coherent plan that can deal with the stresses and anxieties that so many people all over over this country are feeling that can be brought to this House so we can make some progress forward to bring people together and prevent a catastrophic no-deal Brexit on 29th March."

But responding to the votes on Thursday evening, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Jeremy Corbyn yet again put partisan considerations ahead of the national interest – and yet again, by voting against the Government’s motion, he is in effect voting to make no deal more likely.

“While we didn’t secure the support of the Commons this evening, the Prime Minister continues to believe, and the debate itself indicated, that far from objecting to securing changes to the backstop that will allow us to leave with a deal, there was a concern from some Conservative colleagues about taking no deal off the table at this stage.

“The motion on 29th January remains the only one the House of Commons has passed expressing what it does want – and that is legally binding changes to address concerns about the backstop. The Government will continue to pursue this with the EU to ensure we leave on time on 29th March.”

As it happened..

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John McDonnell has been expanding on his views on Winston Churchill, telling ITV that the former prime minister "was a war hero but there was also another side to him"

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 11:10
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Strong words from Theresa May's official spokesman in response to John McDonnell's criticism of Sir Winston Churchill. Speaking at the morning No 10 briefing for Westminster journalists, he said:

"The British public will reach its own judgment on this characterisation of Sir Winston Churchill. I note that in 2002 he came first in a public poll of the 100 greatest Britons.

"The prime minister has quoted and referenced Sir Winston Churchill on many occasions and acknowledged him as one of the great prime ministers of the 20th century.

"She has a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill hung on the wall of her study in Number 10.

"His strong leadership, determination and unwavering personality inspired our country through our darkest hour and helped Britain protect those values of peace and freedom that we hold so dear today."

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 11:30
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Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 11:49
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John Bercow has just announced which amendments he will allow MPs will vote on tonight - and there are only three. 

They are:

Amendment A, tabled by Jeremy Corbyn (Labour) - would force the government to offer a meaningful vote by the end of February. If there is no deal, then the government would have make a statement on what the next steps will be.

Amendment E, tabled by Anna Soubry (Conservative) - tabled by anti-Brexit MPs, calls for publication of "the most recent official briefing document relating to business and trade on the implications of a no-deal Brexit presented to cabinet.”.

Amendment I, tabled by Ian Blackford (SNP) - would require the government to negotiate an extension of at least three months to the Article 50 process.

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 12:14
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Here's the slightly weird moment in the Commons when Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House, read out a Brexit-themed Valentine's Day poem...

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 12:31
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Opening the Brexit debate in the Commons, Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, says Theresa May needs more time to take "Parliament's mandate" for a deal to the EU.

He says:

"On 29 January a majority of honourable and right honourable members told this House, and our country, that they would support a deal.

"But this support was conditional, that members were prepared to compromise on issues but not on the overriding issue of the backstop."

He added that "this Parliament's mandate must now be given the time to achieve its end", and "the prime minister the chance to do so", adding that it is "clear the priority is to address the indefinite nature of the backstop."

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 12:42
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Asked why the government appears to be ignoring a Commons vote last month against a no-deal Brexit, Stephen Barclay says MPs also previously voted for laws settling the ball rolling on the UK's departure from the EU on 29 March, and "the legislation frankly takes precedence over that motion".

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 12:48
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Stephen Barclay's insistence that no deal remains an option has not gone down well with Tory Remainers. Caroline Spelman says it is "contemptuous of this House" after MPs voted on 29 January against a no-deal Brexit.

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 13:01
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Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, says Theresa May is "pretending to make progress while running down the clock".

But he suggested her threats of no deal were empty, saying:

"As for the prime minister, taking us out of the EU on the 29 March of this year without a deal - we'll see about that. We'll see about that.

"I don't think the majority in this House are going to countenance that, I think the majority in this House will do everything they can to prevent that."

He added: "And deep down I do not think that this prime minister will take us out of the EU on the 29 March, and that's the basis that we should be having this conversation."

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 13:11
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Sir Keir Starmer says Theresa May "has spent weeks and weeks and weeks trying trying to renegotiate the backstop...and she's got absolutely nowhere". 

He adds: "The simple and painful truth is this; if there had been a viable alternative to the backstop there would never have been a backstop."

Benjamin Kentish14 February 2019 13:18

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