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

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..

Key Points

• Theresa May defeated on government motion as Brexiteers threaten to rebel
• Labour accuses prime minister of 'running down the clock'
• John McDonnell criticised for calling Sir Winston Churchill a 'villain'

[14 February 2019 16:41 · Benjamin Kentish]

The DUP's Sammy Wilson is laying out his party's opposition to Theresa May's deal.

He insists there are alternatives to the backstop, saying the Malthouse Compromise would deliver a "future trade arrangement which is tariff and quota free, [and] a protocol that will guarantee that there are no checks on the Irish border".

[14 February 2019 16:48 · PARLY]

There is already so much uncertainty that we are close to a national crisis now - a crisis of the Tory party’s making says @JennyChapman winding up the debate for Labour

[14 February 2019 16:49 · PARLY]

We will never support a strategy that puts short term Tory party unity over and above the national interest @JennyChapman The prime minister is playing for time and drifting towards a no deal

[14 February 2019 16:50 · PARLY]

No journalist knows the DUP better than Ken 👇

[14 February 2019 16:51 · PARLY]

My prediction is that they will vote against it whatever she brings back - the extremists have always been willing to plunge this country into chaos says @JennyChapman this House will have to step in and prevent no deal

[14 February 2019 16:56 · PARLY]

If those papers are not forthcoming I reserve the right to move an amendment on February 28 and I will do that unless we get those papers says @Anna_Soubry

[14 February 2019 16:57 · PARLY]

This appears to be @Anna_Soubry withdrawing her amendment today - she agreed to meet the minister to discuss the papers she wants

[14 February 2019 16:59 · John Rentoul]

Tory Eurosceptic group ERG has decided to abstain on govt's main motion – assuming more than 6 MPs follow the line govt will lose

[14 February 2019 17:00 · Benjamin Kentish]

BREAKING: Anna Soubry has pulled her amendment.

[14 February 2019 17:11 · Ashley Cowburn]

It seems in the next hour Theresa May will be defeated on a non-binding (essentially meaningless) Brexit motion in the Commons. Worth keeping in mind the PM expects to pass an actually binding Brexit deal within just 43 days.