Brexit votes: MPs take back control – but then reject every single option in front of them

'Really easy to agree on what you don't want. Much harder to agree on what you do want'

MPs have failed to break the Brexit impasse after they were unable to find a Commons majority for any Brexit plan, despite voting on eight different options.

Under the indicative vote process, MPs did not reach a consensus after they dramatically seized control of the agenda in the House of Commons from the executive.

The series of inconclusive late-night votes in the chamber followed Theresa May‘s promise to Tory MPs to resign as prime minister should her contentious Brexit deal pass its final hurdle.

The eight options put to a vote included a second referendum, a no-deal scenario, a customs union, revoking Article 50 and membership of the European Economic Area (EEA).

Of the votes, the closest was on the motion put forward by the senior Conservative Ken Clarke, demanding the government negotiate a comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU. This was rejected by 272-264 votes.

MPs also rejected an attempt to seek a new public vote before the ratification of any Brexit deal – by 295 votes to 268 – but campaigners said it showed growing support for the “confirmatory” process.

An attempt to express support for a no-deal scenario was rejected by one of the biggest margins, however, as MPs voted by 400-160 against the plan.

Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, responding to the votes, said MPs should now back the prime minister’s Brexit agreement “in the national interest”.

“The results of the process this house has gone through today strengthens our view that the deal the government has negotiated is the best option,” he told MPs.

Conservative deputy chairman James Cleverly tweeted: “Really easy to agree on what you don’t want. Much harder to agree on what you do want.”

But the SNP leader Ian Blackford called for a general election to end the “impasse” in Westminster, adding: “This is a very serious moment for all of us and we have to reflect that this House of Commons has tried to find a way through the Brexit crisis over the last few months and we have failed.”

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, who backs the People’s Vote campaign for another referendum, said: “The majority of MPs and the British people do not want the prime minister’s broken Brexit deal.

“Nor do either the public or parliament back crashing out of the EU without a deal. Tonight has shown there is growing support for our compromise solution and that any new way forward will require enough time to be properly negotiated and scrutinised.

“When this parliament has finally made a decision on what Brexit means, I am hopeful that a majority will emerge for any final proposal to be put to a vote, not only by MPs, but also by the people.”

Sir Oliver Letwin, the architect of the plan to seize control of the Commons timetable, said it was “a very great disappointment” that no option had secured a majority but MPs would be asked to vote again on 1 April.

He added: “If on the Monday the House is able to reach a majority view, I think that would be in the interests of our constituents, but I personally continue to harbour the hope that will see fit to vote for the government motion between now and close of play on Friday.”