Brexit: Dramatic bid to block no deal killed off by Commons Speaker John Bercow

Commons Speaker John Bercow has killed off a bid to block no deal by Remainer MPs.

Mr Bercow failed to select an amendment to Northern Ireland legislation which would have stopped a future PM from suspending parliament in order to get the UK to leave the EU without a deal.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve's amendment was intended to keep government in the province running in the absence of the devolved institutions, requiring Parliament to come back to the issue in October.

He was seeking to amend the Bill to delay any new election to the Northern Ireland Assembly while talks to restore powersharing are ongoing.

At the weekend Mr Grieve defended using the Bill as a vehicle to block no deal describing it as a "perfectly legitimate place" to do so.

Speaker John Bercow put paid to Dominic Grieve's plan (PA)

He said at the weekend: "The chances are, if Brexit goes through - a no-deal Brexit - it is going to be the end of Northern Ireland's union with the United Kingdom, with serious political consequences flowing from it.

"That's a Bill that is a perfectly legitimate place to start looking at how one might make sure no-deal Brexits are fully debated before they take place."

But he gave fresh hope to MPs hoping to legalise same sex marriage and abortion in the province by selecting amendments tabled by MPs Conor McGinn and Diana Johnson.