Angry Brexiteers have attacked John Bercow for allowing MPs to vote on a controversial bid that forces Theresa May to produce a plan B within three days if her Brexit deal is rejected.
The cross-party Grieve amendment – passed by 308 votes to 297 – demands the government outline its next steps within three days if Ms May’s deal is defeated, rather than the 21 days plus seven sitting days currently permitted.
It follows an embarrassing defeat for the prime minister on Tuesday, after her government became the first since 1978 to lose a vote on the Finance Bill as MPs made a stand against a no-deal exit from the EU.
As it happened...
Theresa May on collision course with parliament over no deal as MPs prepare to reject her Brexit plans
Theresa May is on a collision course with parliament after Downing Street indicated she would take Britain out of the European Union without a deal if MPs reject her proposals in a crunch vote.
At cabinet the prime minister acknowledged defeat could be on the cards next week, telling ministers she would “move quickly” to make a statement if her plans fall.
Her spokesperson later underlined that while she would prefer a deal, “she is going to deliver” Brexit on 29 March regardless – and that is why no-deal preparations had been implemented.
70% of MPs think Theresa May has done a bad job of negotiating Brexit, survey finds
Seven in 10 MPs think Theresa May has done a bad job of handling Britain's withdrawal from the EU, a new survey has found.
Even 47 per cent of Conservatives think the prime minister has managed negotiations poorly, compared with just 34 per cent who think she has performed well.
The Ipsos MORI poll also found that a majority of Tory MPs believe the difficulty of reaching an agreement with the EU over the Northern Ireland border has been exaggerated.
Theresa May today faces the prospect of a fresh threat to her Brexit plans (yes, another) as MPs launch a bid to force her to reveal her plan B within just days if she loses the critical vote the deal next Tuesday.
Under the current plan, if Ms May's deal is defeated in the Commons, the prime minister has 21 days, plus seven sitting days, to return to the chamber and offer MPs an alternative, or another vote.
But the amendment to the business motion launched by cross-party MPs makes clear she will be required to return within three days of losing the vote. The MPs claim the "situation is too urgent" to potentially wait until 12 February for the next step.
It is not yet clear whether the speaker, John Bercow, will select the amendment for MPs to vote on later today, but we will know for sure later in the afternoon.
It follows a humiliating defeat for Ms May less than 24 hours ago, as rebel MPs won a vote making it harder for ministers to force through a no-deal Brexit. Significantly, her government became the first since 1978 to be defeated on a Finance Bill.
He told the Today programme the deal would "enshrine all those divisions which have caused such trouble in Britain", adding: "It will perpetuate all the divisionism which has led us to where we are today."
Senior Conservative MP Nick Boles has told the BBC that he has received his "first death threat" after he was one of over a dozen Tories to vote against the government in the Finance Bill on Tuesday evening in a move to signal opposition against a no-deal Brexit.
Government to consider new laws to tackle illegal drone use after Heathrow scare
The government is to consider new laws to prevent the illegal use of drones after flights were disrupted at Heathrow airport.
David Lidington, Theresa May’s de-facto deputy, told ITV that “clearly, the government is looking at the law to see whether there are ways in which it could be strengthened”.
The Cabinet Office minister added: “What I think the airports themselves have to do is step up and do more of is investment in technology to both detect and then stop drones from flying.”
Ministers tell Theresa May to force through Brexit by blocking any election until after withdrawal
Theresa May is being urged to wield her powers as prime minister to ensure Brexit is forced through – regardless of whether there is a successful vote of no confidence against her government.
Brexiteer ministers have indicated that even if the no-confidence vote planned by Labour goes against her, it would be in her gift to set the date of an ensuing election after Brexit Day on March 29.
One cabinet minister backing the plan told The Independent it would mean Ms May could steer the country out of the EU with or without a deal before going to the polls in early April, adding: “The public are saying, ‘just f***ing get on with it’.”
Two years on: Why is there no government in Northern Ireland?
The region has reached the world record for the longest period without a government
Tory Brexiteer MP walks through pro-EU protesters with GoPro camera to document abuse
A Leave-supporting MP has been spotted outside parliament carrying a GoPro camera to document abuse from protesters.
David Davies, the Welsh Conservative MP, said Brexiteers had been subjected to harassment by Remain-backing opponents for the past year.
Speaking to The Independent, he said: “People have started to notice it now because it seems to be going on on all sides, but it’s been going on for 12 months as far as I’m concerned.
The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.
Sign our petition here
