UK politics - LIVE: Theresa May accused of 'running scared' of Parliament as Dominic Raab updates MPs on Brexit negotiations

Labour has accused Theresa May of "running scared" of Parliament after Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, was the one to update MPs on the state of the negotiations.

It comes after Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, which is responsible for propping up the prime minister's fragile government, travelled to Brussels for talks with the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.

"It's outrageous the PM isn't making the statement. She was the one negotiating in Salzburg, so she should be the one explaining to MPs why she failed," a Labour source told The Independent. "At this stage the PM shouldn't be running scared of Parliament".

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Key Points

• Dominic Raab makes statement to MPs on Brexit negotiations 
• Government warned over 'unacceptable' proposals that could slash foreign aid spending
• DUP leader Arlene Foster meets EU officials in Brussels for ‘extensive’ talks
• MPs may not see May's fresh Brexit plans before she asks EU leaders to agree to them
• Clinton condemns Conservatives for backing Hungary's far-right Orban government

Show latest update

2018-10-09T17:18:16.000Z

 

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 18:29

2018-10-09T17:04:54.320Z

Boris Johnson is in the chamber for Dominic Raab's statement but he is not seeking to catch the speaker's eye to ask a question.

 

Perhaps he has run out of things to say on Brexit?

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 18:04

2018-10-09T17:03:21.810Z

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 18:03

2018-10-09T17:00:02.306Z

ITV's Robert Peston hones in on comments from Nigel Dodds from the DUP. Mr Dodds said a similar thing to The Independent at Tory conference last week.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 18:00

2018-10-09T16:58:55.793Z

Pro-EU Labour MP Chris Leslie asked if the prospect of a "blind Brexit" was being ruled out. This is the scenario where the broader exit terms are agreed but the detail is left until later, which Brexiteers hate. 

 

Mr Leslie asks if the meaningful vote in parliament will have precise information on the deal.

 

Mr Raab said there must not be a 'blindfolded Brexit and said the government wants MPs to have the right information to make a decisions.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 18:02

2018-10-09T16:53:19.606Z

DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds declared it was “rubbish” to say a backstop was needed to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland. He repeated his stance that the DUP will not tolerate anything that separates Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

Mr Raab said the government will honour all the commitments it made in December and pledged not to do anything that would threaten the integrity of the UK.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 17:53

2018-10-09T16:51:05.513Z

Several senior Tory MPs have raised concerns about the Brexit preparations.

 

Ex-home secretary Amber Rudd warned about the “somewhat gung-ho” approach to security matters in a no deal Brexit that the government is adopting.

Mr Raab replied that the UK could impose new border checks because it would no longer be bound by EU rules.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 17:51

2018-10-09T16:36:19.813Z

Raab said Brexit negotiations with the EU had "intensified" in recent weeks.

He added: "On the withdrawal agreement, while there remains some differences, we are closing in on workable solutions to all of the key outstanding issues, building on the progress we made during the summer on issues such as data and information, the treatment of ongoing police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters and ongoing union judicial administrative procedures after the date of exit.

"We have also been discussing our proposals on the linkage needed between the withdrawal agreement and the future relationship, and the EU is engaging constructively."

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 17:49

2018-10-09T16:32:44.836Z

Raab says it's now clear that Labour has "trashed" its commitment to respect the referendum result.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 17:32

2018-10-09T16:30:38.453Z

Raab says it is not protocol for the PM to update the House. He adds the October council will be an "important milestone" and some "important progress" will be made. 

 

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 17:30

2018-10-09T16:27:34.100Z

Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, says can he politely point out that it would have been better for the PM to be in her place providing the update on the Brexit negations. 

 

"It should be the PM in Parliament this afternoon explaining what went wrong," he says. 

 

He says the statement is like "groundhog day" with no substantive progress outlined in Mr Raab's comments. 

 

Sir Keir says the secretary previously said a deal would be reached by the October summit - next week. He asks when the government will lay a meaningful vote on the deal before Parliament so MPs can vote.

 

He says he "would happily swap sides" and take control of the negotiations. Emily Thornberry shouts "move over"

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 17:27

2018-10-09T16:19:42.070Z

Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, is now speaking in the Commons. He says over the recess break "we have been engaging constructively" with Brussels. 

 

He says he will not accept any deal that damages the constitutional integrity of the UK - repeating Theresa May's earlier remarks about any customs barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

 

"We understand the EU raised some concerns," he says. "We continue to engage constructively with the EU."

 

"We should hold our nerve," he adds, claiming the government hopes to achieve a deal this autumn. 

 

"It's time for the EU to match the ambition and pragmatism we have shown," Raab says.

 

He says the government has published 52 technical notes over the summer, outlining preparations for the potential of no-deal scenarios.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 17:19

2018-10-09T16:11:25.086Z

DUP leader Arlene Foster meets EU officials in Brussels for ‘extensive’ Brexit talks

EU rolls out red carpet for DUP in bid to avoid no-deal

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 17:11

2018-10-09T15:59:49.360Z

Responding to reports that he might face a deselection challenge, the Labour MP Chris Williamson, who has been a prominent supporter of granting members the power to deselect their MP, seems quite relaxed.

 

He's just tweeted this

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 16:59

2018-10-09T15:11:22.510Z

Tories will lose the next election unless May's Brexit plan is scrapped, warns David Davis

Voters will inflict 'dire consequences' - because it will be 'obvious' that the prime minister’s promises have been broken

• Ashley Cowburn
• 9 October 2018 16:11

2018-10-09T14:54:03.253Z

Labour's Melanie Onn, who secured the urgent question, asked why environment secretary Michael Gove was not in the Commons to defend the policy if the government consider it so important.

 

She asks 'Must it always take a tragedy to affect meaningful change from this government?'

 

Better food labelling needs to be at the top of his to do list, she says.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 15:54

2018-10-09T14:48:44.386Z

Jumping back to the Commons, MPs are just moving onto an urgent question on allergy-related deaths. It comes after two people are believed to have died after suffering a reaction to Pret A Manger sandwiches.

 

Environment minister David Rutley said the deaths of Celia Marsh and Natasha Ednan-Laperouse were "deeply upsetting" and said his heart went out to their families.

 

Investigations are ongoing into Ms Marsh's death so it would be inappropriate to comment he said, but the government takes food labelling extremely seriously.

 

He said the parents of Ms Ednan-Laperouse have made a powerful case for change and the government is working 'at pace' to review the current rules.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 15:51

2018-10-09T14:43:35.796Z

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 15:43

2018-10-09T14:37:01.123Z

Sturgeon turns to Theresa May, saying: "Actions, Prime Minister, speak louder than words. End your hostile environment policy and end it now."

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 15:37

2018-10-09T14:33:21.530Z

Sturgeon lays down the gauntlet to Jeremy Corbyn, saying she will show him how to run a public water company, how to abolish prescription charges and tuition fees.

 

She says describing Scottish Labour as a 'branch office' is an overstatement.

• Lizzy Buchan
• 9 October 2018 15:33

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