Brexit: Lord Ashton says bill to stop no-deal will clear Lords

After hours of argument and a series of votes in the House of Lords, the government has agreed that the bill designed to stop a no-deal Brexit will clear the Upper House by 17:00 BST on Friday.

Just before 01:30 BST, after peers had taken part in more than 14 votes, the government Chief Whip in the Lords, Lord Ashton, announced the agreement.

He told peers that the Government Chief Whip in the Commons had agreed that MPs would be able to debate any changes approved by peers on Monday and that it was the "government's intention that the Bill be ready to be presented for royal assent".

Earlier, the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, told the prime minister that the bill would have to receive royal assent before he would consider the prospect of an early election.