Summary

  • MPs back Brexit bill by 498 votes to 114

  • Bill gives go-ahead for Article 50

  • White Paper on Brexit published

  • It sets out UK's Brexit talks strategy

  1. Cabinet minister 'gets stopped for selfies'published at 10:36 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Today in Parliament reporter tweets...

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  2. Green Party: Heathrow expansion 'misguided and unfair'published at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    PlaneImage source, Getty Images

    In non-Brexit news ... the Green Party has criticised the decision to push ahead with a third runway at Heathrow airport as "entirely misguided and unfair".

    Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:

    Quote Message

    The decision to expand Heathrow airport is entirely misguided and unfair. It is clear the government is prioritising the whims of the super rich instead of taking seriously the need to protect us all against the threat of climate change."

    Mr Bartley said the expansion plan will "turn the lives of local people upside down" and will mean the rest of the country having to do more to reduce carbon emissions.

    He added: “The government should introduce a frequent flyer levy where those who fly the most pay the most. This would tackle both the demand and growing travel inequality, while providing much needed investment to improve our existing transport infrastructure.”

  3. One minute film: MPs debate and vote on Brexit billpublished at 10:23 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

  4. Fuzzy forecasting?published at 10:18 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    Bank of EnglandImage source, get

    It wasn't just the Bank of England that got economic growth forecasts wrong, following the Brexit vote. Many economists underestimated how strong the economy would be. On Today, Dominic O'Connell asked whether there a problem with the whole process of forecasting?

    Victoria Clarke, an economist with Investec defended the Bank of England. 

    "One thing that was difficult to gauge was just how business investment and broader confidence would hold up," she said. 

    "In the Bank of England's defence, back at the time that they were putting their August projections together you'd seen the sharpest drop in the services PMI - that is a survey that is a pretty good guide for what the biggest sector in the economy is going to do - since records began in 1996 and you can't adjust monetary policy after the event, you have to do it in advance of time.

    "So it was a difficult decision for the Bank of England and they've got to guard against what could have been quite big downside risks, and so I think their cautious forecast was proved to be wrong,but there was significant uncertainty," she added. 

  5. Diane Abbott misses key Brexit vote due to ill health - McDonnellpublished at 10:12 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Diane Abbott in Westminster Hall

    Labour veteran and shadow home secretary Diane Abbott did not take part in last night's vote on the Brexit bill because she was ill, shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said.

    Mr Donnelll denied suggestions that Ms Abbott had stayed away because she could not bring herself to support Brexit in the division lobbies.

    But hours earlier, Ms Abbott spoke out about anti-terrorism strategies during a debate at Westminster Hall.

    Mr McDonnell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme his colleague had simply been unwell.

    Quote Message

    She wasn't very well. There wasn't going to be a close vote. If there was a close vote we'd be bringing even sick people back."

  6. Cost of Article 50 court case?published at 09:57 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Attorney General questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Justin Madders

    Labour MP Justin Madders asks how much money was spent in legal fees during the government's appeal to the Supreme Court on the triggering of Article 50.

    Attorney General Jeremy Wright says the cost will be published in due course. 

    Mr Madders accuses the government of wasting the money given that the government's appeal was "doomed to fail".

    Jeremy Wright disputes the idea that the case was "hopeless" pointing out that three judges sided with the government.

    He also points out that the Supreme Court found in favour of the government over the cases brought by the devolved governments

  7. Labour rebel: 'I don't have much chance of returning'published at 09:57 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    On Wednesday night 47 Labour MPs defied their leadership's instructions and voted against allowing the Prime Minister to begin the Brexit process.

    One of the 47 was Tulip Siddiq, who resigned from the Labour front bench ahead of the vote. 

    She told the Today programme "there's been no indication that I'm getting my position back."  

  8. Should witnesses be able to wear balaclavas or burqas?published at 09:51 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Attorney General questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative Philip Hollobone asks if the government will ensure that no witness will be able to give evidence wearing a full face balaclava or burqa.

    Witnesses needs to give evidence in a clear way, replies Jeremy Wright, adding that anything that gets in the way of that should be considered "very carefully".

  9. UKIP complain about Labour MEP protest against Nigel Faragepublished at 09:51 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    UKIP MEP tweets...

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  10. The quiet rise of the pound - John Redwoodpublished at 09:46 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    John Redwood

    Prominent Brexiteer and former Conservative minister John Redwood asks why the rise in the value of the pound is under reported, external.

    Quote Message

    Over the last month the pound has been rising against the dollar and the euro. We rarely get news of this, and the rise is not attributed to the moves recently taken to press on with Brexit. If someone believes Brexit was the crucial variable when it was falling, why do they change their view when it is rising? Why didn’t the pound fall this month, given the clear indication that the government does now intend to send the Article 50 letter and has parliamentary support to do so?"

  11. Sign of the times? MEP protests 'in the only way I knew how'published at 09:40 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Seb DanceImage source, AFP/Getty

    Labour MEP Seb Dance says he held up a paper sign saying "He's lying to you" while former UKIP leader Nigel Farage defended Donald Trump's immigration because it was the only protest available to him.

    The London MEP scribbled the message as Mr Farage addressed the European Parliament.

    Speaking on his reasons for holding up the sign, external, Mr Dance said:

    Quote Message

    Mainstream politics must be more willing to challenge the nationalists and the populists. They pretend to stand up for people who are suffering but their diet of hate, division and suspicion create only misery and poverty."

  12. What are MPs doing today?published at 09:28 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Houses of Parliament

    We begin at 9:30am with questions to the Attorney General followed by questions to the Women and Equalities minister.

    At 10:30am Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will deliver a statement on Heathrow and airport capacity. 

    Leader of the House David Lidington will then set out the timetable for future Commons business. 

    This will be followed by a statement from Brexit Secretary David Davis on the UK's new partnership with the EU.

    The afternoon will be taken up with two debates – the first on how the NHS investigates mistakes, the second on the Armed Forces Covenant.

  13. Brexit vote: How did your MP vote on the bill?published at 09:28 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Commons vote

    Despite strict party orders a total of 47 Labour MPs voted against the Article 50 bill allowing ministers to trigger Brexit.

    One Conservative MP rebelled to vote against, while two out of nine Lib Dem MPs did not vote.

    To find out if your MP voted for or against the bill - or didn't vote - enter your postcode, or the name or constituency of your MP. 

  14. How on earth will Jeremy Corbyn put Labour back together?published at 09:18 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Victoria Derbyshire

    Norman Smith

    Theresa May's position on Brexit "has been hugely strengthened" by last night's vote on the Brexit bill, BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says.

    He questions why the PM "fought tooth and nail" to prevent MPs debating the issue, especially as she now has the mandate of the people and MPs to begin the process of Britain leaving the EU.

    But Norman contrasts Mrs May's success with Labour's position, which he describes as "a complete dog's dinner", with more shadow cabinet resignations, three more MPs walking out who are not anti-Corbyn, and the possibility of two more shadow cabinet resignations.

    "It's a complete and utter mess and you just wonder how on earth Jeremy Corbyn is going to put this party together again," he added.

  15. Dawn Butler: Why I voted against my Labour Partypublished at 09:09 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    BBC Radio London

    Dawn ButlerImage source, Labour Party

    The fact more than 100 MPs voted against triggering Article 50 last night should show the prime minister that amendments are needed to improve the Brexit bill, Labour's Dawn Butler has told BBC Radio London.

    The Brent Central MP resigned from the shadow front bench to vote against the Labour whip.

    She said her decision was consistent with her views on European co-operation and reflected the wishes of her constituents in Brent Central in London, who predominantly voted to remain in the European Union last year.

    She told BBC Radio London's Vanessa Feltz Breakfast Show: 

    Quote Message

    I've always been consistent all along on this issue. I was a member of the Council of Europe. I saw first-hand just how important it is for us to have this close working relationship with our European counterparts and this government did nothing to move me from my position... My constituents wanted me to represent their views as well. I thought it was the right thing to do."

    Ms Butler said she had spoken to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn before casting her vote and that he had understood her reasons. 

    The government had presented a "sorry excuse for a bill" to Parliament - and she hoped it would be improved with amendments next week, she said.

    Quote Message

    I didn't want the prime minister to think that this is right or she's doing a good job because really she should not have presented a bill like that to Parliament. It's embarrassing. I hope that the prime minister will look at the fact that over 100 MPs voted against second reading and I hope that when she does she will instruct her MPs to vote for these amendments, because this bill has to be approved. This is one of the most important decisions this country's ever going to make and it was an 145 word bill so these amendments have to be accepted to approve this bill."

  16. Bank of England's 'Super Thursday' - what to look out forpublished at 08:55 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of EnglandImage source, Getty Images

    As we reported, the Bank of England will give its update on the strength of the UK economy around noon. 

    Experts like to call it Super Thursday, as we'll get the triple dump of an interest rate decision, minutes from the Monetary Policy Committee's meeting, and a quarterly inflation update. 

    A key thing to look out for today will be comments on GDP growth.

    Laith Khalaf of Hargreaves Lansdown says: "Any revision to the economic growth forecast is likely to be upwards, though it’s still likely to be lower than the estimate issued by the central bank before the EU referendum.

    "So far it looks like the Bank of England was wide of the mark in predicting the effect of Brexit on the UK economy, though we shouldn’t count our chickens just yet, as shifts in economic activity can take a long time to register."

    However, he adds, the Bank's central forecasts are always provisional and today's projections will not be set in stone. 

  17. Reaction to John McDonnell and Labour's position over Brexitpublished at 08:47 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

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  18. Should John McDonnell be Labour leader?published at 08:41 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    John McDonnell

    Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell side-steps suggestions that his party would be better off if he led it following a number of resignations over last night's Brexit vote.

    Instead, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme:

    Quote Message

    We may look divided at the moment because we've had to wrestle with this fact that we campaigned for Remain but now the referendum has been lost... but the irony is this, when we get past Article 50 our party is willing and capable of uniting to make sure we protect our country under this leader."

    Mr McDonnell said he predicted "this Tory party will split apart", whereas "the nature of Jeremy Corbyn's politics - that consensual, mutual respect politics will be the one that holds our party together in that united fashion to protect our community".

  19. Diane Abbott too unwell for Brexit votepublished at 08:23 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    Times Red Box editor tweets...

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  20. Will White Paper have any surprises?published at 08:23 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017

    BBC Breakfast

    Eleanor Garnier

    The anticipated white paper on Brexit will outline the government's negotiating strategy or "game plan" for Britain leaving the EU, BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier has said.

    But following Theresa May's speech last month, which outlined her priorities for Brexit, there "shouldn't be too many surprises", Eleanor says.

    Eleanor says last night's vote on the European Union Bill, which allows the PM to begin the Brexit process, marked "a historical moment".

    But people should expect many, many more hours of debate, with more scrutiny in the Commons next week, followed by the Lords and Mrs May's formal triggering of Article 50.