Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley has claimed there is "no way" the UK can be left in a backstop indefinitely if the withdrawal agreement is voted through.

Giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of MPs on Wednesday, she said: "The safeguards put in place, the reassurances given, the way that the EU dislike the backstop, means as a legal construct... there is no way that there will be a situation where we can be bound into the backstop indefinitely.

"The right thing to do is to accept the deal and to get the future relationship and make sure we never go into the backstop in any way."

But DUP MP Jim Shannon warned Ms Bradley she was in for a "rude awakening" from the people of Northern Ireland if she listened to what they had to say on the deal.

Mr Shannon said: "If you don't cast your net wider and seek opinions of other people and stop seeking the... one blinkered opinion, which it is clear to me that some people are pursuing, then you are going to get a very rude awakening."

Image source, EPA

John McDonnell believes his party could form the next government without an election if Theresa May fails to get her Brexit withdrawal agreement through the Commons vote next month.

Speaking at a Reuters event in London, he admitted it was "difficult to see" how Labour could secure a general election - despite it being his party's line over Brexit for some time - as it would require two-thirds of MPs to back it under the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

But he said: "My own view is we haven't explored sufficiently, neither has the media, these concepts, the constitution, our custom and practice.

"If it's a minority government and they can't obtain a majority in parliament, usually it's then the right, the duty of the Monarch to offer to the Opposition the opportunity to form a government and that would be a minority government and see if they can secure a majority in parliament.

"I think we can secure a majority in parliament for some of the proposals we're putting forward."

He added: "Failing that I think a general election is the route we need, and obviously, if we can't secure that then a further referendum."

Image source, Houses of Parliament

Senior Conservative backbencher Sir Bernard Jenkin has confirmed he will vote against Theresa May's deal.

Speaking to the Institute for Government, the Brexiteer said he would "vote against the deal as it is", adding that no-deal is "absolutely" a better outcome for the UK.

"Actually, the effects on trade would be pretty marginal," he added.

"The idea that a customs union is somehow an optimal trading relationship is a myth we have to bust."

Jenny Hill
BBC Berlin correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Angela Merkel says she recognises how "difficult" the debate is in the UK over the Brexit deal, but it has Germany's backing.

Speaking from the Bundestag this morning, the German Chancellor said: "We are still sad about Great Britain leaving but, as we’ve often said, we accept and respect it.

"We know how difficult the debate is in Britain. I can say for the German government that we agree with the exit deal. It was hard work."

Mrs Merkel said the deal was "very complicated because leaving the EU is complicated" - but the issue of the Northern Ireland border made it even more so.

"Of course an agreement like that needs to be workable," she said. "I think that’s the case because it’s in our fundamental interest to have a good relationship with Great Britain – in defence, in security but also in many international agreements.

"We want to remain good friends and partners, and I and the German government will do everything necessary to ensure that happens."

Image source, bbc

"Were Scotland to be offered what Northern Ireland is being offered I wouldn't be sitting here criticising the withdrawal agreement," Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell tells Holyrood's constitution committee.

That deal would be a deal that we would certainly negotiate seriously, he adds.

He explains former UK Brexit Secretary David Davis told him a differentiated deal could not be done and was impossible, however now we see it will be done.

"Scotland has had nothing out of it."

Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell says he specifically disassociated the Scottish government from Theresa May's EU nationals 'queue jumping' remarks.

"They are disgraceful," he says.

Image source, PA

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has said MPs will stop the UK from leaving the EU without a deal.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said MPs would not vote for a no deal Brexit during an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Mr Starmer told PA after: "Amber Rudd seems to have ignored No 10's spin by admitting that Parliament would stop a no-deal Brexit.

"If the prime minister's deal is rejected then MPs will not sit back and allow us to crash out of the EU without an agreement. Parliament will take back control.

He added: "After these comments from Amber Rudd, it's time for the government to drop the false choice between a bad deal and no deal, and to come forward with a plan that can command the majority support of Parliament."

BBC Radio 5 live

Liz Truss has warned there is a "serious danger" of no Brexit if MPs vote down Theresa May's deal.

The chief secretary to the Treasury told BBC Radio 5Live's Emma Barnett that she was "confident" the government had a good deal to put forward.

But she was concerned about "avoiding the catastrophe" of delivering no Brexit at all.

Ms Truss said: "I am signed up to Theresa May's plans, I am signed up to this deal, and I really believe this is our historic opportunity to leave the EU.

"And if my colleagues don't vote for this in Parliament we are in serious danger of not leaving at all."

She added: "This is genuinely leaving. People will see that when we release the future framework.

"I am very, very worried about what the alternative looks like because I am a democrat. I believe that people voted in good faith to leave the EU and we need to deliver that."

Image source, Reuters

After being asked whether Brexit will still happen, shadow chancellor John McDonnell took a big pause before answering.

"There's an element of Nostradamus in this," he said.

"My own view is this - where we're at at the moment, people have made a decision in one referendum, we need a government that will respect that decision and implement it on the basis of long term protection of economy and jobs.

"But we also have a parliamentary democracy and any process has to command a majority in parliament.

"It's very difficult to predict at the moment what the final outcome will be."

Adam Fleming
Reporter, Daily Politics

The plan was that Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker would meet for afternoon tea today and in front of them would be a completed text of this political declaration, setting out the framework for this future relationship on a whole load of areas.

It was supposed to have been concluded by the negotiating teams in Brussels by last night.

It was not. There are still three big sticking points - Gibraltar, goods and access to British fishing waters for EU boats in future.

I have been handed a note, a diplomatic summary prepared by a member state, of a meeting last night of EU27 ambassadors here in Brussels.

It is just one country's take on what was said, but it does lay bare what these issues are.

On goods: The UK's proposal for a free trade area with a common rulebook - the so-called Chequers plan – faces criticism from France, saying it could potentially spell the end of the single market.

On fish: Apparently what the UK wants is annual negotiations on access, very similar to what Norway does with the EU every year, but that is unacceptable to the EU27.

On Gibraltar: The EU has proposed the final text says, “the future relationship might not necessarily apply to Gibraltar". Apparently, the British negotiators came with a text saying the total opposite.

And there is another little sticking point still to be resolved in the withdrawal agreement - the paragraph that says the transition period or implementation period after Brexit could be extended.

At the moment, it says the ultimate end date is the year 20XX. That 'XX' has to be filled in with a number, and the Commission has proposed 2022. The UK has not made a counter offer yet.

These are the four things Mrs May and Mr Juncker will have to discuss tonight over their tea and cucumber sandwiches.

Image source, PA

Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell is giving evidence to Holyrood's constitution committee on the EU withdrawal agreement.

Nicola Sturgeon says the latest draft of Theresa May's Brexit agreement is a document which will ask people to "take a blindfold leap off a cliff".

The first minister held talks with the prime minister in London and said they had a "full, frank and calm" exchange of views.

Number 10 said it was "the best deal that could have been negotiated".

Live updates here.

BBC Newsnight

Research on young people's views on Brexit found them "knowledgeable and keen to engage".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, Conservative Party

Tory MP Damian Collins, who backed Remain in the 2016 referendum, has said he will vote against the withdrawal agreement as it stands, and back a new referendum or general election if no changes were made.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the chair of the Commons Culture Committee said: "If we couldn't get an agreement and we were stuck in a situation where it was a deal we don't want or the cliff-edge... I don't think as Parliament we could just stand back and watch the country fall off the edge of a cliff without asking the people whether that was the step they wanted to take."

He added: "I don't accept that this is a deal we have to accept or face the cliff-edge.

"We would be, in this deal, in a situation, I believe, worse than the one we are in now and something no-one voted for, where we would be bound to abide by all the European rules and locked into a system we can't independently leave."

Victoria Derbyshire

What happens when two strong-minded individuals from opposite sides of the Brexit debate sit down for dinner?

To find out, the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme has organised a series of blind dates.

Next up is TV presenter June Sarpong, who campaigned for Remain, with ex-Racing driver and former Top Gear Stig, Perry McCarthy, a Leave voter.

They went into the meal without knowing who they would be meeting.

But did they get on?

Image source, EPA

The 1922 Committee has been hitting the headlines over the past week due to threats against Theresa May's leadership.

It is the chairman of this Tory backbench committee, Sir Graham Brady, that receives and counts up the letters calling for a confidence vote in the prime minister.

(You can read how a leadership challenge would work here)

The group will be meeting this afternoon, but it is not about reaching that magic number to trigger a ballot.

Instead, the committee will be addressed by Liam Fox - a prominent Brexiteer, but one who has so far remained loyal to the PM (and in cabinet).

We'll be bringing you details of what he says, later.