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Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin says he is backing the Brady amendment but is "beyond caring" what the deal involves - he will vote for it just to get a smooth Brexit.

Tonight's real focus is really about what happens in the absence of a deal, "which is not an abstract fact", he says, with 29 March fast approaching.

A no-deal Brexit is "not tolerable", he says, and he fears the country and the Conservative party could be devastated by it: "It will not be possible to argue that it was somebody else's fault".

For this reason, he urges his party colleagues to back the amendments intended to prevent no deal, if for no other reason.

The House of Commons has undisputed control of its own procedures, he says, so criticism of the Cooper amendment as "unconstitutional" is incorrect.

BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley says MPs in the Conservative Party's Brexit-backing European Research Group are meeting to decide how they will vote tonight.

Senior Tory backbencher Graham Brady is also there, in a bid to convince them to support his amendment which aims to replace the Irish backstop - the insurance policy aimed at avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland - with "alternative arrangements".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the Commons earlier he would be "happy to meet" Theresa May to discuss ways forward on Brexit, if MPs vote to remove the "threat" of no-deal.

He told MPs before they vote on the proposed amendments: "Tonight we have the opportunity to take no-deal off the table."

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Theresa May used the debate to urge MPs to "give me the mandate I need" to return to Brussels and demand the withdrawal agreement be reopened.

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Green Party MP Caroline Lucas accused Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party of suggesting people "go to the chippy instead" if there are potential food shortages in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

And Ms Lucas said she agreed with the SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford: "He's making a very powerful case for what no deal could really look like, and amongst that he said that there could be food shortages, and crucially that food prices could go up."

Image source, © UK Parliament / Mark Duffy

Earlier today, NHS Blood and Transplant said it would not be holding blood donation sessions in the Kent towns of Dover or Folkestone just before and after Brexit, because of possible traffic issues near the ports.

It meant six sessions would be cancelled, but the service said that there would be no effect on overall blood stocks.

But the decision drew some criticism, with Dover MP Charlie Elphicke calling it "ridiculous and irresponsible" on Twitter, external.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said a source told her that the decision "will be reversed".

These pictures capture politicians taking part in today's Brexit debate.

Theresa May was expected to close the debate but instead opened proceedings.

Political commentators noted the prime minister's determined performance at the dispatch box with one suggesting she had "had her Weetabix this morning".

Image source, UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

Labour MP Yvette Cooper's amendment which could lead to Brexit being delayed until the end of 2019, was among those chosen by the speaker to be debated.

Image source, UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had earlier opposed Mrs May's withdrawal agreement but today said he would back the plans if the Brady amendment to replace the "Irish backstop" with “alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border” was included.

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Labour MP Pat McFadden says he supports the amendments trying to avoid no-deal as leaving without a deal would have "extremely damaging consequences" for the country.

He says it is the duty of MPs to avoid this, and the impact of a no-deal has been outlined by numerous leading companies, analysts and institutions.

Mr McFadden says shortages of food and medicines are "a real worry" in the case of a no-deal, and it will be "lower-income families" who pay the price in these circumstances.

He calls for the Article 50 extension to be used for getting clarity about the country's future.

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Tory MP Damian Green expresses his support for the Brady amendment, suggesting it is common sense for the PM to seek drastic changes to the deal considering how clear an opposition there was to it in the current form.

The amendment would highlight how MPs can "shine a way forward" and contribute to future decisions on Brexit, he adds.

The losers of the referendum accept that the UK voted to Leave, he says, but that doesn't take away their right to a smooth exit. Despite this, and his opposition to no-deal, he warns caution to those seeking to strengthen Parliament's hand or delay Article 50 as "a little premature".

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The DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds says the DUP have had "good discussions" with the government over recent days, and they agree that the right approach is to support Graham Brady's amendment.

Mr Dodds says the DUP want a deal but the idea of taking no-deal off the table "is more likely to lead to a no-deal than anything else".

He says it will ensure the EU "holds out and does not give in to any future negotiation".

Mr Dodds says "we can achieve something that people have said is not possible and get this deal done" if Theresa May goes back to Brussels and the withdrawal agreement is reopened.

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Pro-Brexit Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns says she thinks its 50-50 whether her fellow Brexiteers will back the Brady amendment.

The amendment would require the backstop to be replaced with “alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border” but would otherwise support the prime minister’s deal.

She said: "I've been speaking to some constituents and made some phone calls today to prominent Brexiteers to see what they think and we've had some emails and it's about 50-50."

The MP said she was still unsure whether she'll back the amendments. "Ultimately it's going to be about the politics," she said.

"By backing this will we get to the 29 March and get Brexit and breathe a sigh of relief? Does it help the cause? And if it does, I'll support it."

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Tory MP Dominic Raab - who resigned as Brexit secretary in opposition to the withdrawal agreement - says he wants to strengthen the hand of the PM when she returns to Brussels.

Alternatives to the backstop would be possible, he says, suggesting it is "a political choice".

Even Michel Barnier has indicated alternatives to a hard border could be found, were the UK to leave without a deal, he says, so clearly there are alternatives to the backstop.

He criticises Yvette Coooper's amendment and supporting bill, suggesting it only "kicks the can down the road", despite criticism of the government for allegedly doing that.

The Brady amendment he initially considered "a little vague" he says - suggesting the government should have tabled its own, similar amendment - but he will vote for it.

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Labour MP Rachel Reeves rises to speak about her amendment which is a cross-party effort to extend Article 50 and avoid no-deal Brexit.

Ms Reeves says her amendment states if no deal is agreed by 26 February, there must be a mechanism in place to allow more time so that the UK does not crash out without a deal.

"If Theresa May can get her deal through Parliament on 13 or 14 February, this amendment is irrelevant," she adds.

She says if her amendment passes it will give certainty to businesses, and assurances to families and pensioners on fixed-term incomes who are worried about the rising costs of living.

The immediate priority must be to get no-deal off the table as the clock is ticking, she concludes.

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Conservative MP Sir Graham Brady says he does not support moves to delay Brexit, as it risks weakening the "pressure point" fast emerging in negotiations with the EU.

More flexibility has been shown on the European side recently as 29 March approaches, he says, and this validates the approach being taken.

This is what led him to table his amendment (n), which seeks "alternative arrangements" to the backstop, he says.

The backstop could lock the UK into the customs union, he suggests, and this is why he couldn't support the agreement. He says if the issue can be solved, MPs can unite behind it.

"We can send the prime minister back to Brussels to negotiate, we can do so having strengthened her hand."

Mike Stredder, the director of blood donation for NHS Blood and Transplant, has released a statement after Brexit led to some blood donor sessions being cancelled.

He said: "We have taken the decision to cancel donation sessions in Dover and Folkestone for a two week period before and for six weeks after Britain's exit from the EU.

"This is because in the event of issues at Calais and other freight ports, Operation Stack may be put in place by Highways England and the Kent Police.

"This could lead to significant traffic in Kent and may prevent donation teams from reaching venues in the area or a donation leaving."

He said only six blood donation sessions out of 2,700 held around the country would be affected - and replacement sessions would be held to compensate.

"There will be no effect on blood stocks or on our ability to supply hospitals," he added.

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Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable says people want "something more calm, deliberative and constructive".

The EU will reject alternative arrangements, he adds, asking MPs if they remember Chequers and if someone has invented a solution in the last six months.

The issue today is how we dispose of no-deal, Sir Vince says, noting the many amendments today regarding no-deal "do not solve the issue, but are a positive step that we must support".

"No-deal is real, now and not hypothetical," he says, and businesses are already taking precautionary measures to lower its impact.

Sir Vince says this is why his party will again call for the decision on Brexit to be taken back to the people.

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Conservative MP Dame Caroline Spelman, who has tabled amendment (i) with Labour MP Jack Dromey - which seeks to rule out a no-deal Brexit - speaks in support of the amendment.

No-deal would have a huge economic and huge human cost, she says, and this is why so many MPs from across parties support the amendment.

"The threat of no-deal has been used as a stick to get more concessions, but in my view that card has played out," she says.

She says the "card should be flipped" with taking no-deal off the table used as a "carrot" in exchange for improvements to the deal.

Voting no to no-deal forces a deal to be reached, she says. "If we agree no deal is not an option then its incumbent on all party leaders to get around the table."

She is surprised that, having already been defeated once by MPs seeking to prevent no-deal in the Finance Bill, the government hasn't accepted the amendment.

What does the amendment say?

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Green Party MP Caroline Lucas accused Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party of suggesting people "go to the chippy instead" if there are potential food shortages in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

In the House of Commons debate, Ms Lucas responded to a speech made by the SNP's Ian Blackford, and said: "He's making a very powerful case for what no deal could really look like, and amongst that he said that there could be food shortages, and crucially that food prices could go up.

"Does he share my anger with the voices behind me that he perhaps didn't hear, but when he was talking about food prices going up and the fact there could be food shortages, the people behind me were saying 'well let them go to the chippy instead?'

"Does he share my anger about the way our constituents would be affected by a no deal?"

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Chair of the Exiting the EU Committee Hilary Benn says he cannot see how the backstop is going to be changed "unless the prime minister knows something that we don't", as "the EU is not for turning".

He adds that his preferred option would be for the UK to be a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the customs union.

"Whatever happens it is quite clear now that we are going to need more time," he says, noting that the day "will soon come" when Theresa May will have to "face up to the reality".

Mr Benn says he hopes Parliament will take control of the process and that "there is nothing unconstitutional" about MPs doing their job.