House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, UK Parliament

Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin says the bill being brought forward by MPs has "no mandate nor democratic legitimacy from the voters".

It "undermines the accountability of how laws are made in this country".

But Oliver Letwin says governments with large majorities have a free hand to bring forward whatever laws they choose.

He says logic dictates that MPs should not complain about the Commons taking control of parliamentary business when the government has no majority and cannot get its business through.

European Parliament
Brussels

The debate on Brexit in the European Parliament comes to an end and MEPs take a break before starting a session on the Future of Europe.

European Parliament
Brussels

"What the British government could not do to Ireland during the conflict, members states must not contemplate doing during peace," says Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson.

"Our peace process is too important," she adds.

"Don't even try to contemplate reinforcing partition by hardening the border in Ireland."

House of Commons
Parliament

Brexit-backing MPs are expressing their unhappiness at the bill and the fact they are effectively being asked to approve it in a single day.

Anne Main says it is being needlessly "rushed through" against the wishes of most Conservative MPs while Charlie Elphicke says it is "completely unnecessary" as Theresa May has already said she will be seeking a further extension to Brexit beyond 12 April.

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis asks his colleague Sir Oliver Letwin "does he not worry about the quality of what he's doing today?"

And Labour's Kate Hoey suggests it is another "little legal way" of trying to further delay or stop Brexit.

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Brussels

Labour's Richard Corbett tells MEPs that public opinion in Britain is growing in favour of "reversing this historic mistake".

He says it would be "folly" if the European Council let the UK leave the EU without a deal "just at the point when we could change this course of action".

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Sir Oliver Letwin, the architect of the indicative votes Brexit process, is speaking in the Commons.

He defends asking the House to pass a law in a single day giving it a say over any Brexit extension secured by Theresa May next week.

He says it is a "transparent process" through which MPs will be able to approve and, if necessary, amend any delay granted by the EU.

While he would like to have more time to debate the issue, he says the clock is ticking ahead of the 10 April meeting of EU leaders.

MPs, he says, don't have the luxury of a "long look" at the bill and their choice is between "a short look and no look at all".

"It can only be done at high speed, because there is no time left."

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Brussels

SNP MEP Alyn Smith says Gerard Batten "does not speak for Britain".

"He barely speaks for his own party," he adds.

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Brussels

SDP MEP Patrick O'Flynn says European leaders should ask themselves why "are after being threatened with no food, no jobs and no medicines, polls shows that more British people want to leave the EU with no deal than want to remain".

UKIP MEP Gerard Batten says European leaders have "done what Philip of Spain, Napoleon, Kaiser Wilhelm and Hitler couldn't do".

"You have brought Britain to its knees without firing a single shot."

House of Commons
Parliament

Debate is under way in the Commons on a business motion relating to the Cooper-Letwin bill to block a no-deal exit on 12 April.

This motion effectively sets out the terms of the debate.

Commons Speaker John Bercow says he has selected one amendment, in the name of Labour's Hilary Benn, which would set out time for a further round of indicative Brexit votes in the Commons on Monday.

Image source, PA

The BBC's Vicki Young has also been speaking to Labour about this afternoon's meeting with the PM.

It has named its team of negotiators. As well as Jeremy Corbyn, Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer, Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and Chief Whip Nick Brown will also be going along.

A spokesman says the party will not pre-judge the outcome of the talks but its priorities include changes to the existing framework on future relations "to safeguard against a change of prime minister".

In a nutshell, this means Labour wants legally-binding guarantees on employment and environmental protections amid concerns they could be ignored or watered down by Theresa May's successor.

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Brussels

Concerning a long extension, Mr Verhofstadt warns MEPs not to have any "illusions".

He says a situation in which the UK has one foot inside, and one foot outside the union would be "a tragedy" for the EU.

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Brussels

"The problem is not Jeremy Corbyn but divisions inside the Conservative Party," says Guy Verhofstadt - the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator.

He says everyone is following British politics and says "the sessions in the House of Commons have become more popular than the matches in the Premier League".

"The trouble is that it is always a draw in the House of Commons," he adds.

Image source, Reuters

MPs will soon start debating proposed legislation to rule out a no-deal exit from the EU if there is no Brexit extension beyond 12 April.

A group of Conservative MPs have tabled an amendment to the bill, in effect reviving what is known as the Malthouse Compromise.

This is a plan to replace the controversial Irish backstop in the withdrawal agreement with alternative arrangements, such as technological solutions and existing customs practices, to ensure there is no return to physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The MPs, including Nicky Morgan, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Damian Green, want the government to commit to this course of action immediately after any Brexit deal is passed and also to remove references to a "single customs territory" from the withdrawal agreement.

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Brussels

Concerning this afternoon's meeting between Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May, Conservative MEP Jacqueline Foster says: "I'm not holding my breath but I live in hope."

She describes Jeremy Corbyn as "the problem not the solution".

Addressing European leaders she suggests that "a tweak" to the withdrawal agreement "could have been quite helpful".

"No more than a paragraph could have resolved the issue," she says.

Everyone is trying to work out what the May-Corbyn meeting could lead to and, if there is a breakthrough, what will happen next.

Remember there is only a week to go before EU leaders meet to decide what to do about Brexit ahead of the 12 April deadline for the UK's exit.

At the huddle just now, No 10 said in an "ideal world" a single proposal would be agreed by the party leaders which could then be put before Parliament - but it is not ruling out more than one option.

On the timing, Downing Street said it was unlikely there would be any more indicative votes on Brexit options on Thursday.

If the House needs to sit on Friday, a motion will have to be passed on Thursday, it adds.

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Brussels

It is now the turn of German MEP Elmar Brok.

He says it would not be "good" if the UK takes part in European elections - something that could happen if the EU grants the UK a longer extension to the Brexit negotiation process.

Mr Brok warns that if a longer extension is granted "it must be associated with conditions".

He then addresses the leaders of the UK's largest parties: "Corbyn and May, put your country before your party."

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Brussels

Meanwhile in the European Parliament MEPs are debating the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says "if the UK is in a position of approving the withdrawal deal by the 12 April then the EU would also accept an extension to 22 May."

"If the Commons does not adopt a stance before 12 April no short-term extension will be possible," he says.

He argues that such an extension would "run the risk of jeopardising the European elections and the correct running of the EU."

European Parliament
Brussels

"A no deal on 12 April at midnight looks more and more likely," says Mr Juncker

"We have made sure that the EU is ready to face up to that situation," he says.

He warns that "disturbances suffered by citizens, businesses will be unavoidable" however he adds the consequences of a no-deal Brexit will be worse for the UK.

The BBC's Vicki Young has been at the post-PMQs' media huddle.

She's been told that Theresa May will meet Jeremy Corbyn at 14:30 BST in the House of Commons.

That will be followed by one-on-ones with Nicola Sturgeon (16:15) and the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford (17:00).

Apparently there will be "civil service support" to facilitate the process.

No 10 also has confirmed Tory MPs will be whipped to vote against legislation being tabled in the Commons later by Labour's Yvette Cooper which would rule out a no-deal exit if the UK can't get a further Brexit extension beyond 12 April.