House of Commons
Parliament

MPs are now voting on Labour's motion.

If it passes, MPs will be able to introduce legislation on 25 June to try to avoid a no-deal scenario at the end of October.

The result is expected in 10 to 15 minutes.

Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve says he would be willing to leave the Conservative Party if it meant getting Parliament a say over whether to leave the EU without a deal.

The Remain-backing Tory says MPs "should realise that there is no other opportunity other than this one... to be guaranteed an ability to have a say on an incoming prime minister wishing to take us out on a no-deal Brexit".

He said the only alternative "if we get to a point where a prime minister is intent on doing this" will be to "bring down the prime minister's government".

"I will not hesitate to do that," he added. "Even if that means resigning the whip and leaving this party."

He says he will not tell his children and grandchildren that he "gave up" and so will take this "last opportunity to have a sensible way of influencing the outcome".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Gareth Snell - who represents a constituency in Leave-voting Stoke - says he will now vote for a Brexit deal if one is brought forward, having opposed it before.

He says he will abstain on the motion this afternoon, however, because further delay does not change the fact no deal is the default in law.

Talk of future deals is "pie in the sky", he says, adding that the choice now is between supporting Mrs May's deal and cancelling Brexit.

If Labour continues to oppose a deal, it will be "responsible for a no-deal Brexit by default" by "not making a decision", he adds.

As we wait for Sajid Javid's delayed launch, our correspondent is in the corridor waiting to hear some of his rivals make their pitch to fellow MPs. She'll press her ear to the door for us...

House of Commons
Parliament

Like Sir Oliver Letwin, Nick Boles - who quit the Tory party in April over Brexit - says he will be supporting the opposition motion today.

He says he used to be an "instinctive loyalist", but sometimes it is necessary to "do the uncomfortable thing" in the interests of constituents.

Today's motion "does not block Brexit", he says, but provides a means to prevent a no-deal Brexit from happening without a vote in Parliament.

If MPs back the motion, Parliament will be seizing the chance to "defend its rights and freedoms" against an "arrogant executive", he adds.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Sir Oliver Letwin, who was behind the previous attempt to take control of the parliamentary agenda, says it would be "wrong" for the UK to leave without a deal without MPs having been given a "decisive vote".

The option to have such a vote has to be left open, the Conservative MPs says.

He warns that proroguing - shutting down - Parliament is not "by any means" the only way a new PM could go for a no deal without giving MPs a say - and this could be achieved simply by a new leader never offering one.

The purpose of the today's motion is to give MPs a means to force such a vote if required, he adds.

Oliver Letwin is the Conservative name on the cross-party motion being moved by Labour. He's also, as Steve Swinford points out, a backer of Michael Gove for Tory leader.

Mr Gove is a Brexiteer, so Mr Letwin's move could be somewhat awkward for him.

Image source, Reuters

The prime minister has criticised the motion being debated in Parliament aiming to stop a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking on a visit to Imperial College in London, Theresa May said today was about “who controls the business Parliament is undertaking” and such business “should not be handed over to Labour and the SNP”.

Asked about her opinion on a no-deal Brexit, the PM said she had "always been clear... the best route is to leave EU in orderly with a deal".

But, she said: "The issue before Parliament is about who controls the business Parliament is undertaking.”

Mrs May added: “The Parliamentary arithmetic hasn’t changed. Yes, there will be new leader of the Conservative Party and a new prime minister, but Parliament as a whole will still have to come to decisions about our future relationship with EU.

"I continue to believe we’d negotiated a good deal... but Parliament will have to make that decisions in due course.”

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

The SNP's Peter Grant says shutting down Parliament early to force through a no-deal Brexit would be an "outrage" to those who voted Remain in Scotland.

The government has shown "no inclination whatsoever" to prevent the UK leaving the EU without a deal, he goes on to add.

He says he wants the Remain vote to be "respected", not "laughed out of court".

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP John Baron adds to those who have criticised today's opposition Brexit motion - saying it would set a "dangerous precedent".

He says the principle that the government controls the parliamentary agenda is so ministers can "deliver on their manifesto promises".

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay agrees it would bring about "a fundamental change" to how the House operates and so should be opposed.