The World at One
BBC Radio 4

The motion needs a "magic number" of 320 votes to be successful - providing no one abstains.

Ben Wright, political correspondent for the World at One, said there "probably are" the numbers for MPs to defeat the Tory government in tonight's vote.

He said he believed there were 15 confirmed Tory rebels at the moment - while two Labour MPs are thought to be tempted to vote with the government.

"The Tory rebellion seems pretty solid at the moment," he added.

The UK is due to leave the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 October 2019. Brexit - British exit - refers to the UK leaving the EU.

What is the European Union?

The EU is an economic and political union involving 28 European countries. It allows free trade and free movement of people to live and work in whichever country they choose.

The UK joined in 1973 (when it was known as the European Economic Community). If the UK leaves as planned on 31 October, it would be the first member state to withdraw from the EU.

Why is the UK leaving?

A public vote - or referendum - was held on Thursday 23 June 2016, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain.

Leave won by 52% to 48%. The referendum turnout was very high at 72%, with more than 30 million people voting - 17.4 million people voted for Brexit.

Why hasn't Brexit happened yet?

Brexit was due to happen on 29 March 2019. That was two years after then Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 - the formal process to leave - and kicked off negotiations. But the Brexit date has been delayed twice.

The UK and the EU agreed a deal in November 2018 but MPs rejected it three times.

For answers to more key questions, read our full Brexit guide.

The BBC's political editor says that cross party opposition "seems to have gone well" but that the Tory rebels' meeting with the prime minister went "less than swimmingly".

She says Boris Johnson tried to make the case that he is seeking a deal, but there was little faith in his argument - one said, "it's a load of..." Meanwhile, rebels have consulted with EU lawyers.

Lastly, she says that Labour are "looking hard" for a mechanism where they can guarantee the date of an election, having outlawed leaving the EU without a deal.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is committed to leaving the EU on 31 October - with or without a deal.

In a no-deal scenario, the UK would immediately leave the EU with no agreement about the "divorce" process.

But what would that mean in practice?

Read our explainer here.

Image source, AFP/ Getty Images

There will be three ministerial statements in the House of Commons this afternoon before the application for an emergency debate.

At 15:30 BST Boris Johnson will make a statement on the G7 summit.

House of Commons authorities then expect Chancellor Sajid Javid to make a statement on preparedness for Brexit at 16:30 - although it could start later.

They then expect a statement from Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on education funding at 17:30 - again it could be later.

Following those statements, Conservative Sir Oliver Letwin will make the application for an emergency debate. This is expected to take place at around 19:00.

Image source, PA Media

Rory Stewart's office has confirmed to the BBC that the Cumbrian MP plans to vote against the government in the bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Stewart ran as a candidate in the race to be Conservative leader.

During the campaign he strongly advocated against a no-deal Brexit.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Berixt Party MEP Alex Phillips says her party fears that Boris Johnson "wants to dust off the withdrawal agreement" - the exit deal reached between Theresa May and the EU.

She says if the PM agrees to deliver "a clean break Brexit - leaving on 31 October without a deal," her party would support him "every step of the way".

However, she says the Brexit Party will opposed him if he "pushes through that deal".

"It is not Brexit," she says.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford is just out of a meeting with other opposition leaders.

He says there is "a great determination" to remove the "cliff edge of a no-deal Brexit."

He also says that he wants a general election but adds "we need to be able to influence the date of that election".

"What we don't want to do is to fall out of the EU on a no-deal basis," he says.

"We know exactly what Boris Johnson is up to."

BBC Politics Live
BBC2's lunchtime political programme

Tory rebel Sam Gyimah says he has accepted he will be deselected and expelled from the party when he votes against the government to block no-deal - but he still intends to stand in the next election.

"The party has left me," the former minister tells BBC 2's Politics Live.

"We have got a Conservative government now that is playing fast and lose around prorogation, not being clear on whether it will uphold the rule of law or not and threatening candidates with deselection.

"I think that is not the Conservatism I believe in."

Image source, Getty Images

There's growing speculation that Boris Johnson will try to trigger an early election if MPs successfully vote for a law that blocks a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

But how would an early general election be called and what are the challenges?

Read our guide here

BBC Politics Live
BBC2's lunchtime political programme

Conservative deputy chair Helen Whately says her party is a "broad church" and she doesn't want to see Tory MPs expelled from the party.

“I have huge respect for Philip Hammond and others who are considering voting against the government today," Ms Whately tells BBC Two's Politics Live.

But she adds the party has to come together to support the prime minister to deliver Brexit.

“I don’t want to see anyone lose the whip… but it has been made quite clear this is a really crunch vote," she says.

New statesmen journalist Stephen Bush says he believes Labour will end up supporting a general election.

He says the party will want assurances that "they won't be bounced into accidentally supporting a no deal."

"I think what will happen is we will end up with some legally binding motion saying the election will be on 14 October," he says.

He argues that will "unlock any objections" Labour has against an election in October.

Image source, UK Parliament

The DUP's Sammy Wilson is warning the bill seeking to delay the UK's Brexit date, will "give us multiple extensions, the terms of which will be dictated to us by the EU".

"Quite honestly I don't think any sane person should be considering" voting for the anti-no-deal legislation, Mr Wilson told the BBC.

He added it will "continue the uncertainty in the country".

The government currently only has a majority in Parliament thanks to support from the DUP.

BBC Politics Live
BBC2's lunchtime political programme

Lib Dem MP Layla Moran says she won't support triggering a general election while no-deal remains on the table.

She tells BBC Two's Politics Live that No 10's warning it could push for an election on 14 October is "obviously a trap".

“If anyone calls an election now my understanding is there isn’t a way parliament can guarantee it would be on October 14," she says.

“And anything that comes out of Boris Johnson’s mouth I just assume the opposite is going to happen."

Downing Street earlier denied it would try to change the election date.