Summary

  • No better outcome than my deal, Johnson says

  • It now needs the approval of the UK and European parliaments

  • However, the DUP has said it will not vote for it

  • The UK Parliament will sit on Saturday and vote on the deal then

  • The PM needs 320 MPs to back him for it to be approved

  • Scottish court has dismissed a bid to stop 'illegal' Brexit deal

  1. Parliament set for historic Brexit showdownpublished at 21:05 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    We are going to bring our live coverage to an end here.

    But we will be back early tomorrow to cover the proceedings in Parliament, which will be sitting on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years and it promises to be an historic occasion.

    Boris Johnson has spent the day trying to convince MPs to support his Brexit deal, ahead of what is expected to be a knife-edge vote.

    MPs will gather in the Commons at 09:30 BST for the main debate on the deal - with the voting likely to begin after 14:30 BST.

    You can read all about what to expect from the sitting here.

    In the meantime, our news story will continue to be updated with the latest developments.

  2. Ellwood: Deal a chance to 'put Brexit to bed'published at 20:45 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Conservative MP Tobias EllwoodImage source, Getty Images

    Boris Johnson's deal is MPs' chance to put Brexit "to bed", says Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood.

    Asked what will happen if the deal is not approved, he says: "There will be a pause for us to then take stock.

    "The Benn Act has been put in place to allow that time to consider what does happen next, but the damage this will do for the further debates and discussions with the EU will be unhelpful."

  3. Farage: 'It is the second worst deal in history'published at 20:40 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage adds that Boris Johnson's deal is "the second worst" in history after Theresa May's and "not worth voting for".

    Speaking at his party's rally in Westminster, Mr Farage urged MPs to "put country before party, vote this deal down and be heroes in the eyes of those who believe in democracy."

  4. Farage: PM's deal is an 'attempt to put lipstick on the pig'published at 20:33 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage says Boris Johnson's deal is a "re-heating of Theresa May's deal" and "will not get Brexit done".

    Speaking at a party rally at Westminster's Queen Elizabeth II centre, Mr Farage says: "Boris calls it a great new deal.

    "It isn’t new, because 95% of that withdrawal agreement is exactly the same as that put by the Commons by Theresa May and voted down three times.

    "It is a re-heating of Mrs May’s EU treaty and the attempt to put lipstick on the pig, and I hope and believe the House of Commons and British public won’t buy it at the fourth time of asking."

    The Brexit Party has held a series of rallies in Watford, Camborne in Cornwall, and London's Westminster in the lead up to the 31 October Brexit deadline.

    Brexit Party leader Nigel FarageImage source, UK Pool via Sky
  5. Paisley: No surrenderpublished at 20:00 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Ian Paisley concludes his speech to the Brexit Party rally:

    "We are here for the long term.

    "We are here to stay.

    "No surrender."

  6. Paisley: Deal will leave part of our union behindpublished at 19:59 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    DUP MP Ian Paisley is speaking at a Brexit Party rally.

    He thanks the party for "standing with us" and for "demonstrating fidelity to the union".

    "And, for not so easily letting go when things become difficult and keeping faith with the Ulster people."

    He says the Brexit deal "will leave part of our union behind".

  7. Union leader: PM's deal endangers the interests of working peoplepublished at 18:56 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Unite's General Secretary has tweeted his criticism of Boris Johnson's deal...

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  8. 'Time to stop kicking the can'published at 18:45 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Foreign Office minister tweets...

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  9. Deal poses 'high' risk to environment, says Greener UKpublished at 18:39 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    The new UK-EU deal poses a "high" overall risk to the environment, says Greener UK - a coalition of environmental organisations including the National Trust, RSPB and Friends of the Earth.

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  10. 'It will be a showdown of sorts'published at 18:31 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Laura Kuenssberg
    BBC political editor

    It really is extremely tight. It would be foolish to make a guess on which way it will go.

    What we do know might happen tomorrow is rather than there being a thumbs up or thumbs down vote to the deal, there could be an attempt by some MPs to bring in what they see as an insurance policy.

    This could mean another delay in case this deal falls through in the next couple of weeks.

    That is potentially being put forward as an amendment so MPs will have a chance to vote on it.

    Without going in to all the potential machinations it could mean tomorrow turns, not just into MPs giving an opinion on Boris Johnson's deal, but also wrangling again about a potential delay.

    This could make things more fuzzy, and certainly more frustrating for Downing Street.

    It will be a showdown of sorts.

    It is only a week since Downing Street began seriously to believe that they might get this deal over the line.

    But they always knew that Parliament would be a very tricky hurdle.

  11. 'It's too important to be left to the politicians'published at 18:19 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    BBC News Channel

    Mary CreaghImage source, UK Parliament

    Labour MP for Wakefield Mary Creagh says she will be voting against the deal.

    "People have told me they want their vote back, they want to vote on this deal" she says.

    "It's too important to be left to the politicians."

  12. Scottish judge rejects claim deal is unlawfulpublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    James Shaw
    BBC Scotland reporter

    A Scottish judge has rejected a case brought by anti-Brexit campaigners claiming that the government’s deal to leave the EU is unlawful.

    The campaigners had argued that the agreement breached the terms of legislation designed to prevent Northern Ireland from being in a separate customs territory to the rest of the UK. They had wanted the deal to be suspended.

    Lord Pentland refused to grant an order suspending the deal. His reasons have not yet been published.

    During the hearing, he asked if a court order might prevent MPs debating the deal at a special sitting on Saturday. A lawyer for the government read out a letter from the speaker, warning that the court should not make an order stopping debate of any matter before Parliament.

    A separate action being brought by the same campaigners seeks to enforce the Benn Act which is designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit. That is expected to be heard on Monday if MPs sitting on Saturday reject the prime minister’s deal.

  13. PM: We will leave on 31 Octoberpublished at 18:04 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Boris Johnson also repeated his commitment to leave the EU on 31 October.

    The prime minister said: "I think we should leave the European Union on October 31st... Let me say we will leave the European Union on October 31st."

    And talking about the deal he struck to resolve the issues over the Irish border, he denied breaking a promise to the Democratic Unionist Party.

    He said: "No I don’t accept that at all. I think that what you have is a fantastic deal for all of the UK, and particularly for Northern Ireland because you've got a single customs territory. Northern Ireland leaves the EU with the rest of the UK."

  14. PM: It is time to move on from 'divisive' Brexitpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    The prime minister told the BBC he wanted the country to move on from Brexit which he described as "divisive".

    He said he was hopeful it would pass in the Commons on Saturday.

    Mr Johnson said: "I very much hope so. Look, you know, this has been a long exhausting and quite divisive business Brexit.

    "I hope that people will think well, you know, what's the balance, what do our constituents really want? Do they want us to keep going with this argument, do they want more division and delay?"

  15. PM: There is 'no better outcome' than my dealpublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 18 October 2019
    Breaking

    boris johnson

    Boris Johnson has suggested there is "no better outcome" than the Brexit deal he is putting forward.

    In an interview with the BBC, the prime minister said: "There's no better outcome than the one I'm advocating tomorrow."

    Urging MPs to come together and support the deal he secured in Brussels on Thursday, Mr Johnson said there was now a "chance to move on".

    He said: "I just kind of invite everybody to imagine what it could be like tomorrow evening, if we have settled this, and we have respected the will of the people, because we will then have a chance to move on."

    Read more here.

  16. Major and Blair issue joint Ireland pleapublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major have made a film to be shown at Saturday's People's Vote rally in London.

    In the film, they warn that Brexit risks undermining the Good Friday Agreement and peace in Northern Ireland, saying: “Either Northern Ireland and its hard-won peace is sacrificed on the Brexit altar or we end up in the bizarre situation where Northern Ireland stays in Europe’s trading system."

    They call for a second referendum, saying of Saturday's Parliament vote: "Whatever is the outcome, no deal or bad deal, it should not pass without the final say resting with the people.

    “These Brexiteers talk about the will of the people. But in 2016 our knowledge was necessarily limited. Now, three years on, three years of mess, misery and mayhem, when our knowledge is vastly expanded by experience, how can it be undemocratic to ask the British people their final opinion?"

  17. DUP 'encouraging' Tory MPs to reject Brexit dealpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    The party's Brexit spokesperson says it wants Conservatives to "take a stand" in Saturday's vote.

    Read More
  18. Bid to stop new Brexit deal failspublished at 17:45 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Scotland's highest civil court has dismissed a legal bid to stop the UK government from passing its proposed EU withdrawal agreement.

    Campaigners had argued that the agreement breached the terms of legislation designed to prevent Northern Ireland from being in a separate customs territory to the rest of the UK.

    They had wanted the deal to be suspended. Judge Lord Pentland refused to grant an order suspending the deal - his reasons have not yet been published.

    Read the news story here.

  19. Hammond challenges Johnsonpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 18 October 2019

    Former Chancellor Philip Hammond is asking the prime minister to pledge not to "dupe" MPs into a no-deal Brexit down the line if they back his deal tomorrow.

    Writing in the Times, Mr Hammond says he will back the Letwin amendment so that Boris Johnson has to ask for a Brexit extension even if his deal passes, to prevent Brexiteers voting against the deal at a later stage once the Benn Act has expired.

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