House of Commons
Parliament

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay says Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment to the government's motion would mean more delay. He asks the independent MP to withdraw it.

Reality Check

The PM has repeatedly talked about the free trade agreements that the UK can do once it leaves the EU. Here's how free trade agreements work.

House of Commons
Parliament

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay says it's time to "move on" with Brexit. He quotes from the autobiography of the late Labour minister Mo Mowlam, to cries of "shame" from the opposition benches.

Mr Barclay goes on to say the people of Northern Ireland will be granted "consent" over the deal.

There's still a lot of uncertainty about when the voting could happen.

The proceedings kicked off at just after 09:30 BST this morning. Voting is likely to begin after 14:30 but the timings have yet to be announced.

But Downing Street has said there's no cut-off point, and the PM earlier said "this evening" when referring to the votes...

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Parliament

Independent MP Steve Brine says the PM's deal is "well worthy of all of our support". The PM responds that he's "delighted" Mr Brine will back it.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Vicky Ford says the people of the other 27 EU countries are "desperate to end this uncertainty" and that if the Commons fails to back his deal today, "we create more uncertainty and not less" in the UK and elsewhere.

The PM says the choice is "between this deal and a no-deal Brexit".

Image source, PA Media

MP John Mann - who announced he was stepping down from Labour last month, citing Jeremy Corbyn's handling of the party's anti-Semitism crisis - says he does not think the PM's deal will pass today.

"I don't think its going to be voted on, I suspect the Letwin amendment will squeeze through," he says, outside the chamber.

"Ironically I think it may end up helping Boris Johnson.

"If Labour votes against the second reading that is a very clear message that Labour are trying to stop Brexit," he says, saying Labour voters "will walk".

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Parliament

Boris Johnson says SNP voters - unlike the party's leadership - want to get Brexit done.

He tells MPs his deal also protects Northern Ireland and will let the whole UK do trade together.

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Parliament

Independent (former Labour) MP Frank Field says the PM's deal "delivers" on the promise of Brexit. Boris Johnson agrees.

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Parliament

Boris Johnson says the 3.4 million EU citizens in the UK are being given the "reassurances" they need about staying in the UK. There should be "symmetry", with EU countries reciprocating arrangements for UK citizens living in them, he adds.

Image source, EPA

Speaker John Bercow has selected two amendments to be voted on today - one from Oliver Letwin, and another from Peter Kyle.

This means there could potentially be up to four votes today, in this order:

• Vote on Oliver Letwin's amendment: This would provisionally support Boris Johnson's deal but withhold official approval until the legislation passes. In the meantime, it would force Mr Johnson to ask the EU for a delay. The idea behind it is to avoid a no-deal Brexit if the deal later fails to become law.
• Vote on Boris Johnson's deal: This is a vote on the main government motion - whether or not to back the PM's deal. It's expected to be very tight. This vote is expected to be cancelled by No 10 if the Letwin amendment passes.
• Vote on Kyle amendment: If the above vote does take place and Boris Johnson's deal is voted down by MPs, we could move on to the Kyle amendment to the no-deal motion. It calls for a confirmatory referendum.
• Vote on motion for a no-deal Brexit. This is the government's second motion put forward today. It's MPs' chance to vote in favour of a no-deal, although they are unlikely to do so.

Voting is likely to begin after 14:30 BST but the timings have yet to be announced.

Regardless of what happens on Saturday, the government has said it plans to push ahead with the legislation enacting the treaty agreed by Boris Johnson in Brussels - the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

They plan to hold the second reading of that bill on Tuesday, which would give MPs a chance to register their support - or not - for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal.

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Parliament

Conservative PM David TC Davies - referred to by Speaker John Bercow as David "Top Cat" Davies - asks about the effect of the deal on Wales. The PM says it's good for the whole UK.

House of Commons
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Conservative Jeremy Wright says the longer the debate goes on, the "more difficult it will be to unite the country". He adds that it's pointless to pursue a "perfect" deal.

The PM responds that his deal is "as perfect as we're likely to get" under the circumstances.

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The PM calls on independent MP Sir Oliver Letwin to remove his amendment to the government's motion, arguing it is an "impediment" to the Commons reaching a decision on his deal with the EU.

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Independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon says there is "anger" in Northern Ireland's unionist community over the PM's deal. Boris Johnson says he is committed to the constitutional position of Northern Ireland, calling it "inviolable".

House of Commons
Parliament

Boris Johnson says he doesn't see "any excuse" for delaying Brexit beyond 31 October. He promises the "very highest standards" for workers' rights.

Liberal Democrat MP and former party leader Tim Farron should have been running a half-marathon today, rather than sitting in the Commons.

"Extremely sorry to be missing the Langdale half-marathon today," he tweeted.

"I'd trained for it and was looking forward to a tough run in stunning landscape - but I'm in London voting to stop the PM giving away a quarter of the UK and damaging our rural communities.

"Good luck to the runners!"

His party, the Lib Dems, are staunchly anti-Brexit and want to stop it.

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Parliament

Eurosceptic Tory MP John Baron says he will back the PM's deal with the EU in the vote later today. Boris Johnson says both the UK and EU have an incentive to agree a "best-in-class" trade deal.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi says the people of Northern Ireland have been "sold down the river". But the PM says this "misrepresents" his deal.

House of Commons
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It's time to "uncork the Gauke", says Speaker John Bercow, as ex-cabinet minister David Gauke asks for a commitment to ensure a free trade agreement with the EU. The PM responds this can be achieved in 14 months.