House of Commons
Parliament

MPs have voted with a majority of 45 against the second amendment, which would have required a final vote in Parliament on any deal struck with the EU during negotiations. 

A total of 286 MPs supported the Lords' amendment, with 331 voting with the government to oppose it. 

The bill will now return to the House of Lords for peers to consider any further amendments. 

House of Lords
Parliament

The government has been defeated by 313 votes to 219.

That's a majority of 94.

The amendment ensures that foreign students are not treated as long term migrants.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Despite requests from Viscount Younger, Lord Hannay pushes his amendment to a vote.

The amendment would mean no student who has received an offer to study at a higher education establishment would be treated as a long term migrant to the UK for the duration of their studies.

The amendment also states that a non-British citizen who has received an offer of employment as a member of academic staff will not be subject to more restrictive immigration controls than currently apply.

Image source, AFP

Both the House of Commons and House of Lords are debating and voting on the bill today. 

MPs have gone first, and if they reverse both the Lords changes, it will be passed back to peers to decide whether they want to go against the government's plans again.

The bill travels back and forth between the two chambers until both sides agree.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs have voted with a majority of 48 not to support the Lords amendment which would have guaranteed rights for EU citizens currently in the UK. 

A total of 287 MPs supported the amendment, while 335 voted with the government against it. 

MPs have now divided on the second amendment, which would require Parliament to vote on any deal struck with the EU during negotiations. 

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs are voting to overturn a Lords amendment, which would commit the government to guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens. 

It's Lords Amendment 1 to the EU (Notification of Withdrawal Bill) - results expected in the next few minutes.

House of Lords
Parliament

Crossbencher and former Head of the Civil Service Lord O'Donnell says the amendment will help the Chancellor and reduce the deficit.

This is not an argument the government can win, says Labour's Lord Stevenson, and urges the minister to support this "no brainer" solution. 

Government spokesman Viscount Younger of Leckie argues that foreign students use public services and therefore should be written into the net migration figures.

However he assures peers that the government welcomes foreign students and has no intention on putting a cap on their numbers. 

House of Commons
Parliament

After a final plea from Brexit Secretary David Davis, MPs are voting on the first Lords amendment, which requires the government to secure the rights of residency of EU citizens currently in the UK.

MPs are being asked if they "disagree" with the amendment. 

House of Commons
Parliament

The Green Party's Caroline Lucas notes the irony of the government asking MPs to write them a "blank cheque" on Brexit negotiations when many believed the referendum was about parliamentary sovereignty. 

She says allowing this would be an "extraordinary and unforgivable abdication of parliamentary responsibility." 

She calls for MPs to defy the right-wing press and not act as "lemmings".

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Crossbencher Lord Green of Deddington opposes the amendment.

His first "incredibly obvious" point is that most foreign students arrive, study, work a little and then leave.

Those do not make any difference to the net migration figure, he argues.

He also condemns the amendment as "making policy through legislation".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Julian Lewis asks "should we make a one-sided gesture regardless of the fact it would leave our own citizens exposed?"

He questions why the EU has not suggested they were willing to make a deal on the security of UK migrants based in EU countries, saying they are equally happy to use citizens of bargaining chips. 

Vicki Young
Chief Political Correspondent

Conservative MPs are looking for further verbal guarantees from ministers over the exact nature of the parliamentary vote they've been promised on any Brexit deal Theresa May negotiates.

Labour is telling its MPs to vote against the government and around 10 Tory backbenchers have defied orders from their party managers in previous votes on this bill, but a rebellion on that scale won't be enough to defeat the government and ministers aren't expected to make concessions.

All eyes will then move to the Lords where the Liberal Democrats have promised to keep the pressure on the government - but Labour peers seem more likely to back down, so by tonight the rebellion could have melted away.

House of Commons
Parliament

The SNP's Alex Salmond compares refusal to legislate on EU migrants to the nuclear deterrent. 

"If the government is not prepared to deport them, it's not a bargaining card," he argues. 

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Crossbencher and President of UK Council for International Student Affairs Lord Bilmoria says that measures aimed at reducing international students overstaying their visas is "ridiculous". 

He asks the minister to acknowledge a Whitehall report that shows only 1.5% of international students actually overstay. 

He says that the environment for attracting international students will be more competitive post-Brexit, but "relentless" UK policy on cutting net migration is already pushing international students to other countries, including mainland Europe and Australia. 

He claims that the government is "out of touch" with public opinion, the vast majority of whom do not view international students as migrants. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP and chair of the Brexit committee Hilary Benn says if there's agreement we should protect EU citizens' rights we should "put aside division" and "do the right thing" by committing to it on the face of the bill.

He adds that to set this out in advance "would not be a weakness but a strength" as we enter negotiations. 

House of Lords
Parliament

International students have led to the creation of 117,000 jobs across the UK and brought in £13.6 billion into UK universities in 2011 alone, says Labour's Lord Bradley, as he asks the government to "recognise their value."

Crossbencher Lord Smith of Finsbury, master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, says that international students add a strong educational value to universities. 

He says that it allows for British national students to benefit from different ideas which might be brought by a multitude of cultures. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative former immigration minister Mark Harper says he would like to see the government take a generous approach to law-abiding EU migrants and a less generous approach to those who break the law. 

He argues that those who want a vote on the Brexit deal actually think the solution will be to stay in the EU.