Summary

  • MPs continued debating the government's Brexit deal, ahead of vote next Tuesday

  • Thursday's debate focused on the economic impact of the agreement

  • Commons business began with questions to Brexit ministers

  • House of Lords also debated the Brexit deal this afternoon

  1. SNP MP asks for statement on ECJ rulingpublished at 10:05 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Exiting the EU Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SNP MP Joanna CherryImage source, HoC

    SNP MP Joanna Cherry asks whether the government would be prepared to revoke Article 50 - which triggered the UK's exit - if the Brexit deal is rejected by MPs next week.

    She also asks Stephen Barclay whether he will make a statement next Monday, when the EU's Court of Justice (ECJ) is due to rule, external on whether a country can unilaterally withdraw Article 50.

    The Brexit Secretary replies that he cannot prejudge a court case, but the position of government is that it "won't be revoking" its Article 50 notification.

    He says allowing a country to withdraw an Article 50 letter could make a "mockery" of the procedure if it were then to "re-trigger" the leaving process further down the line.

  2. ECJ to rule on Article 50 case next Mondaypublished at 10:03 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

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  3. Barclay: 'Significant progress' on Brexit-related lawspublished at 09:51 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Exiting the EU Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Stephen BarclayImage source, HoC

    The first question is from Conservative MP Ranil Jayawardena, who asks what the government's Brexit deal will mean for future UK trade deals.

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay replies that the UK will be able to "sign and ratify" free trade agreements during the post-Brexit transition period.

    Mr Jayawardena says the UK must seize its opportunity to become a "beacon of free trade", and asks about the progress of trade legislation.

    Stephen Barclay tells MPs that over 220 statutory instruments, external - a form of secondary legislation - have been put forward so far out of a total target of 700 to prepare the country for Brexit.

    This represents "significant progress", he adds.

  4. Good morningpublished at 09:30 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    It's all about Brexit today in the House of Commons - the sitting kicks off shortly, when MPs will put questions to Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and his ministers.

    After that, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom will deliver the usual 'business statement' to set out forthcoming debates and votes in Parliament.

    And then the main event this afternoon...the third of five days of debate on the government's Brexit deal, ahead of the big vote next week.

    Today the focus is on the economy - Chancellor Philip Hammond will be opening the debate.

  5. Brexit full advice warns over NI backstoppublished at 21:16 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    The government's legal advice says NI could end up alone in a customs union under the backstop terms.

    Read More
  6. No deal 'would risk public's protection'published at 21:13 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Sajid Javid says voting down the PM's Brexit deal could have consequences for public safety.

    Read More
  7. That's it from us...published at 21:10 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    MPs now turn to the adjournment debate, which tonight is led by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable and concerns the South Western rail franchise.

    That's it for our coverage of the Commons and the Lords today.

    Whilst PMQs as usual dominated the headlines today, peers and MPs have been debating the EU Withdrawal Agreement before the meaningful vote in the House of Commons next Tuesday.

    Join us again at 9.30am tomorrow for Brexit questions in the Commons, before both MPs and peers continue the withdrawal agreement debate.

  8. 'Brexit negotiations a shamble and national humiliation'published at 21:09 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord TruscottImage source, HoL

    Lord Truscott, who sits as an independent peer, says "this is the greatest crisis this country has faced since the Suez Crisis or Second World War."

    He adds that "the reality of the backstop is the EU will have no incentive to release the UK from it", that the deal is full of "vague aspirations" and will take "several years" to arrange future trading partnerships.

    "The Brexit negotiations have been a shambles and a national humiliation," he says, "we must hold our hands up to the British people and say we are not ready to leave the EU on the 29th March."

    Lord Truscott says "we must extend or revoke Article 50 to have time to sort ourselves out and negotiate a new deal, and the current deal must be scrapped in its entirety."

  9. Conservative peer 'upset at hostile language towards EU counterparts'published at 21:07 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness HooperImage source, HoL

    Conservative peer Baroness Hooper says she voted to remain and was "reluctant about Brexit", adding that she is "very upset at the use of hostile language against our European partners in the press".

    The former MEP says representatives must work overseas "for successful free trade agreements" and the government need to prioritise "more free trade promotion".

    Her preferred decision is to remain, she says, and she will support a motion if it is made to rescind Article 50, "although I certainly do not want another referendum ever".

    Baroness Hooper says she has come to the conclusion that "the best way forwards is to support the prime minister's deal."

  10. Tory peer: 'I will support the deal for fear of worse'published at 21:05 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Viscount HailshamImage source, HoL

    Tory peer Viscount Hailsham says he will support the withdrawal agreement "despite being wholly opposed to the policy of Brexit".

    "It will damage the UK in many respects," he says, "if this was the moment to do so I would vote to stop Brexit, but now is not the moment for that".

    He says he will support the deal "for fear of worse, for fear of crashing out with no recovery plan", and that he is "not yet ready to accept the risk of rejecting the prime minister's deal".

    "A disaster seems equally probable," he says, "a no deal would be a calamity."

  11. Foreign Secretary: Commitment to the security and defence of Europe remainspublished at 21:04 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jeremy HuntImage source, HoC

    Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says many MPs have demonstrated that there is an obligation to make good on the Brexit referendum.

    He disagrees with those that call for a second referendum, "a second referendum would not settle this issue."

    "Leave voters have a very simple message", he says, "and that is that they want us to get on with it."

    However profound and important Brexit might be, he says no European country has done more for the security of Europe than Britain.

    The political declaration aims to enhance that partnership, he says, and the commitment to the security and defence of Europe remains. The UK will not become isolated, "but we will not be constrained by the lowest common denominator of a common foreign policy".

    "I regret that the EU has unwisely made it impossible for Britain to remain a full partner in the Galileo system", he says, but "the United Kingdom is perfectly big and confident enough to develop our own alternatives."

    With that, the debate comes to an end for the day, to be resumed tomorrow.

  12. MPs must vote down deal 'for trust to be left in parliamentary system'published at 21:04 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord FramlinghamImage source, HoL

    Tory peer Lord Framlingham says "we are where we are because of two and a half years of wasted time."

    He says Lord Wigley is an example of "stubborn individuals who fail to understand the vote of the referendum". What is it about the word leave that people do not understand, he asks.

    Lord Framlingham says "if there's going to be any trust left in our parliamentary system, MPs must vote down this deal and the government must return to the negotiating table."

    "It is so important that a healing process starts as possible for the sake of the fabric of society, and so that normal government can resume," he adds.

    Staying in "would be a total betrayal of trust", he says, and could to "civil unrest", whilst 'People's Vote' would be "an abdication of governmental responsibility".

    He calls for a Canada ++ deal model.

  13. Labour: Brexit deal is 'half baked, hurried through and totally botched'published at 20:47 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Emily ThornberryImage source, HoC

    Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry is now wrapping up the debate on behalf of the opposition.

    MPs are being asked to make the decision without even seeing the Immigration White Paper that they were promised, she says, and to support an agreement that does not secure continued membership of "so many" beneficial international arrangements.

    Even with the announcement of a new embassy in the Maldives, there will still be 16 other countries - with a combined combination of 72 million people - where the UK has no consular relationship, she says. In each of these 16 countries, British citizens previously received support through EU allies, but will no longer.

    The "half baked, hurried through, totally botched" nature of the deal is completely demonstrated by this, she says - the government has "not even bothered to think about" what it would mean for the British citizens in trouble where there is no consular support.

  14. Highlands MP says his constituency urgently relies on EU migrantspublished at 20:37 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Drew HendryImage source, HoC

    SNP MP Drew Hendry says Scotland risks losing its European identity as a result of Brexit.

    "Scotland has been an outward looking European nation since the late middle ages", he explains, "our deep connection with European nations is deep and strong and lasting."

    In his constituency, the concern is not immigration, but emigration. They urgently rely on EU migrants in order to keep going and he says he does simply not have enough time to stress how vital immigration is.

    "It is quite simply the fabric of what we do."

  15. Labour MP: Almost two thirds of my constituents want a vote on the dealpublished at 20:24 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Siobhain McDonaghImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh says she approached the referendum as a reluctant remainer.

    "The idea that we could make ourselves smaller whilst globalisation grew faster and stronger was, whilst comfortable, not realistic", she says.

    "Now we know the terms of the deal on the table, people deserve to have their say."

    Almost two thirds of her constituents support a vote on the deal, she says.

  16. Deal 'not good enough and leaves UK on road to nowhere' - Plaid Cymru peerpublished at 20:22 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord WigleyImage source, HoL

    Plaid Cymru peer Lord Wigley says "the government have made an appalling botch of negotiations."

    The withdrawal agreement "is not good enough, and leaves the UK on the road to nowhere", he says, adding that the backstop issue is left "unresolved, and unresolvable".

    He says Labour AMs in the Welsh Assembly yesterday backed a Plaid Cymru proposal to oppose the government's deal because "we all realise this deal is not in the national interest."

    If the only options are this deal or no deal, he says "the decision should be put back to the people for them to say if they really want to go down to this disastrous road."

  17. Labour MPs criticise government's immigration approachpublished at 20:17 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MP Matt Rodda says the Brexit deal brings an end to freedom of movement, but gives no idea of what will replace it.

    "This simply is not acceptable - members have a right to know what the new immigration system will look like", he says.

    The government has failed to deliver on its promises on immigration, he says, and has failed to publish its white paper before the vote.

    Fellow Labour MP Ruth Cadbury also criticises the government's approach to immigration. She says the deal offers "nothing concrete" for EU citizens in the UK, many of whom have lived here for years, contributing a great deal.

    Young people recognise that remaining in the EU is key to their future, she says.

    "I am not prepared to commit their future to the recession that the government's own analysis clearly predicts."

  18. 'EU has UK over a barrel with few cards left to play'published at 20:14 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord MacphersonImage source, HoL

    Former permanent secretary to the Treasury, crossbench peer Lord Macpherson says "the deal could lead to any destination, which is maybe no bad thing."

    However he notes that "the EU has the UK over a barrel with few cards left to play."

    Lord Macpherson says "the balance of possibility is that the UK will be salami sliced into making one concession after another" when trying to form new trade deals.

    "It is not surprising, in hindsight, that we have ended up in this position," he says, "the government activated Article 50 without a clear plan."

    He says "it is perfectly reasonable to make the government think again about the backstop."

    Lord Macpherson says "a chaotic no deal is not a credible threat at present, as a deal can be brought back to Parliament in February or March."

  19. 'Next to no chance a better deal can be negotiated'published at 20:12 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord ButlerImage source, HoL

    Lord Butler of Brockwell, who is a former head of the civil service, says he agrees that "a no deal Brexit cannot happen under any circumstances."

    "There is still much to play for with the future relationship", he says, but the withdrawal agreement "is neither better nor worse than I expected at the outset".

    "I am in a dilemma", he says, "I want to express my support for the opposition's regret motion but I cannot do so - there is next to no chance that a better deal can be negotiated."

  20. 'Brexit only strengthening support for independent Scotland'published at 20:01 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December 2018

    Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SNP MP Brendan O'Hara says Brexit is only strengthening support for an independent Scotland.

    Tonight the Scottish Parliament voted to reject the deal, and he urges the prime minister to pay attention to that.

    The Scottish people have been mistreated and ignored, he says, and continuing on the course that the deal presents will only make matters worse.