Summary

  • Debate on reconciliation in foreign policy and international development

  1. MPs raise points of orderpublished at 20:42 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Point of Order

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Debate on the EU court ruling ends, and Speaker John Bercow is now allowing MPs to make points of order.

  2. UK can cancel Brexit, says EU courtpublished at 20:26 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    The European Court of Justice rules that the UK can cancel Brexit without the consent of the other EU states.

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  3. Commons is filling up again...published at 20:26 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

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  4. Labour MP welcomes commitment to not revoke Article 50published at 20:22 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Kate HoeyImage source, HoC

    Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey says she welcomes the government's commitment not to withdraw Article 50.

    "Many of the people who want to see it revoked are just really wanting to reverse the decision of the referendum," she says.

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says Ms Hoey "hits the nail on the head" as "that is the intention of some members".

    He questions whether this is the policy of the Labour frontbench, as it contrasts with what Labour voters were told at the last general election.

  5. Labour MP: 'Two ways' to avoid May's choicepublished at 20:18 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Hilary BennImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Hilary Benn says Theresa May has told MPs for two years that "the only alternative to accepting the withdrawal agreement is leaving the EU with no deal".

    Mr Benn, who chairs the cross-party Brexit committee, asks Stephen Barclay to confirm there are now "two potential ways" this choice of outcomes can now be avoided: extending Article 50, or revoking it.

    He questions whether the prime minister's threat still "has any credibility in law".

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says "the judgement doesn't cover extension, it was about revocation".

    "The prime minister has always been clear that there is another option, to go back on the referendum result and have no Brexit," he adds.

  6. Tory MP questions speed of EU court rulingpublished at 20:12 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Iain Duncan SmithImage source, HoC

    Conservative Iain Duncan Smith says that the ECJ's decision was made quicker than usual.

    He adds that it is "intriguing" that the non-binding opinion of an advocate general of the court issued last week was followed by a full ruling just four or five days after.

    "I can remember in government it taking three or four years for them to come to a judgement", he says.

    He asks whether Mr Barclay believes this was due to the fact a vote on the Brexit deal was scheduled for tomorrow.

    The Brexit secretary confirms that it was an "expedited process", but this was due to a request by the Scottish court to be put through quickly, he says.

  7. MPs should decide on revoking Article 50 - Cherrypublished at 20:04 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Joanna CherryImage source, HoC

    SNP MP Joanna Cherry says she is "proud" to be one of the members of the group that took the case all the way to the European Court of Justice.

    She says ministers were "desperate to prevent the public and parliamentarians from knowing that Article 50 could be revoked".

    She says the question is not purely hypothetical, because "the evidence shows we are nearing this situation". She argues MPs should get to decide whether Article 50 is revoked.

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay replies: "the government policy is very clear, to deliver on the biggest democratic vote in our country’s history".

  8. Labour questions cost to taxpayer of court challengepublished at 19:57 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jenny ChapmanImage source, HoC

    Shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman says Labour welcomes the clarity brought by today's ECJ ruling.

    The decision shows the decision on whether to revoke Article 50 is a political one, she says, adding that Labour had always argued this was the case.

    She asks how much money the government spent on its attempt to stop the case being heard.

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay asks how revoking Article 50 would be in any way compatible with the party's previous manifesto commitments to honour the referendum result.

    "Our policy has not changed", he says - before questioning whether the say could be said for Labour.

  9. Tory MP calls on ministers to consider revoking Article 50published at 19:47 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Kenneth ClarkeImage source, HoC

    Tory MP Ken Clarke says the UK is "going towards leaving with no deal at all", adding that the Article 50 notification needed to be "looked at".

    He asks the Brexit secretary if Article 50 could only be deferred for two or three months due to "legal complications".

    "Isn't the obvious thing for the government to start considering revoking Article 50 to save us from the disastrous scenario of no-deal," he concludes.

    Stephen Barclay says "the policy of this government hasn't changed, but if the party opposite is flirting with doing so, then it needs to square that with the manifesto on which it stood at the last election".

  10. Brexit Secretary: ECJ ruling 'does not change our policy'published at 19:42 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Article 50 statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Steve BarclayImage source, HoC

    Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says the government "notes the judgement from the European Court of Jusitce", but says it "does not in any way change our policy".

    "The government's firm and long-held policy is that we will not revoke Article 50", he says, adding that the matter is “hypothetical”.

    Mr Barclay says to revoke Article 50 - which kick-started the process of taking the UK out of the EU - would "undermine the referendum result".

    He says the government's aim is to deliver a Brexit that works for the British people.

  11. MPs debate ruling on Article 50published at 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The ECJImage source, ECJ

    Andrea Leadsom's business statement comes to an end.

    Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay has now joined MPs to debate this morning's ruling by the EU's top court that the UK can cancel Brexit without the permission of the other 27 EU members.

    Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled this could be done without altering the terms of Britain's membership.

    A group of anti-Brexit politicians argued the UK should be able to unilaterally halt Brexit, but they were opposed by the government and EU.

  12. We expect immigration plans before end of the year - Leadsompublished at 19:25 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SNP MP Kirsty Blackman asks when ministers will publish their plans for the immigration bill - which will set out the UK's post-Brexit immigration policy.

    "We expect to publish the white paper before the end of the year", says Andrea Leadsom in reply.

  13. Tory MP asks about legal advice on Brexit dealpublished at 19:14 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash asks if the motion requiring the government to provide its legal advice on the Brexit deal still applies if the agreement is renegotiated.

    Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom says Attorney General Geoffrey Cox answered "significant questions" and wrote out a large document setting out all the legal positions.

    "Should there be any significant changes, the Attorney General would certainly set out any legal implications of the certain changes," she adds.

  14. Does Dominic Grieve's amendment still apply? - Labour MPpublished at 19:07 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Rachel ReevesImage source, HoC

    Labour's Rachel Reeves asks what will now happen to Dominic Grieve's amendment to the 'business motion' - which had set out the procedure for this week's vote.

    The amendment, which was unsuccessfully contested by the government, called for MPs to get a direct say on what would happen next if the PM's deal is rejected.

    Andrea Leadsom says any motion on approving the Brexit deal is amendable "and that hasn't changed".

    When the Brexit deal comes back to the Commons, the business motion that was previously approved will need to be updated, but this too, she says, will be amendable.

  15. 'Whole front bench should be ashamed' - Tory MPpublished at 18:55 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mark FrancoisImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP and Brexiteer Mark Francois says the postponement of the vote on the Brexit deal is "shameful and a complete contempt".

    He says members were ready to vote on the deal today "and the government has run away and hidden in the toilets".

    "The whole front bench should literally be ashamed of themselves," he says.

    Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom says she "simply does not agree" with Mr Francois, as the prime minister is "determined to resume the debate as soon as possible".

  16. 'This is the ultimate humiliation' - SNP MPpublished at 18:52 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Pete WishartImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Pete Wishart says delaying tomorrow's Brexit vote is "the ultimate humiliation for the leader of the House and this prime minister".

    He accuses the government of a "monumental act of political cowardice". He adds that there must be a motion of no confidence put forward.

    Ms Leadsom says Theresa May "has very carefully listened" to the "many hundreds of colleagues" who have "expressed their concerns".

    "I believe that shows absolute respect for this Parliament," she says.

  17. Vaz: Ministers showing 'complete disregard' for MPspublished at 18:48 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Valerie VazImage source, HoC

    Shadow Commons leader Valerie Vaz says the government's refusal to give MPs a say on postponing the vote on the Brexit deal shows a "complete disregard for this House".

    "The public will look at us and despair", the Labour MP says.

    She asks Andrea Leadsom to confirm whether the vote on the Brexit deal will take place "this side of Christmas".

    In reply, Ms Leadsom says the government's intended method of postponing the vote is "a very common procedure".

    "It is then for the government to decide when to bring that back for debate", she adds.

  18. NI leaders react to Brexit vote delaypublished at 18:42 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    There is criticism of the decision to call off the Brexit vote from NI parties and business groups.

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  19. Leadsom gives MPs new timetablepublished at 18:41 Greenwich Mean Time 10 December 2018

    Business Statement

    Andrea LeadsomImage source, HoC

    Updating MPs on the new parliamentary timetable, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom says that tomorrow MPs will debate the Ivory Bill, and have a general debate on fuel poverty.

    On Wednesday, she says, they will discuss the remaining parliamentary stages of the Courts and Tribunals Bill - and on Thursday, they will debate youth violence.

    She confirms that the Commons will not sit this Friday.