Debate on reconciliation in foreign policy and international development
Business statement
House of Commons
Parliament
After nearly three hours, Theresa May's statement to the Commons comes to an end.
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom has now joined MPs to make a short business statement.
This speech, which normally takes place on Thursdays, sets out the future parliamentary timetable.
Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
After some further questions on the Irish government response to the backstop, the Lords adjourns.
There was no agreement on whether or not further debate on the negotiated Brexit deal should take place, so the Lords agreed to adjourn.
They'll return at 2.30pm tomorrow.
Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLLabour's Lord Reid of Cardowan says the government's argument that the public shouldn't be "re-consulted" could be used to justify "abolishing general elections".
"That is precisely what a general election is," he says.
He asks why these principles apply to general elections but not to referendums.
Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Evans of Bowes Park replies that both parties at the last election said they would respect the outcome of the 2016 referendum.
Brexit Statement
House of Commons
Parliament
SNP MP Drew Hendry says "this is the evaporation of any lingering vapours of credibility" and calls on the prime minister to resign.
“No,” says Theresa May in reply.
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Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
Conservative Lord Howell of Guildford says that "Parliament is not a government" and cannot agree on what to do, so therefore "there has to be a compromise" to ensure it is "short of total chaos".
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park says that the negotiated deal has required compromises on both sides and that this is the best deal available.
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Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLLeader of the Lords, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park says that it is a "weekly treat" for her to respond to comments from Labour and the Lib Dems on a prime ministerial statement.
She says that the government has managed to pass "critical legislation" in terms of planning for no-deal.
"Without a backstop there is no deal," she states, referring to what Theresa May stated earlier.
"The prime minister will be going back to the EU to try and get further assurances," she says.
Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
Image source, HoLLiberal Democrat Leader in the Lords Lord Newby says that this is a "tried and tested political tactic" from the PM to "kick the can" down the road.
He asks "what happens next" once the PM has sought "additional reassurances" on the backstop. He asks what the prime minister is looking for.
"Leo Varadkar speaks for everyone, I think," he says, referring to the Irish Taoiseach's comments earlier today, in saying that the deal on the backstop is the final deal.
He adds that the government is pushing its own "Project Fear" on no-deal Brexit preparations. He asks how much money is being spent on such preparations.
The chair of the Leave Means Leave campaign, John Longworth, says: "There is a perfectly acceptable alternative which is paving the way for an orderly no deal departure, which would give the UK complete freedom to boost the economy and save a potential £60bn.
"It is she [Theresa May] who said 'no deal is better than a bad deal'.
"If she returns without fundamental changes to this deal and she is not prepared to keep her word and commit then she should be replaced by somebody that will."
Brexit Statement
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCSNP MP Stewart M McDonald says when a government can't get through its central piece of legislation it should stand aside, and asks if, in that case, shouldn't Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn put forward a no-confidence vote.
He asks if Theresa May would, were she in his shoes.
Theresa May says the meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement is not legislation.
The government is ensuring they listen to MPs, she says, and will be holding further discussions with the EU on the views expressed.
Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
Responding to the statement, Leader of the Opposition, Baroness Smith of Basildon, says she "listened with great care" to the statement earlier, as she had hoped that there would be "greater clarity" on the "government's intentions".
She says this is "not strong or stable government" and the "prime minister appears to be in denial". She says the prime minister is trying to "alarm and frighten members of Parliament into backing her".
She asks for timetables on when the Commons' new vote will take place.
She adds that the UK is "hurtling towards" a "constitutional crisis".
Image source, PAJacob Rees-Mogg says Theresa May "must govern or quit".
The Tory Brexiteer and chairman of the European Research Group said: "What has two years of Theresa May doing Brexit amounted to?
"An undeliverable deal Parliament would roundly reject, if the prime minister has the gumption to allow it to go before the House of Commons.
"This is not governing, it risks putting Jeremy Corbyn into government by failing to deliver Brexit.
"We cannot continue like this. The prime minister must either govern or quit."
Brexit Statement
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCTory MP Sam Gyimah, who resigned from the government in opposition to the Brexit deal, says it is right for the PM to call on MPs to honour the referendum, but the 2017 general election led to the loss of a Conservative majority and gridlock in Parliament.
There's no majority amongst MPs, he says, and if the prime minister cannot reach an agreement MPs cannot support then "it's not Parliament frustrating the will of the people, the general election led to an outcome that cannot lead to a clear decision".
"In which case," he says, "we should not be afraid give it back to the people."
Theresa May says she hears his argument, but it's time for MPs to recognise the need to deliver on the Brexit vote.
The Institute for Government's Jill Rutter says Conservative MPs want a "unilateral exit mechanism" from the Northern Ireland backstop.
"Theresa May's problem is that the EU has made clear that the backstop is an insurance policy - an insurance policy in which one person can exit is not a very good insurance policy," she says.
She suggests that the prime minister may calculate that "playing it long" will be her best option.
Brexit Statement
House of Commons
Parliament
Labour MP Owen Smith says that since the PM started speaking today the pound has dropped to its lowest rate since early 2017 and FTSE has fallen to the lowest for two years.
This uncertainty is caused "by this failed brinkmanship", he says, and it is "grossly irresponsible" for the government to say they do not know when the vote on the deal will be.
Theresa May says people repeatedly talking about a second referendum and a general election is bound to cause uncertainty.
Brexit statement
House of Lords
Parliament
The Lords have returned to hear the prime minister's statement repeated.
Lord Taylor of Holbeach, the government chief whip, says that he has received "strong representations" from the opposition benches in the Lords that debate should not continue.
He says while he believes it is right for the debate to continue on the deal, it will not.
The prime minister's official spokesman explained the procedure by which the Brexit vote will be deferred.
When the Commons clerk reads out the orders of the day on Monday evening, the government whip will call out "tomorrow".
This delays the two remaining days of debate and any votes until a date yet to be decided.
A vote on this procedure is not required, said the spokesman.
Image source, AFP/Getty ImagesThe German foreign minister Heiko Maas says there have been difficult Brexit negotiations over the past months.
"I cannot see at the moment what could be changed."