Summary

  • Peers looking at the Civil Partnerships Bill

  • Stalking Protection Bill debated as well

  1. 'What is the PM so afraid of?' - Green MPpublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Green MP Caroline Lucas says Mrs May claims the possibility of no Brexit would be a "subversion of democracy", but criticises this.

    Quote Message

    The real subversion of democracy is a prime minister who has consistently sought to shut Parliament out of this process from the very beginning, who now refuses to go to the people to see if they are still satisfied with a deal that bears no resemblance to what was promised two years ago."

    She asks why the prime minister is "so afraid" to put the deal to the people, if it's what the people want.

    Mrs May says that when when people voted to leave, they wanted the things that the deal delivers: "We should be delivering what people voted for in 2016."

  2. Tory MP suggests it's 'tempting to prorogue Parliament'published at 17:27 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Desmond Swayne says is must be tempting to prorogue , externalParliament until April in order for the PM to deliver Brexit, adding "tempting, isn't it?"

    Mrs May says she won't allow him to tempt her down a road "that I don't think I should go down", but insists she'd miss hearing questions from him if Parliament didn't sit until April.

    Labour MP George Howarth says he accepts that the PM has tried her best, but she must realise that the facts haven't changed: "She has no majority in this Parliament, no authority in the country and her government now serves no useful purpose."

    The prime minister says the government is committed to delivering Brexit, but is also getting on with other things, such as the long term plan for the NHS.

  3. May continues to answer MPs' questionspublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    Theresa MayImage source, hoc
    Image caption,

    The prime minister has been answering questions for about an hour - there are plenty more MPs still wishing to ask her questions.

  4. Rees-Mogg questions EU's honesty on not wanting backstoppublished at 17:25 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg says Theresa May said in her statement that the EU will not agree to an end date to the backstop or a unilateral exit mechanism.

    He questions whether that makes her doubt the integrity of the EU when they say they do not want the backstop under any circumstances.

    Theresa May says the EU have concerns over the backstop coming into use, including that the UK "would engineer a system where it would pull out and erect a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland".

    Northern Ireland is part of the UK and we want to guarantee that commitment to the people of Northern Ireland," she adds.

    "The EU has been clear that in every circumstance they would require a backstop to be part of it," she says, ensuring that the importance is getting the future relationship in place "so that the backstop is never needed".

  5. Breaking the Brexit jargonpublished at 17:23 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit statement

    MPs are listening to a statement from the prime minister, and discussing tomorrow's vote on the Brexit deal.

    But what are some of the terms they are using?

    Meaningful vote

    The meaningful vote was agreed to in November 2018, meaning that MPs must be given a vote on the deal that the prime minister brought back from the EU. It became a huge row in Westminster last year, when then Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab hinted that the vote would be unamendable and would be 'take it or leave it'.

    Downing Street said at the time that a meaningful vote would 'bind' the hands of the PM, but the former attorney general, Dominic Grieve, said that the 'sovereignty of Parliament' would have to be acknowledged.

    In the end, the government lost the argument, and MPs are now able to table amendments to the agreement.

    Backstop

    During the transition period, due to end by 31 December 2020, the UK and the EU plan to negotiate a comprehensive future relationship that will maintain a fully open Irish border.

    The backstop is a kind of safety net - a way of avoiding a hard border if the future deal has not been agreed in time. In the withdrawal agreement, it is set out as a single customs territory covering the EU and the whole of the UK, but Northern Ireland would also have to follow other EU rules.

    The EU and UK have said that the backstop should only be a temporary arrangement until a permanent solution is found. But critics point out that it is not time-limited in the proposal and the UK cannot leave it unilaterally.

    Agreement on the backstop is critical, as the EU says it will not agree to substantive trade talks until it is in place.

  6. Leaders letters do not have power over Withdrawal Agreement - Tory MPpublished at 17:22 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mark FrancoisImage source, HOC

    Conservative MP Mark Francois says the Withdrawal Agreement is a draft international treaty which if voted and ratified will be "binding upon us in international law".

    He questions whether the letters have any legal power over the international treaty.

    Mr Francois says the prime minister quoted the Attorney General's advice "selectively".

    He says that Geoffrey Cox's letter states that the EU Council's conclusions "would have legal force in international law... albeit they do not alter the fundamental meaning of its provisions as I advised them to be in November 2018".

    Mark Francois adds that the letters are "a fig leaf, and a small one at that".

    Theresa May says she recognises that the assurances do not go as far enough as some members would have liked, "but we do have further assurances which sit alongside the Withdrawal Agreement" which have a force in international law.

  7. Tory MP: Tusk and Juncker letters 'underline the concerns' of MPspublished at 17:17 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP David Jones suggests the words of Presidents Juncker and Tusk that "we are not in a position to agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with the withdrawal agreement" simply "underlines the concerns" of MPs.

    He suggests this makes it more likely that the deal will be rejected tomorrow.

    Ms May says the concern that had been overwhelmingly raised was about the backstop, and the EU has "given further assurance" in a form that has legal force about the issue.

    "They have gone further than they did within the withdrawal agreement," she says, but repeats that there is no deal that can be reached without the backstop.

  8. PM asks MPs to give deal 'second chance'published at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Theresa May asks what the history books will say if MPs vote on Tuesday against her Brexit plan.

    Read More
  9. Plaid Cymru MP questions PMs track record on referendumspublished at 17:13 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts says in 1997 Theresa May voted against legislation to establish the National Assembly of Wales, and in 2005 called for another referendum with the option to overturn the result.

    "How does she square her personal track record with referendums on such command?" Ms Saville Roberts questions.

    Theresa May says "we accepted the result of the referendum in Wales" to shouts from the Opposition.

    "We respect and made clear at the time we respected it, and anybody who sees the Welsh Assembly today and what it has been doing in recent years will recognise that was the right decision," the prime minister says.

  10. Toyota urges support for PM's Brexit dealpublished at 17:12 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    The carmaker's Europe boss says the deal on the table is the best way to protect the UK car industry.

    Read More
  11. Labour MP urges PM to reach across political divide to find solutionpublished at 17:12 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Hilary BennImage source, HoC

    Labour MP Hilary Benn, who also chairs the Brexit select committee, says it is clear that the EU will not be able to offer any further help to get the deal through.

    He asks her to commit - if the deal is rejected by MPs - to reaching out across to both sides of the political debate in order to "find a way out of the crisis that can command the support of Parliament", and be willing to consider an extension to Article 50.

    The prime minister says MPs will give their view tomorrow night, and she thinks they should vote for the deal. She says she has already met with MPs from across the political spectrum to discuss the issue.

    The deal is a good one that gives certainty, she adds, so they should support it.

  12. Tory MP calls for 'People's Vote' if deal fails to passpublished at 17:09 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP Anna Soubry says 2m people were unable to vote in 2016 and that she is sorry people are "dismissing" these individuals who are "the future of this country".

    The Treasury analysis, whichever way you cut it, shows Brexit will make the country poorer, Ms Soubry says, questioning why young people shouldn't have a right to have a say in their future "bearing in mind they will bear the brunt of Brexit if the deal fails".

    Theresa May says this Parliament was clear that the government would abide by the decision taken in the referendum.

    "We should respect the result and ensure that we deliver leaving the EU," she says.

  13. May: EU Council assurances 'have legal force'published at 17:05 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nigel DoddsImage source, hoc

    The DUP's Westminster Leader Nigel Dodds says "nothing in these letters is inconsistent with the withdrawal agreement" and the Attorney General today says there is nothing that changes the fundamnetal meaning of the provisions.

    "Let us not kid ourselves: nothing has changed," he adds.

    Mr Dodds says the prime minister "must have realised in pulling the vote there must have been legally binding assurances", and that the problem of the backstop is that it "effectively defines the future relationship for Northern Ireland".

    Theresa May says the overwhelming view of the House on the backstop was that it would not be a permanent arrangement.

    "We have received from the EU further assurances and the recognition that EU Council assurances have legal force," she says.

    I recognise this is not what some members wanted, she says.

  14. Miliband: PM's response to Brexit defeat will define her legacypublished at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ed MilibandImage source, HoC

    Former Labour party leader Ed Miliband says he knows the PM is "totally sincere in her sense of duty" and belief in her deal, but suggests the "tone...she strikes" in the event the deal being defeated will define her legacy.

    He urges her not to succumb to the "absurd argument" that there is a war between the government and MPs, "when this government is a servant to this House [of Commons]".

    If she loses, he asks her to give an "open and honest" process for MPs to express their views and then the government "become the servant of this House in the negotiations".

    Theresa May says the government is a servant of the people, and is delivering what the people want in relation to Brexit.

  15. Tory and Labour leaders' Brexit policies 'two peas in a pod' - Lib Dempublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Vince Cable says the prime minister says under her deal Britain will remain in a customs union for two or four years and the leader of the Opposition is supporting a Brexit with a "somewhat longer period in the customs union".

    He questions if they are not "two peas in a pod".

    Theresa May replies "no definitely not".

  16. PM: EU has conceded to the UK in negotiationspublished at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP Sir John Redwood says the EU "intends to take huge sums of money and powers off us" in exchange for more talks, questioning how anything they say can be believed "when they pocket all that they want up front".

    Mrs May says the EU has had to concede to the UK government in a wide range of areas in the negotiations.

    She says she disagrees with his view that WTO terms are right for the future relationship.

  17. SNP - 'Extend Article 50 and let the people decide'published at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ian BlackfordImage source, hoc

    SNP's Westminster Leader Ian Blackford says when he heard Theresa May's statement he thought "is that it?".

    The letters published reveal that the prime minister has "utterly failed to get the concessions she promised", he says.

    "This government must stop threatening no-deal," he says, calling for the prime minister to "face reality", extend Article 50 and let the people decide.

    He says the prime minister and the Conservative Party "continue to silence Scotland's voice". that continue to sideline Scotland's voice. The Tory government is dragging Scotland out of the EU without its consent, he says.

    Theresa May says the people did decide to leave the EU and "it is absolutely right that this government is committed to delivering on the vote of the British people".

    She adds that the interests of Scotland are best served ensuring that Scotland remains as part of the UK.

  18. Tory MP suggests Article 50 delay may be necessarypublished at 16:52 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ken ClarkeImage source, HOC

    Tory MP Ken Clarke congratulates the PM on "getting rather further" than he thought she would, but questions whether it will make a difference, as some opponents to the deal are seeking to create "chaos and deadlock" in order to achieve a general election or second referendum.

    He suggests MPs need to look beyond the present chaos and instead focus on how a permanently open border in Ireland can be achieved for security reasons, and a permanently open border across the channel for trade and investment reasons.

    He suggests the exit day of 29 March may need to be delayed to achieve this.

    Mrs May says exit day shouldn't be delayed, and the best option to ensure that doesn't happen is for MPs to back the deal.

    She says the government is committed to providing an open border on the island of Ireland, whilst there is an economic advantage to an open border between Europe and the UK: "that's exactly what the government has put forward".

  19. 'Whitehall stands ready' to negotiate future arrangements with EU - Maypublished at 16:50 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

    Brexit statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa May says that there is a "legal termination mechanism" which requires agreement from both parties.

    The UK is negotiating to ensure that the future arrangement will be in place by the end of 2020, she states, adding that "Whitehall stands ready to start those negotiations...as soon as possible".

    She says that under the current government 3.4m jobs have been created, saying that the Universal Credit system helps people to get back in to work.

    Mr Corbyn is not thinking about the national interest, she states, and is just "playing politics".

  20. Watch again: PM urges MPs to give deal 'a second look'published at 16:48 Greenwich Mean Time 14 January 2019

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