House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Sir Hugo Swire says that if "she can return from Brussels" with something on the backstop then "she can carry most of the House with her".

Mrs May says she understands that "it is the backstop which is the issue".

The prime minister is clinging to her defeated deal, reports Newsnight's Nick Watt.

House of Commons
Parliament

Tory Brexiteer John Redwood says people who voted to leave voted to leave the EU, not to sign a new comprehensive treaty to "bind us into the EU".

A majority would support a comprehensive free trade agreement, however, he says, and he suggests she seeks that in order to "break the logjam".

Theresa May says they are seeking a free trade agreement, but she wants to ensure that that it is as ambitious as possible, as was set out in the political declaration.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour's Chair of the Exiting the EU Committee Hilary Benn says "while [the PM's] door may have been open, her mind has remained closed" during the talks with Parliamentarians. "She has rejected ruling out no deal," he states. He asks for a series of "indicative votes" on what Parliament would approve.

Mrs May says that the motion tabled by the government is "amendable". She repeats that if Parliamentarians don't want no deal, then they should vote for the deal.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative Alberto Costa, who threatened to resign as a Parliamentary Private Secretary if EU citizens' rights were not protected, congratulates the PM on waiving the £65 fee, and he asks for assurances that UK citizens will now not be charged in EU countries.

Mrs May says that the government will now "be pressing" EU countries for "reciprocal commitments".

House of Lords
Parliament

Peers have voted in favour of shadow leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon's amendment.

It means the Trade Bill will be halted after its committee stage and not progress to report stage (the next stage in the bill passing process) until the government has presented to both Houses proposals for a process for making international trade agreements after Brexit.

How did the votes fall?

Contents - 243

Not contents - 208

Majority - 35

House of Commons
Parliament

The DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds thanks the PM for the meetings they have held, and her "willingness to reach a consensus" and seek changes to the backstop.

Theresa May says she wants to identify a way of moving forward regarding the backstop, and the best way to resolve those issues that command the support of the House.

A key sticking point in Theresa May's attempts to win the support of MPs for the EU withdrawal agreement, the backstop is the "insurance policy" in the withdrawal deal, intended to ensure that whatever else happens, there will be no return to a visible border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic after the UK leaves the EU.

At present, goods and services are traded between the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland with few restrictions.

The UK and Ireland are currently part of the EU single market and customs union, so products do not need to be inspected for customs and standards.

However, after Brexit the two parts of Ireland could be in different customs and regulatory regimes, which could mean products being checked at the border.

Under Mrs May's deal, if there is not a trade deal or other agreement between the UK and the EU when the transition period ends, the backstop kicks in.

It would also see Northern Ireland staying aligned to some rules of the EU single market.

Tory Brexiteers and the DUP - who support the minority Conservative government - have expressed concerns over the backstop and the UK's inability to unilaterally withdraw without the EU's consent.

There are fears this could leave the UK essentially "trapped" in the EU.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Boris Johnson congratulates her decision to go back and renegotiate the backstop. He asks for legally binding "change" to the backstop.

Mrs May says that the government is finding what movement on the backstop can be approved by MPs in the Commons. "We will look to see what will secure the support of the House," she finishes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Yvette Cooper suggests the PM doesn't understand how heavily her deal was defeated, and is continuing on the same track as before, despite denying attempting to avoid parliamentary scrutiny.

She suggests MPs be given a say the future relationship before the conclusion of negotiations, rather than after. MPs could be given voted on the PM's red lines for example, such as the customs union.

Theresa May says the correct process is that there will be an amendable, neutral motion voted on next week.

To suggest the government were denying any democratic involvement in the deal is untrue, she says.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Vince Cable, asks what troops will be doing in the event of no deal.

Mrs May says that it is "right" that the government is taking precautions, but the army will be mostly guarding "certain sites" in the event of no deal.

House of Commons
Parliament

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith asks whether the PM has given further thought on whether a "senior politician" could be "inserted" into day-to-day negotiations with the EU to ensure the political ramifications are considered.

Mrs May says the negotiations are for politicians, she will have a role, as will the Brexit secretary, but what is needed first is finding a way of winning the support of MPs for a deal.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband asks if the Commons were to vote for a customs union, whether the decision would be implemented.

Mrs May says that the process of cross-party talks is "identifying those issues" which can be agreed upon by MPs.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Peers are now voting on shadow leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon's amendment.

The amendment states that the Trade Bill will not move on to report stage (the next stage after the current committee stage) until after the government has presented to both Houses proposals for a process for making international trade agreements after the UK leaves the EU.

If agreed to, the Trade Bill would be halted after its committee stage until the government does as requested.

House of Commons
Parliament

Tory MP Justine Greening says the past week has shown that party politics and Westminster will not deliver a resolution on Brexit, and the Commons will not find a route forward.

The most divisive thing to do would be to vote for this deal "knowing our constituents do not want it", she says. Parliament has run out of rope, she says, calling for the deal to be put to British people.

Mrs May says she is assuming it is not possible to reach an agreement with MPs. It is right to work for a deal, and to leave on 29 March with a deal.