House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, hoc

Jeremy Corbyn says the international trade secretary promised 40 trade agreements "the second after Brexit", but this morning "could not name one".

He questions why the prime minister is prepared "to sell people's jobs and living standards down the river" rather than to negotiate a customs union, which, he says, would lead to a "sensible future".

Theresa May says the government has responded to a number of issues as a result of conversations with members of the House, and that she wants to ensure a deal that protects jobs.

"We will be protecting jobs in the UK with a good trade relationship and enhancing and increasing jobs in the UK," the prime minister adds, noting this week's employment figures which show employment is up again.

House of Commons
Parliament

Mr Corbyn says his question was if the PM rules out a customs union. He says that the customs union is a "key part" of what Labour is proposing, and is backed by the TUC, CBI and the devolved assemblies.

It is also backed by MPs on the Tory benches.

He asks why the prime minister is ruling out a customs union, "she could for once actually answer the question".

Mrs May says that customs union means that business can export without facing red tape, and the deal proposed has those benefits, she says, while allowing the UK to have its own trade policy.

Mark D'Arcy
Parliamentary Correspondent

You half expect an announcement that “this is a recording.”

They’ve had identical exchanges about no-deal on several occasions.

The only new element is a concerted attempt by the PM to trip Mr Corbyn up on the detail of Brexit, plus a little “helpful” explanation.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, hoc

Jeremy Corbyn says the only consistency in the PM's strategy seems to be running down the clock.

The CBI has warned no deal would be devastating, he says, adding that it would be a "hammerblow" for manufacturing.

Government ministers are giving mixed messages on whether they support a customs union with the EU. He asks whether Mrs May's government rule out a customs union with the European Union.

Theresa May says Labour messages on a customs union have changed.

She's happy to sit down and meet with him on what is meant by that.

"If he won't talk about it, there's only one conclusion: he hasn't got a clue."

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HOC

Jeremy Corbyn says he reached out to the prime minister last September offering to discuss Labour's deals with her.

"The door may be open but the minds inside it are completely closed," he says, noting Theresa May has "shown no flexibility whatsoever in taking no-deal off the table".

He questions if amendments tabled to the Brexit deal, which effectively take no-deal out, pass whether no-deal would be ruled out.

Theresa May says the government has seen "amendments seeking to engineer a situation where Article 50 is extended", which she adds, "does not solve the situation".

"The decision remains the same - the deal, no-deal or no Brexit," she concludes.

No deal makes hard border obvious, says EC spokesman, but Irish government calls that unacceptable.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn says that Sunday is Holocaust Memorial Day, and it is time to remember the importance of never letting the "poison" of antisemitism from becoming part of UK society.

He says that the PM says she wants to find a deal which can get sufficient support, and he asks if she will take no-deal "off the table".

Mrs May says the government is working to make sure the UK leaves "with a deal". She says she has been talking with MPs across the Commons to see how to get the deal through.

Mr Corbyn has been "willing to sit down with Hamas, Hezbollah and the IRA without preconditions", she says - and adds that he is "neither present nor involved".

House of Commons
Parliament

The prime minister begins PMQs by marking Holocaust Memorial Day this weekend.

Conservative Stephen Kerr kicks off PMQs by saying that the United Kingdom is the "most successful political union the world has ever known" and asks for the prime minister to reject calls for an independence referendum from the first minister of Scotland.

The prime minister says the people of Scotland have sent a message that they do not want a second referendum.

House of Commons
Parliament

Prime Minister Theresa May is on her feet, to begin answering questions at this week's PMQs.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Theresa May takes her place on the front bench ahead of PMQs which will begin shortly.

Mark D'Arcy
Parliamentary Correspondent

As has become the practice in recent weeks, PMQs is likely to become an arena for Brexit positioning, even posturing.

The various factions will push their particular agendas, and the PM will perform another homage to her sporting hero, Geoff Boycott, and dead-bat them all.

Even a glimmer of positivity towards any option beyond her own Brexit Deal (as rejected by MPs last week) would be a major development in the continuing saga.

Today’s batting order includes Brexiteers Andrew Rossindell and Peter Bone (a PMQs frequent flyer in any event) and further down the list, the Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, who is a major advocate of the “Norway Option” of keeping the UK in closer economic alignment with the EU – which he describes as “Common Market 2.0.

Expect him to dwell on how this option sidesteps the issue of the Northern Ireland backstop.

Labour’s Steve Reed will ask about the way council funding is calculated and accuse the government of “gerrmandering” the system against more deprived areas.

And the Conservative Michael Fabricant has another “closed question” about economic development in the West Midlands. The last time he tried this, on 9 January, he was pressing for a freight rail line in his constituency to be opened for passenger use; will this be a follow up? Or will he be pushing his Ten Minute Rule Bill, due to follow this PMQs , about preserving ancient woodland?

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow Wales secretary Christina Rees asks why the government "pretends that nothing has changed" since the meaningful vote, despite incurring the biggest loss in history.

She says government business in the Welsh Assembly was cleared yesterday so that cabinet ministers could make urgent statements on how a no-deal would be disastrous for the people of Wales.

She asks Mr Cairns to support the view that no-deal should taken off the table, or whether if he "will continue to put party before country".

Mr Cairns says he cannot understand why the first minister of Wales is happy to meet with Theresa May later tonight, but Jeremy Corbyn will not, "despite being happy to meet with members of the IRA".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

SNP MP Angela Crawley begins Wales questions by asking about the potential effect of the EU Withdrawal Agreement on Wales.

She suggests the government is "working contrary" to the wishes of the Welsh people in pushing on with the agreement.

Wales Secretary Alun Cairns says the agreement is the best way of leaving the EU in a "smooth and orderly manner" and the government is seeking the amendments necessary to satisfy people.

He points out that Wales voted to leave even more strongly than any other part of the UK.

House of Commons
Parliament

Proceedings in the Commons begin with questions to Wales ministers.

At midday, the chamber will be filling out for Prime Minister's Questions.

Then there's an urgent question on the central courts IT system, which has been down for several days, that'll be at around 12:45pm.

Select Committee
Parliament

After just over an hour questioning the attorney general, the Justice Committee's session concludes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Commons business kicks off today from 11.30am, with MPs asking questions of Wales ministers before Theresa May comes to the House for PMQs.

Shadow justice minister Yasmin Qureshi will then ask an urgent question on the failure of the central courts IT system.

After that, Conservative MP Michael Fabricant will table his Ancient Woodland Inventory (England) Bill as a ten minute rule motion. MPs then give consideration of Lords amendments to the Tenant Fees Bill.

Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom will also present a motion on private members' bills, giving them precedence over government business on sitting Fridays over February and March.

Two amendments to the motion have been tabled: one from Tory backbenchers restricting sitting days to those named in the motion, and another from opposition MPs giving precedence to a private members bill on extending the voting age to 16.

Labour MP Steve Reed concludes the day with his adjournment debate on fire safety and cladding.