Summary

  • MPs questioned Attorney General Geoffrey Cox on Brexit backstop talks

  • Commons leader Andrea Leadsom outlined future parliamentary business

  • She confirmed MPs will vote on 12 March on whether to approve Brexit deal

  • Shadow home secretary asked urgent question on knife crime

  1. Deadline looms as UK pushes for Brexit dealpublished at 20:12 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    EU officials call for the UK to suggest an “acceptable” plan to resolve the Irish backstop impasse.

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  2. Recap: Today in the Commonspublished at 17:28 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    The day in the Commons comes to an end with Labour MP Alison McGovern's adjournment debate on the regeneration of New Ferry, Wirral.

    The day began with questions to culture ministers, before Attorney General Geoffrey Cox faced some pressure from MPs to reveal details of the changes he is seeking to the Irish border backstop plan.

    Mr Cox said he was "unable" to comment on the specifics, but that UK negotiators were discussing "detailed, coherent, careful proposals" with the EU.

    In the business statement, Andrea Leadsom announced MPs will vote again on whether to approve the PM's Brexit deal on Tuesday - with the motion tabled on Monday.

  3. Minister concludes Commonwealth debatepublished at 17:02 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Debate on the Commonwealth

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Summing up the debate on 70 years of the Commonwealth, Foreign Office Minister Harriett Baldwin says it is "a remarkable organisation with a remarkable reach".

    She says moves must be made towards a fairer, more stable and prosperous Commonwealth, but that great progress is being made.

    "We must ensure a modern Commonwealth can meet future challenges - from climate change to cyber attacks," she says.

  4. MPs debate 70 years of the Commonwealthpublished at 16:17 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Debate on the Commonwealth

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs are now on to the second backbench debate of the day on the opportunities and challenges facing the modern Commonwealth in its 70th year.

    The debate is led by Conservative MP James Duddridge and can continue until 5pm.

  5. Phillips marks names of women killed in past yearpublished at 14:07 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Debate on International Women's Day

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Jess PhillipsImage source, HoC

    Jess Phillips, as she has done in previous years, reads out the names of the women who have been killed by men in the past year, as recorded by the Counting Dead Women project.

    The Labour MP says these women are no longer here because "they are hard to see, hard to hear and hard to believe".

    After finishing reading out the list - which takes nearly seven minutes - Ms Phillips tells MPs: "These women needs us, in this place, to hear their names and hear their stories."

  6. MPs debate International Women's Daypublished at 13:46 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Debate on International Women's Day

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Maria MillerImage source, HoC

    Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee Maria Miller is now opening the backbench debate on International Women's Day, which is celebrated tomorrow.

    100 years ago Nancy Astor was the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons, Ms Miller says.

    The gender pay gap for women under 30 has all but disappeared she says, adding that great progress has been made with companies now forced to publish their gender pay gap: "The issue is on the agenda".

    But, she continues, "there has not been enough progress at all", and "discrimination is still blatant."

    Just one in three MPs are women, Ms Miller says, adding that this "must be improved".

  7. 'Government must deal with Windrush scandal more effectively'published at 13:37 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Public Accounts Committee report on Windrush

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Diane AbbottImage source, HoC

    Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott says the most important sentence in the report is that the Home Office has reviewed 11,800 Caribbean cases, but that around 160,000 non-Caribbean Commonwealth cases were excluded.

    She asks Ms Hillier if she agrees that these large numbers of people cannot be ignored.

    Public Accounts Committee Chair Meg Hillier says the government must "get a grip on this", and that it is absolutely right that all those affected should receive support.

    "It is very important that the government deals with this more effectively," she adds.

  8. Home Office 'failed to understand real life impact' of policiespublished at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Public Accounts Committee report on Windrush

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Meg HillierImage source, HoC

    Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Meg Hillier says the Home Office "failed to understand the real life impacts" that it was implementing.

    The government created "huge problems" for people by changing the rules, but were "seemingly unaware", she says, adding that the Home Office was warned about these problems and their potential impacts in 2014.

    "Some people went on holiday to be told they could never come back," Ms Hillier adds.

    The government's Windrush Scheme "has not helped everybody as it should have done", she says.

  9. MPs hear statement on committee report on Windrushpublished at 13:25 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Public Accounts Committee report on Windrush

    Members of the Windrush generationImage source, Getty Images

    MPs are now hearing a statement on the Commons Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) report on Windrush and the Home Office.

    The report says the Home Office had failed to "take ownership" of problems it had created.

    It also accused the department of "complacency" and shirking its responsibility in response to the Windrush scandal.

    The committee of MPs further criticised a decision to exclude up to 160,000 non-Caribbean Commonwealth cases from a review carried out to identify how many people may have been affected.

    The Windrush scandal involved wrongful detentions and deportations of some members of the Windrush generation.

    The Home Office said it was determined to "right the wrongs" experienced.

    You can read the committee's full report here, external.

  10. Labour calls for 'immediate' de-escalation talkspublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Kashmir Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Liz McInnesImage source, HoC

    Shadow foreign office minister Liz McInnes calls for the prosecution of the head of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist group, Masood Azhar.

    "Both sides have a responsibility to dial down the rhetoric, de-escalate the tension and avoid taking any further military action which could inflame the situation further," she says.

    A major incident will occur from which there will be no going back, Ms McInnes adds, calling for "immediate talks to prevent further military action".

    It is time to break the cycle of children growing up surrounded by conflict and in fear, she concludes, adding: "peace and stability must be brought to the people of Kashmir."

  11. Field: 'Not for UK to act as mediator' over Kashmirpublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Kashmir Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Mark FieldImage source, HoC

    Foreign Office Minister Mark Field says there has been a "welcome pause" in the escalation of tensions, but the government remains "deeply concerned".

    The situation "remains fragile", and both militaries remain on heightened alert, he adds.

    "The situation could move quickly back into crisis", Mr Field says, noting reports that a deadly grenade attack was carried out this morning.

    The captured Indian Wing Commander being reunited with his family "is an important and welcome step by Pakistan to reduce tensions", he adds.

    He calls on both countries to find a diplomatic solution to resolve the conflict and to ensure longer term regional stability in Kashmir.

    The UK "stands ready to support discussions" between the two countries, he adds, but notes that it is "not for the UK to supply a solution or act as a mediator".

  12. MPs debate India-Pakistan Kashmir tensionspublished at 12:39 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Protests in KashmirImage source, Getty Images

    Foreign Office Minister Mark Field is now delivering a statement on Kashmir.

    Yesterday it was announced that Pakistan has detained dozens of suspected militants following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which sparked a crisis with India.

    They include the brother and another relative of Masood Azhar, the founder of the group that claimed the attack.

    The latest tensions began to unfold on 14 February when a suicide bomber killed more than 40 Indian soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir.

    Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) said it carried out the attack, and on 26 February, India retaliated by carrying out air strikes on what it said was a JeM militant camp in Pakistan.

    Pakistan - which denies any involvement in the 14 February attack - said it had no choice but to respond and the day after the strike, a dogfight between the sides led to an Indian fighter jet being shot down in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

  13. Karen Bradley offers apology for security force commentspublished at 12:28 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

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  14. Leadsom: Motion on Brexit deal to be tabled on Mondaypublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Business Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SNP MP Pete Wishart asks how long MPs will have to debate the approval motion on the PM's Brexit deal that will be voted on next Tuesday.

    Andrea Leadsom says the debate would normally be for 90 minutes, but she "expects" to bring forward a motion to allow for a longer debate.

    She says she can confirm that "each of the motions the prime minister has committed to next week" will be amendable.

    The approval motion on the Brexit deal will be tabled on Monday, she adds.

  15. Labour criticises scheduling of Brexit votespublished at 12:12 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Business Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Valerie VazImage source, HoC

    Shadow leader of the house Valerie Vaz says it would have been "more appropriate" to fulfill the PM's commitment on subsequent Brexit votes by scheduling them now.

    She also asks again whether the post-Brexit Easter recess will be cancelled, and when a post-Brexit financial services bill will return to the Commons.

    Ministers pulled discussion of the bill from Monday's agenda ahead of a likely defeat on amendments to secure tax transparency in British Crown dependencies.

    Andrea Leadsom says the subsequent votes on Brexit promised by the PM are "contingent" on the result of the vote next Tuesday.

    She repeats comments she has previously made about MPs Easter break being "subject" to the progress of legislation.

    On the financial services bill, she says it is right that the government can "look properly" at the amendments before they are voted on.

  16. Agenda for next weekpublished at 11:53 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

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  17. MPs to vote on Brexit deal next Tuesdaypublished at 11:52 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Business Statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Commons leader Andrea Leadsom confirms that MPs will vote again on whether to approve the PM's Brexit deal next Tuesday, 12 March.

    She also confirms that the Chancellor will deliver the Spring Statement on Wednesday.

    Ms Leadsom confirms that if the prime minister's deal is voted down on Tuesday, she will deliver a further business statement outlining the next steps.

    This will include fulfilling the PM's commitments to holding subsequent votes on whether to leave with no deal or ask for Article 50 to be extended, she adds.

  18. Cox ensuring codpiece in 'full working order'published at 11:29 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    In a lighter Brexit moment, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox makes reference to his role in trying to make changes to the Northern Ireland backstop.

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  19. Labour MP: 'One summit just not enough'published at 11:22 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Urgent question on knife crime

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Yvette CooperImage source, HoC

    Labour's Yvette Cooper says there is "no real sense from the government that they are doing anything on the scale and the urgency that is needed."

    "One summit is just not enough," she says, adding there should be "weekly meetings" on the issue either within the Home Office or Cobra, the government's emergency committee.

    Victoria Atkins says the government is working with police crime commissioners to reach vulnerable people who need help, and is putting money into new initiatives.

    "There is more that we as a society can do to say it is not normal to carry knives," she says, but notes that the issue is "complex".

  20. 'Police need more resources now' - Abbottpublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 7 March 2019

    Urgent question on knife crime

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Diane AbbottImage source, HoC

    Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott says "this is not a few newspaper stories, this is people's lives."

    On the issue of police numbers, Ms Abbott says "it is not just front line police officers, it is the need for community police officers".

    She asks Ms Atkins if she agrees with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick that "there is a clear correlation between the fall in police numbers and the rise in violent crime".

    "We need more resources for the police and we need them now," she concludes.