Brexit votes: What happened today?published at 21:28 Greenwich Mean Time 14 March 2019
Recap of the day
On the third consecutive day of Brexit votes, the focus for MPs was on whether the government should seek an extension of Article 50 from the EU, to allow Brexit to be delayed.
- MPs voted to ask the European Union for an extension to the Brexit process beyond 29 March by 413 votes to 202, a government majority of 211.
- Most Conservative MPs, including Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and six other cabinet ministers, voted against delaying Brexit, meaning Theresa May got the motion through on the back of Labour and other opposition votes.
- The government's chief whip Julian Lewis abstained on the vote.
- An amendment calling for another referendum was heavily defeated, with Labour MPs ordered to abstain on the vote.
- But seventeen Labour MPs defied the whip to vote against another referendum - and shadow ministerial aide Ruth Smeeth and Labour whip Stephanie Peacock resigned in order to do so.Twenty four Labour MPs also defied the whip by voting for another referendum.
- Another amendment tabled by senior Labour backbencher Hilary Benn, which would have enabled Parliament to take control of parliamentary business and the Brexit process next week, was rejected by just two votes.