House of Commons
Parliament

Today's business motion enacts the process outlined in Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment to the Brexit motion on Monday.

The measure was passed by 329 votes to 302, and means that MPs can take control of the agenda in the House of Commons today.

MPs will use this time to vote on a series of different ways forward, known as indicative votes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin is introducing the Business of the House motion.

The Speaker John Bercow has selected no amendments to the motion.

MPs have until 15:00 GMT to debate the motion, and there could be one vote at the end.

Once that has finished, we expect the Speaker to announce which motions he has selected as options for the indicative votes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Ruth George is now introducing her Sky Lanterns (Prohibition) Bill, which aims to stop people being able to set off sky lanterns as they are a fire risk.

In roughly 10 minutes time, MPs will move on to debating alternative arrangements to the UK's departure from the EU, and then indicative votes will take place.

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Parliament

Conservative MP and Brexiteer Peter Bone says this is the first time a Business of the House motion will not be moved by the Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom, as Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin will introduce it instead.

This is after MPs backed his amendment to the government's Brexit motion on Monday which called for indicative votes today.

He says Sir Oliver Letwin should move to the opposition benches to introduce the motion "so that I can be on the other side to speak against him".

The Speaker John Bercow says Sir Oliver is making his case today as a representative of a constituency of Parliament.

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Parliament

MPs now begin a debate of the Business of the House motion which enables MPs to take control of today's business.

This debate is not on the Brexit alternatives, but on the process of holding the indicative votes on Brexit alternatives should be carried out.

Nine amendments to the motion have been tabled.

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

"We do seem to be facing crunch-time. The reason I think that is that Number 10 sense momentum is beginning to shift behind the agreement, with signs that some of the big beasts of Brexit are coming on board - Jacob Rees-Mogg in the Daily Mail, Boris Johnson in The Daily Telegraph, Iain Duncan Smith in The Times.

"But crucial is going to be this afternoon's meeting of the 1922 committee and the issue of whether Mrs May will actually give MPs a clear signal that she will quit and stand down once she gets her deal through.

"You get the feeling everyone is waiting for Mrs May to make that move and, if she does, I think the chances are that if she does there will be a steady flow of Brexiteers behind her making her chances of success much improved."

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Parliament

Image source, HoC

Conservative Vicky Ford raises a point of order objecting to a placard outside Parliament with the message "death to democracy".

Speaker John Bercow says representations have been made to the police "to make the case for a more proactive policing approach on a scale that will protect people going about their daily business."

However he adds "I can't be the poster policeman."

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Parliament

Labour MP Helen Jones says the petition to revoke Article 50 had 96% of its signatures from the UK, and the government digital service has automated and manual systems in place to restrict fraudulent activity.

Ms Jones is raising this issue in response to a question from Tory MP Maggie Throup who said "democracy is at threat" by people from around the world signing e-petitions.

The Speaker John Bercow acknowledges the outstanding work of the petitions committee.

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Parliament

Tory Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash calls for the latest legal advice of the Attorney General to be published before the statutory instrument (SI) which changes the Brexit date is put before the House.

He asks if, by simply agreeing with the EU Council, Theresa May could have changed the date.

He questions where the Attorney General Sir Geoffrey Cox is, and calls on Theresa May to withdraw the motion due to be discussed and voted on tonight if his legal advice on the motion is not provided to the House.

Yesterday Sir Bill Cash and other ERG members wrote to Theresa May asking her to postpone the extension of Brexit as it is "illegal".

The PM says the discussion and vote on the SI changing the Brexit date will be going ahead today.

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Parliament

Conservative Steve Brine, who resigned as minister, says what his constituents want is for the UK to leave the EU with a deal "in a safe way".

"In the long term we want a deep and special relationship with the European Union, embracing the opportunities of the 168 countries who are not part of it," he says.

"So I am clear, and just between us, can the prime minster confirm that none of this is contradictory to the manifesto she and I stood on," he asks.

Theresa May says she too wants to maintain a partnership with the EU and says that is what her deal delivers.

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Parliament

Labour MP Chi Onwurah says households are stockpiling and the UK's global reputation is trashed.

The prime minister is incapable of holding the government together, let alone the country, Ms Onwurah says.

"Will she not consider that she is making a terrible mistake?"

Theresa May suggests to Ms Onwurah that she should get behind the deal and guarantee Brexit.