Summary

  • MPs vote by 286 to 344 to reject the government’s withdrawal agreement - on the day the UK was due to leave the EU

  • The Commons has been debating a motion on the terms of the UK's exit

  • The political declaration, which sets out the future relationship, was not considered

  • The vote - the third time the government had been defeated over its deal - throws the UK’s plans into more confusion

  • Theresa May says the result will have "grave" implications and the "legal default" was that the UK would leave the EU on 12 April

  • Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urges the PM to call an election

  • Thousands of Leave supporters gather outside Parliament to protest against Brexit delay

  1. Long extension preferable to Mrs May's deal?published at 13:10 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Sky News poltics reporter tweets...

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  2. Watch: May's position has become untenable, says Tory MPpublished at 13:08 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

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  3. How to count the indicative votes quickly?published at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    The Times' political correspondent tweets...

    Historically, Sunderland always declares its election results first.

    It's led one political commentator to suggest its vote counters could be brought in for Parliament's indicative votes this week.

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  4. Cabinet ministers return to Number 10published at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    The BBC's political editor tweets...

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  5. Bercow announces indicative votes timetablepublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    ParliamentImage source, Getty Images

    Speaker John Bercow has just set out a timetable for the indicative votes.

    At 16:00 GMT, Sir Oliver Letwin - who proposed yesterday's successful amendment - will table the business motion.

    A business motion is a proposal to change the order or timing of the Common's timetable.

    MPs have until the close of play tonight to table their own motions for consideration under the indicative votes process.

    The exact method of indicative voting will be considered in the amendable business motion to be debated tomorrow.

  6. PM 'to engage constructively'published at 13:05 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Some details from this morning's cabinet meeting.

    Theresa May's spokesman says ministers have had a long discussion about Monday night's vote, and that the PM will "engage constructively with the process".

    However, he restates the government's position, saying that while MPs will now have the option to vote on a range of alternatives, they must be "deliverable" in the UK's negotiations with the EU.

    The spokesman says the government will only hold another meaningful vote on Mrs May's deal if it believes it can win, and there is work ongoing to build support.

    He adds: "If we are able to hold and win a vote this week we would then be able to leave the EU in less than two months' time with a deal, which the prime minister firmly believes is what the public wants."

  7. 'We are going to have to hold our nose'published at 13:00 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    BBC Politics Live
    BBC2's lunchtime political programme

    Talking about the prime minister's Brexit deal, Conservative MP Tim Louhgton says "a lot still hinges on getting the DUP on side".

    "This is squeaky bum time. This is the last chance saloon to get Brexit through.

    "We are going to have to hold our nose and vote for this deal."

    When asked if Theresa May promising to resign would get her deal passed he replies, "sadly, it would help".

  8. Tory MP urges Brexiteers to back May's deal or 'lose everything'published at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    BBC News Channel

    David T C Davies

    Conservative MP David T C Davies says other Brexiteers must back the prime minister's deal or risk no Brexit at all.

    Mr Davis tells the BBC that although he would be happy with a no-deal Brexit, "the numbers simply aren't there" to support it in Parliament.

    "Theresa May's deal is a compromise... We have to take the compromise on offer or we are going to lose everything," he says, adding that the MPs calling for indicative votes want to "stop Brexit".

  9. Vote 'not ruled out for later this week'published at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

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  10. Will the UK take part in European parliamentary elections?published at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Adam Fleming
    Brussels reporter

    BBC Brussel's reporter Adam Fleming says: "The EU are absolutely insistent that if the UK stays in the EU beyond 22 May then the UK has to take part in the European Parliament elections.

    "They are uncompromising about that.

    "The only wiggle room is the deadline that has been set for finding a way forward is 12 April.

    "You could probably get an extra mini extension from 12 April to 22 May without having European Parliament elections."

  11. What's your Brexit personality?published at 12:47 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    BuzzFeed

    Buzzfeed has come up with a (not entirely serious) quiz so you can decide which Brexit plan best matches your personality - if that's a burning question anyone wants answered on their lunch break.

    You can take it here, external.

  12. The view from Birmingham: 'I would vote Remain now'published at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Ishtiaq Raja

    Ishtiaq Raja and his brothers founded their famous store on Ladypool Road in the heart of Birmingham’s Balti Triangle 43 years ago. It sells groceries and household goods.

    Ishtiaq voted Leave because he says he was persuaded by Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage: "It wasn't clear what would be the effect at the end of the day, now we find we should have left."

    He says he wants Brexit to be delivered quickly with a deal, but if he had to vote again he says he’d vote Remain: "We want a referendum as soon as possible so that the country can get stable and people should know what is the future."

  13. Parliament walks into a bar...published at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    No, it's not the set-up to a joke.

    But rather, the way one SNP MP has chosen to explain indicative votes - through the medium of alcohol.

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  14. Indicative votes could help May's deal pass - Tory MPpublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    BBC News Channel

    Andrew Mitchell

    Andrew Mitchell says allowing Parliament to vote on Brexit options makes it more likely the prime minister will get her deal through.

    The Conservative MP - who was one of 30 to vote against the government to allow MPs to take control of the Brexit process - says holding indicative votes could persuade some Brexiteers to support Mrs May's deal when they see the alternatives put forward by MPs.

    Mr Mitchell voted against the prime minister's deal in January but supported it second time round.

    He says he voted against the government on Tuesday because "it was a good opportunity for Parliament to assert itself".

    “If the government can’t get a deal through then Parliament will need to take over," he adds.

  15. 'Why there must be, and cannot be, an election' - Pestonpublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    The Spectator

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    Writing in the Spectator, Robert Peston - political editor at ITV - says a snap election simply can't happen, before adding that it still just might.

    Contradictory? Perhaps, but then it seems at the moment like anything could happen.

    He says "the Letwin plan has set the UK on a path to the impossible general election", adding:

    Quote Message

    There is a risk, a meaningful one, that a general election could be forced on us, against the wishes of the PM and cabinet – via a vote of confidence in them that Tory ERG Brexiters and DUP would support if the alternative was a form of Brexit or no-Brexit they view as worse than the risk of Labour winning that election.

    Read his full blog here, external.

  16. 'We should've got our facts straight first'published at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Emma Barnett
    BBC 5 Live

    Harold Balgowan

    The BBC's James Shaw is in Stirling talking to hotel manager Harold Balgowan.

    "We employ 30% of our staff from the EU," says Mr Balgowan.

    "We have some who have already left and maybe more will go because of uncertainty over Brexit.

    "One of our main concerns is who will replace them."

    Mr Balgowan says he initially voted to leave the EU but says "over the past few years, with the uncertainty, I've really changed my mind".

    "We should have got our facts straight first," he says.

  17. 'The Three Musketeers'published at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Liz Truss posts a picture of herself alongside Gavin Williamson and Alun Cairns, tagging it on Instagram with #teamdeal and describing the group as the Three Musketeers.

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  18. The view from Romford: 'It makes me angry'published at 12:12 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Matt Bryant

    BBC Radio 5 live reporter Stephen Chittenden is spending the day in Romford, getting reaction to the latest Brexit developments.

    Matt Bryant runs a haberdashery at the Shopping Hall.

    He says: "Theresa May is not delivering at all… We’ve got a mess, we’ve got a Parliament that is not representing the people. She’s not done what we asked her to do, I don’t think she ever intended to deliver Brexit."

    Matt backed Leave and says he doesn't think the Brexit he voted for will happen: "I don’t think the MPs in Parliament are willing to deliver that. I think they’re going to do what they want to do, which is eventually keep us tied to the EU…

    "That does make me angry – they’re elected to represent the people, not to do what they want to do. They’re risking their jobs at the end of the day – come the next election I think there will be a massive swing and it won’t be in favour of Labour or the Tories."

    Have your say: Text 85058 @bbc5live, external

  19. PM criticised for leaving disability minister position vacantpublished at 12:08 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Shadow minister for disabled people Marsha de Cordova is attacking the prime minister for failing to appoint a disability minister two weeks after the previous MP in the role quit.

    "She is consumed by Brexit chaos of her own making and it is disgraceful that disabled people are being overlooked as a result," the Labour MP for Battersea says.

  20. Pictures: Cabinet ministers meetpublished at 12:02 Greenwich Mean Time 26 March 2019

    Theresa May has been consulting the Cabinet Office this morning after her Brexit strategy was dealt a fresh blow in the Commons last night.

    Most ministers stayed tight-lipped on arrival. Pictured below in Downing Street are Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

    Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz TrussImage source, EPA
    Brexit Secretary Stephen BarclayImage source, EPA
    Equalities Minister Penny MordauntImage source, EPA
    Foreign Secretary Jeremy HuntImage source, EPA