House of Lords
Parliament

Peers have approved the bill at second reading without a vote.

The remaining stages of the bill will be debated on Monday.

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Parliament

Image source, HoL

The debate on Yvette Cooper's bill - which would force the Theresa May to seek a new delay to Brexit - is coming to an end.

Lord Goldsmith, wrapping up for Labour, says the UK faces "the gravest crisis since the Second World War".

Arguing that there is a need for the bill he says "exceptional circumstances require exceptional measures."

Brexit minister Lord Callanan says the bill has "fundamental flaws" and may increase the risk of "an accidental no deal".

House of Lords
Parliament

So several hours after the debate was due to begin, the business of the House motion is passed and the second reading of Yvette Cooper's bill can take place.

The debate will start at 19:16 BST.

House of Lords
Parliament

The Government Chief Whip Lord Taylor of Holbeach makes a short statement.

He tells peers that the second reading of Yvette Cooper's bill will take place tonight.

He says the remaining stages of the bill will take place on Monday 8 April.

House of Lords
Parliament

Meanwhile in the Lords, peers are still discussing the business of the House motion - they have not yet moved on to Yvette Cooper's bill.

Lib Dem Lord Scriven is getting impatient.

"We are now going round in circles," he says and moves a closure motion which would allow peers to skip debate of the current amendment and move straight to the vote.

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Parliament

The House of Commons had adjourned for the day at 15.13 BST, more than two hours earlier than scheduled, because of the water leak.

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Parliament

Image source, HoC

Labour MP Justin Madders, who was speaking before the House of Commons was suspended said: "I hope I can complete my speech before rain stops play.

"I think there is probably some kind of symbol about how many people view how broken our Parliament is."

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Parliament

Image source, HoL

Many of the peers speaking in the debate are expressing concern that the bill is being rushed through.

Conservative Lord Lawson says he has served in Parliament for 45 years and has never witnessed such "an incidence of constitutional vandalism".

Fellow Conservative Lord Ridley calls it a "constitutional monstrosity".

House of Commons
Parliament

The House of Commons had been debating the new loan charge when water began pouring into the chamber.

MPs tried to continue the debate but the noise of water pouring into the press gallery became impossible to ignore.

Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle suspended the sitting and warned MPs not to take any photos.

The House of Commons press office said "urgent action" was being taken to resolve the leak.

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Parliament

Earlier, the Lib Dem's Lord Newby told peers he was prepared for a long night.

"I've brought my toothbrush," he says.

"We will debate this as long as the noble lords wants to debate it," he warns.

The House of Commons sitting has been suspended due to a roof leak above the press gallery.

Conservative MPs tweet:

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Parliament

Image source, Getty Images

Peers are still debating the business of the House motion which sets out the rules for how the day in the Lords will unfold.

So in the meantime here is a brief rundown of what the Cooper bill would do, if it is approved by the House of Lords:

• The day after the bill receives royal assent, the government must ask MPs to pass a motion to extend Article 50 again
• The date of extension is not specified in the bill – it is up to the government to insert the new proposed exit date
• If the bill is passed unamended, the government must ask EU for that extension
• MPs could amend the bill to insert/specify the exit date itself, taking power away from government to decide for itself
• If the European Council proposes its own extension, government must put that date to MPs

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Parliament

Lords are now debating Labour’s motion to bring forward the Cooper bill.

Some Brexit-supporting peers have put down amendments to the Labour motion, for example, ruling out committee stage being held on the same day as second reading.

You can read the amendments on the order paper here, external.

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Parliament

Labour's Baroness Hayter is presenting her motion on business of the Lords today.

It seeks to introduce the bill passed by the House of Commons yesterday, which seeks to ask for an extension to the Brexit process.

Image source, HOL