Summary

  • The government publishes its Brexit proposals, including plans to replace Irish backstop

  • The plan would see Northern Ireland essentially stay in the European single market for goods, but leave the EU customs union with the rest of the UK

  • This would mean new customs checks between NI and the Irish Republic

  • The Northern Ireland Assembly would have a say over border arrangements

  • The European Commission welcomes progress on regulatory alignment of goods - but still has concerns

  • Addressing the Tory party conference, Mr Johnson says the only alternative to his plan is no deal

  • The government confirms it plans to prorogue Parliament again on Tuesday - ahead of a Queens Speech on October 14

Live Reporting

Marie Jackson, Hazel Shearing, Kate Whannel and Martha Buckley

  1. So what's on in the Commons today?

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    All eyes may be on Boris Johnson today as he makes his leader’s speech at the Tory party conference in Manchester, but back in London the Commons will be sitting from 11.30 BST.

    The timing means the prime minister will miss this week’s scheduled PMQs session at midday, leaving Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to stand in for him.

    He will be going up against shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who will become the first black MP to represent her party at the weekly Commons clash.

    After this, the main business this afternoon is the next parliamentary stage for the Domestic Abuse Bill, which was introduced by Theresa May's government in July.

    The legislation would place a legal duty on councils to offer secure homes for those fleeing violence, and propose the first government definition of domestic abuse.

    The progress of the bill had been expected to stall because of the now-aborted suspension of Parliament, although the PM had pledged in any case to re-introduce it afterwards.

  2. Tory conference enters last day with PM's speech

    Parliament is sitting this week, while the Conservative party conference continues in Manchester.

    Today is the final day - with a speech from Prime Minister Boris Johnson rounding up the proceedings.

    He's expected to set out details of his "final" negotiating offer to the EU in pursuit of a "fair and reasonable" Brexit compromise.

    Boris Johnson to set out Brexit offer details

  3. Today in the Commons

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Chancellor Sajid Javid is back from the Conservative Party conference in Manchester and has kicked off the day in the Commons at a scrutiny session for Treasury ministers.

    Next, Labour MP and Brexit select committee chairman Hilary Benn will ask an urgent question about UK plans to replace the Irish border backstop in the Brexit deal.

    It comes after Boris Johnson said the UK would be unveiling proposals soon, and said the "reality" of Brexit means there would need to be customs checks on the island of Ireland.

    This will be followed by another urgent question from shadow housing secretary John Healey, about the latest rise in deaths of homeless people in England and Wales.

    After a third urgent question on the latest developments in Yemen, MPs will debate a series of technical secondary laws relating to agricultural regulation after Brexit.

  4. What is happening in Parliament this week?

    Mark D'Arcy
    Parliamentary Correspondent

    Houses of Parliament

    Rather to its own surprise, Parliament is back in action...

    But having been summoned back to scrutinise Brexit, there's not much Brexiting to scrutinise and MPs and peers will instead face a series of legislative chores, with only one major piece of legislation, the Domestic Abuse Bill, in play.

    There's a certain element of "pick up sticks and lay them straight" about the agenda in both houses, but keep an eye out for unscheduled business - urgent questions will certainly drop into the agenda, and later in the week it is possible there might be some further attempt by backbench Remainers to seize control of Commons business.

    Read more here.

  5. MPs begin Northern Ireland debate

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The statement in the NHS infrastructure plan concludes and MPs move on to debate a set of motions covering historical institutional abuse, victims' payment, human trafficking and gambling in Northern Ireland.

    These debates are required by the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act which states ministers should regularly report to MPs on progress towards the formation of an executive in Northern Ireland.

    The Northern Ireland Assembly has not sat since January 2017 - when a power-sharing deal collapsed.

  6. Today in Parliament

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Hello and welcome to our live page of today’s events in Parliament.

    The day began at 14:30 with an urgent question from shadow chancellor John McDonnell on short positions against the pound in the lead-up to a possible no-deal.

    DUP MP Ian Paisley now asks Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith about the collapse of engineering company Wrightbus.

    Next, Health Minister Edward Argar will make a statement on the health infrastructure plan.

    The rest of the day will be taken up with debate of a set of motions required under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act, covering historical institutional abuse, victims' payment, human trafficking and gambling.