Select Committee
Parliament

Women and Equalities minister Liz Truss, appearing in front of the Commons International Trade Committee, is asked about research by the Fawcett Society and other organisations that claim a no-deal Brexit would be worse for women.

She says the idea it would affect women’s rights is “bizarre” - and says analysis that suggests a no-deal Brexit would be worse for women is “divisive”.

Ms Truss says such analysis is “somewhat flawed” and the idea that you can analyse women separately is “wrong”, adding: “We’re one society.”

She says Brexit is about “employing people” and “opening up to the rest of world".

Challenged by the committee’s chairman, Angus MacNeil, on her claim there’s “not a better place in the world to be a women”, she replies: “I’m not going to be lectured by a man on the best place to be a woman.”

House of Commons
Parliament

Back in the Commons, this afternoon's debate on public services has quickly turned into a row about funding levels for schools and the police.

Home Secretary Priti Patel tells MPs the government is "investing record amounts in our public services," and has taken action to "back the police".

For Labour, shadow education secretary Angela Rayner says ministers have delivered "less police, more crime", as well as bringing about the "decimation" of the education system.

DUP leader Arlene Foster and the party's Westminster leader, Nigel Dodds, have emerged from a meeting in Number 10.

Ms Foster tells the BBC to expect a statement from the party later.

Earlier, the BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said there were suggestions the talks had gone as far as they could "unless and until" the PM could bring the Democratic Unionists on board.

Earlier, in the Brexit committee hearing, the DUP's Sammy Wilson said of the PM's Brexit proposals: "Given that this is a controversial issue, that it will lead to a change in the powers of the Northern Ireland Assembly and it therefore falls under the terms of the Belfast Agreement, where there has to be cross-community consent for any change of that nature, especially if there is to be giving over of regulatory powers to the EU on limited range of issues.

"So can we avoid the issue of consent of the assembly without tearing up that very important part of the Belfast Agreement?

"And that’s not just against the spirit of the agreement but against the terms of the agreement."

The 1998 Belfast - or Good Friday - Agreement established Belfast's power-sharing arrangements.

He has gone on to tweet:, external

There have been rumours that Labour MPs will have the whip removed if they vote for any Brexit deal brough before Parliament by Boris Johnson.

Asked this morning whether he would do this, Jeremy Corbyn said: "I believe in the power of persuasion rather than the power of threat.

"I will ask all Labour MPs to vote along with the party in opposing any deal which damages rights and protections in our society, or drives us into the arms of Donald Trump.”

A meeting between EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and EU ambassadors - which had been expected about 13.00 BST - will now take place at 16.00 BST, the BBC's Adam Fleming says.

He is expected to deliver an update on the state of the negotiations.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says he is “deeply concerned” with signals coming out of the Brexit negotiations.

Speaking in Watford during a visit to a pharmacy where he is setting out some of his party's healthcare plans, Mr Corbyn says: “Everything I have heard from the talks that are going on leads me to be deeply concerned that, in reality, there is going to be a border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

"And that the loss of the regulatory power of the European regulations in our society, consumer rights, workers’ rights and so on will actually lead to a trade deal with the United States and a mega loss of rights.

"This is not a deal we can support that I have heard of so far.”

House of Commons
Parliament

Anna Soubry, from the Independent Group for Change, becomes the latest MP to use a point of order to ask about the possibility of a special sitting of Parliament taking place this Saturday.

Yesterday, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg did not confirm the sitting - and suggested it was dependent on the outcome of tomorrow's EU summit in Brussels.

If the government decides to call the sitting using a motion approved by MPs, it will have to table it before the end of the day, so it can be voted on by the Commons on Thursday.

Alternatively, the government could ask Speaker John Bercow to recall Parliament on Friday - when MPs are not due to be sitting - but he says this is not his preferred option.

The prime minister's spokesman says cabinet has been brought forward from 16:00 to 14:30, but only to fit diary schedules better.

"The intention at cabinet is to provide an update on the progress of the talks."

He says it is a "fair summary to say progress was made" in the Brussels talks on Tuesday evening, but adds there is "more to do".

Select Committee
Parliament

DUP MP Sammy Wilson says: "Consent is an important issue but is the real issue here not the Belfast Agreement?

"So can we avoid the issue of the consent of the assembly without tearing up that very important part of the Belfast Agreement?" he asks.

The Belfast - or Good Friday - Agreement was the peace deal reached in 1998 between the British and Irish governments, and most of the political parties in Northern Ireland, on how Northern Ireland should be governed. Among other things, it set up a power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly.

Mr Barclay refers to letters from the prime minister, including one that says the regulatory zone he was proposing must depend on the consent of those affected.

"As you will be aware we are in ongoing negotiations in respect of this agreement," he says.

The prime minister's official spokesman says there "certainly remained issues to resolve" in the Brexit talks.

On the EU negotiations, the spokesman adds: "I would say the talks overnight were constructive but there remains still work to do."

House of Commons
Parliament

Whilst Brexit talks continue in Brussels, in the Commons, MPs will shortly begin the third of five days of debate on Monday's Queen's Speech.

The speech, which outlined the government's legislative plans for the year ahead, set out policies on crime, health, and the environment - but was dismissed by opposition MPs as an "election manifesto".

The theme for today's debate is "public services".

EU commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos says there remain "a number of significant issues to resolve" in the ongoing Brexit negotiations

At an EU briefing he says: "The commission's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, debriefed the college of commissioners on the state of play of talks with the United Kingdom.

"Technical level discussions with the United Kingdom continued late into the night last night and are ongoing as we speak now.

"Talks have been constructive but there still remains a number of significant issues to resolve."

Select Committee
Parliament

SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who initiated Scottish legal action over Brexit, asks whether Mr Barclay agrees that if the prime minister were to send a second letter after the initial one to request a Brexit extension that "would be to frustrate the purpose of the act".

Mr Barclay replies: "I don’t think it's right and proper for me to get into detailed analysis of the law.

"What I am very clear on is it is my duty to abide by the law."

Ms Cherry asks: "Is there a plan to send two letters?"

"I’m not aware of any such plan," Mr Barclay says.

The EU Withdrawal (No.2) Act has been dubbed the Benn Act, after Labour MP Hilary Benn, who spearheaded its passage into law.

It requires the prime minister to ask the EU for an extension to the Article 50 negotiating period, to avoid a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

If MPs have not approved a Brexit deal - or voted for leaving the EU without a deal - by 19 October then the prime minister must send a letter to the president of the European Council requesting an extension to 31 January 2020.

If the EU agrees to this date, then the prime minister must also agree to it, or any other date suggested by the EU, unless MPs do not vote for a motion - within two days - which approves the date suggested by Brussels.

The wording of the letter the PM must send is included in the bill - to address concerns the government would try to wriggle out of it.

Boris Johnson has said the UK will leave the EU on 31 October with or without a deal.

The government has also said the PM will comply with the law and send the letter if he has to.

But there has been much speculation about what Boris Johnson plans to do to get round the act and ensure the UK can still leave on Halloween, regardless of what happens in Brexit talks.

Every government department has a dedicated committee of backbench MPs to scrutinise its work and give the minister in charge a regular grilling.

The Brexit committee - or the Exiting the EU Committee to give it its proper title - is chaired by Labour MP Hilary Benn but is made up of MPs from across the political spectrum.

There are six Labour MPs, nine Conservatives, two SNP MPs, and one each from the Democratic Unionist Party, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

Every shade of Brexit opinion is represented - from those who want to stop Brexit altogther (that would be the Lib Dem Wera Hobhouse) to those who would be fine with a no-deal exit, such as the Tories Christopher Chope and Peter Bone.