House of Commons
Parliament

Explaining his decision to MPs, John Bercow says the motion tabled by ministers today is “in substance the same” as the one put to the Commons on Saturday.

He also says the circumstances in which the vote would be held are also “in substance the same” as those in place during that sitting.

The argument that the situation has changed because of the Brexit delay letter sent by the PM to the EU over the weekend is "not persuasive", he says.

Holding another vote on the deal today, he adds, would be “repetitive and disorderly”.

House of Commons
Parliament

Commons Speaker John Bercow has refused the government's call to hold a vote on the prime minister's Brexit deal today.

Earlier, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay told a Lords committee Northern Irish businesses would also have to complete export declarations to send any goods to the UK mainland.

Now, DUP MP Sammy Wilson has responded saying it was a "clear breach" of a UK government commitment to allow "unfettered access to Great Britain market for Northern Ireland business".

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Image source, EPA

Over in Strasbourg, the European Parliament's main Brexit group has advised the assembly's leadership not to schedule a ratification vote on the Brexit deal until it has been approved by the House of Commons.

The whole assembly has already indicated it wants to take this approach, in a motion it adopted in September, external.

Arriving for a meeting of the group, Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts told the BBC he did not "see the point" in scheduling a vote during the assembly's sitting this week, unless MPs in London can first signal their approval.

However he said that he did not see what would prevent the European Parliament from holding an extraordinary plenary session next week in order to hold the vote.

A final decision on whether to schedule a vote this week will be taken by the leaders of the various political groups in the assembly.

Image source, UK Parliament

Sajid Javid was responding to a letter from Commons Treasury Committee interim chairwoman Catherine McKinnell which asked whether the Treasury has updated economic analysis of Brexit.

Following Mr Javid's letter, Ms McKinnell said: "The chancellor has acknowledged that the government’s previous economic analysis of a free trade agreement does not correspond to the agreement that the government will now be seeking.

"The government, therefore, appears content that MPs be expected to vote blindly on its new deal.

"The dearth of relevant economic analysis on which MPs can decide how to vote is deeply concerning."

Image source, PA Media

In a letter to the Commons Treasury Committee, external, Chancellor Sajid Javid says the Withdrawal Agreement "is self-evidently in our economic interest".

"It would bring an end to the damaging uncertainty and delay of the past years, and allow businesses to get on with taking decisions, including around recruitment and investment," he writes.

"Respecting the referendum and closing this chapter so we can focus on delivering growth and the public services people deserve, is the right thing to do for our country."

House of Commons
Parliament

The day in the Commons has just got under way with questions to defence ministers.

We're then expecting a statement from Speaker John Bercow around 15.30 BST on whether he will allow MPs a vote today on approving the PM's Brexit deal.

After this, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will ask an urgent question on two letters the PM sent the EU over the weekend - one asking for a Brexit delay, the other saying it was a bad idea.

Later, Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg will make a statement on parliamentary business.

He could use it to set out the government's timetable for getting MPs to scrutinise the Brexit withdrawal bill, which is due to be published today.

Select Committee
Parliament

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay is continuing to answer peers' questions.

Some MPs have claimed that the UK could end up leaving the EU without a deal come December 2020 if no trade deal has been agreed between the two sides.

Asked if that was a possible scenario, Mr Barclay says: "I just don't see that as a credible scenario.

"Firstly, we have just seen the prime minister deliver a deal when he was accused of having a sham negotiation and going for no-deal.

"Secondly, both sides have agreed a framework for the negotiations and legal commitments to expedite those discussions and to act in good faith."

But the minister says "the risk of a no-deal remains" at the end of October.

"That is why Yellowhammer has been triggered and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is making a statement on that in the House today," he adds.

He says the reason the risk remains is because the EU may not agree to an extension and the Commons has not agreed the deal.

Gavin Lee
BBC Europe reporter

Image source, Reuters

The EU is going to get on with the ratification process of voting the deal through the European Parliament.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, will be briefing the Brexit steering committee on how it will work and we expect a vote sometime this week.

But, the EU has received the letter asking for an extension. And the European Commission said this morning it didn't matter that it wasn't signed by Boris Johnson - it is still an official letter and they will respond accordingly.

There have been some European voices speaking this morning about an extension.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said they will look thoroughly at what is happening in the UK, but will also discuss thoroughly what sort of extension there could be with European leaders.

The German foreign minister went a bit further, saying if there needs to be a short extension, then the government would be welcoming to that.

But the French Europe minister said if it comes to it and there is no breakthrough for a deal in the next 10 days, there will be an emergency EU summit before 31 October.

Stormont is sitting for the first time in nearly three years but not to talk about the new Brexit deal.

It has been recalled in a last-ditch attempt to stop abortion law changes.

Unionist parties, who oppose the upcoming liberalisation, triggered the recall with a petition.

Proceedings were delayed, amid reports of legal moves to block the changes.

The politicians who returned were told the assembly "cannot do any business" until a speaker is elected with cross-community backing.

Northern Ireland has been without a devolved government since January 2017 when the power-sharing parties split.

Read more about what is happening in NI here.

Image source, bb

Election expert Sir John Curtice has been looking at the level of support for the PM's revised Brexit deal.

The polls show rather more voters say they support Mr Johnson's deal than indicate they are opposed to it.

But given the high proportion of don't knows, the proportion in favour does not come even close to 50%.

You can read Sir John's full analysis here.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Stephen Barclay is questioned about so-called "level playing field" commitments to follow EU employment and environmental regulations in the future.

Under changes to the deal negotiated by Boris Johnson, these commitments have been moved out of the withdrawal agreement (the legally binding part of the deal) - and are now included, with some different wording, in the non-binding political declaration.

Asked whether ministers could "live with" an amendment in this area in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB), Mr Barclay says there is bound to be "discussion" about what commitments the government should make.

But he says the government has already said it wants to see "high standards" in these areas after Brexit.

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

The hope of team Johnson was today would be "Meaningful Monday" - instead it looks like it is shaping up to be "Mañana Monday", with everything being put off until tomorrow or beyond.

And it maybe a long, long way beyond, because if Mr Johnson can't get his do or die vote today then he is going to have to go down the much more fraught route of getting the entire legislation through all its stages in Parliament by 31 October.

That is an enormous task because it will face a blizzard of amendments and the bill itself is one big brute. It is rather like asking MPs to finish reading War and Peace on the way home on the bus.

It is a very, very ambitious target.

But more ominously for Mr Johnson, if any of these amendments on a customs union or another referendum are passed, the bill risks grinding to a halt.

Why? Because Mr Johnson simply would not be able to accept these amendments, and the EU might not be prepared to agree to them either.

Then the danger is Brussels would think, "look, they really can't sort it out in Westminster, Parliament cant resolve this, we are going to have to give them a really long delay".

The risk? Mañana, mañana, mañana.