Theresa May says she has called off Tuesday's crucial vote on her Brexit deal because it “would be rejected by a significant margin”. She said MPs backed much of the deal she has struck with the EU but there was concern over the Northern Irish backstop.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is to rule on whether or not the UK can cancel Brexit without the permission of the other 27 EU members. A group of anti-Brexit politicians and campaigners has argued that the UK should be able to unilaterally halt the Brexit process if it wants to do so.
Commons vote on Tuesday will not be delayed, the Brexit Secretary has said, amid growing calls for the PM to go back to Brussels to renegotiate. Stephen Barclay also said Theresa May could stay in post if, as expected, MPs reject her Brexit plan.
The Gibraltar Government would urge the UK to “stop Brexit completely” if MPs vote against Prime Minister Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement next week, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said. Speaking to GBC after returning to Gibraltar from London, Picardo highlighted two important developments this week which he said had opened up new possibilities as the UK Parliament grapples with the Brexit divorce deal this week.
The UK should pursue the so-called Norway plus option - if Theresa May's Brexit plan is rejected by MPs on Tuesday, according to Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd. In an interview with The Times, Ms Rudd said she still supported the PM's plan - but added a variation of Norway's set-up was the best alternative.
Parliament will be “gridlocked” no matter what the Brexit deal, former Cabinet minister Justine Greening warned as she urged the Government to “ask the people” to break the impasse. The Tory former education secretary told MPs a referendum could be held in the next 22 weeks as she derided Theresa May’s current plan.
Brexit's economic effects will be the focus of a Commons debate later, as government whips work behind the scenes to gain support for Theresa May's deal. Ministers will say it creates a unique partnership with the EU, while Labour argues it will make people poorer.
The Scottish Parliament has voted by 92 to 29 to formally reject the UK government's draft Brexit deal. SNP, Labour, Green and Lib Dem members at Holyrood backed a motion rejecting the proposals, as well as the prospect of leaving without any deal. However, the parties have not come to a consensus on an alternative plan.
Theresa May has suffered three Brexit defeats in the Commons as she set out to sell her EU deal to skeptical MPs. Ministers have agreed to publish the government's full legal advice on the deal after MPs found them in contempt of Parliament for issuing a summary. And MPs backed calls for the Commons to have a direct say in what happens if the PM's deal is rejected next Tuesday.
The UK government may have broken Parliamentary rules by not publishing Brexit legal advice, the Commons Speaker has said. John Bercow said there was an “arguable case” that a contempt of Parliament has been committed.