Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal was rejected in Parliament by 230 votes - the largest defeat for a sitting government in history. MPs voted by 432 votes to 202 to reject the deal, which sets out the terms of Britain's exit from the EU on 29 March.
Britain must revoke its notice to quit the European Union with immediate effect to allow for “serious and profound reflection” by both parliament and the people, former Prime Minister John Major said on Tuesday.
British Labour party members are to vote on keeping “all options on the table” on Brexit, including possibly campaigning for a new referendum at their conference. Party power brokers have agreed on the wording for Tuesday's motion on what the party should do about Brexit if it cannot get a general election.
European Parliament's Brexit coordinator has said he got a shock on his recent visit to Belfast when he saw the city's peace walls. Guy Verhofstadt described Northern Ireland as having a frozen conflict, and said the Good Friday Agreement must not be damaged by Brexit.
MPs have warned about the UK and the EU failing to reach a Brexit agreement, urging the government to work out how much no deal would cost. The Brexit committee said ministers' claim that no deal is better than a bad deal was unsubstantiated until an economic assessment was published. But the report divided the cross-party committee, with some members saying it was too pessimistic about Brexit.
Spain’s Foreign Minister, Alfonso Dastis, has told a leading German newspaper that Madrid will not be taking “any type of punitive measures” at the border with Gibraltar after Brexit. Dastis has made similar statements in recent days to Spanish media, but his comments to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung are the first time he has spoken about the border to the international media.
In a press conference in Brussels, following the hand-delivered letter, EC president Donald Tusk sent a message to the UK: “We already miss you. Thank you and goodbye.”
British Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger EU withdrawal talks under Article 50 on March 29, Downing Street has announced. The Prime Minister’s letter officially notifying the European Council of the UK’s intention to quit will set in train a two-year negotiation process expected to lead to Britain leaving the EU on 29 March 2019.
Prime Minister Theresa May has claimed that Scotland will be leaving the European Union regardless of whether or not it votes for independence. Speaking during an exchange with the SNP's Angus Robertson, Theresa May also warned against constitutional game-playing.
The British Parliament passed on Monday the Brexit bill, paving the way for the government to trigger Article 50 so the UK can leave the European Union. Peers backed down over the issues of EU residency rights and a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal after their objections were overturned by MPs. The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent and become law on Tuesday.