Brexit: Ex-minister outlines plan for MPs to seize control of EU withdrawal as Brussels issues warning over Irish border

This is from the Press Association on Theresa May's former chief-of-staff, Nick Timothy.

The appointment of one of Theresa May's former close aides to a prestigious Commonwealth Games role has drawn controversy.

Nick Timothy, the Prime Minister's ex-joint chief of staff, has been made a non-executive director to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games by Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Jeremy Wright.

Mr Timothy left his post with the PM after the Tories lost their majority at the 2017 general election, and is now mostly known as a newspaper columnist.

Labour MP Martin Whitfield, who supports the pro-Europe Best for Britain campaign, said: "This is a blatant example of 'jobs for the boys'.

"Handing Nick Timothy a plum job like this is clearly a reward for his attacks on Tory Remainers.

"I'm sure he will deliver the same success to the games that he did for Brexit and the Tories."

Mr Timothy, who grew up in Birmingham, will not be remunerated for the Commonwealth Games role.

Dominic Grieve's amendment contains a provision for MPs to take control of Parliamentary business a day every fortnight in February and then a day a week in March until Brexit day.

The amendment states that on February 12 and 26, and March 5, 12, 19 and 26, the first item of business in the Commons would be "a Motion in the name of the Chairman of Ways and Means 'That this House has considered the United Kingdom's departure from, and future relationship with, the European Union"'.

It also allows for debate of up to six-and-a-half hours and the motion, like that due to be laid on Tuesday, would be amendable.

Speaking his amendment on Sky News, the ex-cabinet minister, Dominic Grieve, said: "What my amendment does is to identify a number of Tuesdays between now and the date of Brexit in which the business will be controlled by the House itself and not by the Government.

"There will be a motion in neutral terms to start the day which is about looking at Brexit and what is going on, then members of parliament can table amendments for consideration which can be turned into resolutions of the House."

He added: "A resolution of the House is a pretty solemn thing.

"If the House says that it thinks something ought to be done which the government isn't doing, the government can decide to ignore it but historically it would be very unusual in our constitution for that to happen."

Here we take a look at some of the amendments that have already been tabled in the Commons to Theresa May's plan B motion, that MPs will vote on 29 January - a week today.

They include those put forward by Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour MP Hilary Benn, Yvette Cooper, and Dominic Grieve. More are expected to be tabled in the coming days.

  ↵

Pregnant MPs could be allowed to vote by proxy within days after an outcry when an expectant Labour MP delayed the birth of her child to take part in a critical Brexit vote, reports my colleague Lizzy Buchan.

Union boss Len McCluskey will go to a face-to-face Brexit meeting with Theresa May later this week, writes political editor Joe Watts.

The Corbyn-backing leader of Unite accepted an invitation to discuss the prime minister’s Brexit plans despite the Labour leader refusing one.

Downing Street said the discussion is part of an on-going “process of engagement” as Ms May attempts to find a way to win backing for her deal.