Brexit news: Theresa May scrambles to save EU deal ahead of third vote after Brexiteer lawyers reject attempts to break impasse

Reforms to extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples are on the verge of becoming law after they cleared parliament.

MPs agreed with amendments made by peers to the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc) Bill, which now only requires royal assent.

The Bill also allows for a mother or second parent's name to be included on marriage and civil partnership certificates, as well as introducing measures to formally record a stillborn child born before 24 weeks' gestation, and to give coroners the power to investigate late-stage stillbirths.

Tory former minister Tim Loughton said he had been fighting for the changes to civil partnerships ever since the government legalised marriage for same-sex couples.

He said it "would have solved an awful lot of angst at the stage" if they had agreed for "full equality" at that time.

Mr Loughton added: "The genesis of the Bill is even longer than Brexit. But, unlike Brexit, today hopefully we will have closure and a reason to celebrate."

Tory MP Julian Knight said he had hoped for a change in the way civil partners of heterosexual couples are "treated in more sensitive areas such as hospital situations".

He touched on the fact that he had previously told the House about his struggles when a former partner of his died in a road accident in 1999.

A visibly emotional Mr Knight told MPs: "I would say that I do think that the fact that I was in a situation in which I effectively had to almost beg my way into a ward where the woman I loved was dying was itself, I think, not right, and I really hope in future that others don't have to go through that similar experience."

Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, has signalled his opposition to a lengthy Brexit delay after the European Council next week.  

A number of Cabinet ministers - including Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lidington, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Chief Whip Julian Smith - have also met with the DUP as part of efforts to get them to support the PM's deal.

Chancellor Philip Hammond was earlier reported to be heading into talks with the Northern Ireland party, prompting speculation he was preparing to make a fresh cash offer to the party.

Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck signalled she might vote for the prime minister's deal after resigning from the Labour frontbench on Thursday so she could vote against a second referendum.

The UK government’s no-deal Brexit tariff plan would be “illegal” under World Trade Organisation rules, the EU commissioner in charge of agriculture has said.

Phil Hogan characterised the British plan, which would see no duties levied on goods entering Northern Ireland across the border, as “a political stunt, pure and simple”.

DUP's Nigel Dodds has emerged from the talks with Philip Hammond.

Asked if extra cash for Northern Ireland had been discussed, Mr Dodds said: "The Chancellor of the Exchequer is obviously a key member of the Government but he is also responsible for HMRC and the whole issue of their involvement in customs and other regulatory issues is a key concern for us."

Mr Dodds continued: "We are not discussing cash in these discussion."

He said the government was now "very focused" on addressing the issue of the backstop.

"From day one, our focus has been on the red line of how Northern Ireland is treated separately from the rest of the UK.

"That is the issue that has been the priority concern for us."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been asked to join cross-party talks by other opposition leaders in the Commons.

The SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party called on Mr Corbyn to join them in trying to push for a second referendum.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: "It is now clear beyond doubt that there is no such thing as a good Brexit, and Westminster remains deeply divided.

"The best and most democratic way forward, is to put the decision back to the people in a second EU referendum - with Remain on the ballot paper."

He added: "I hope Jeremy Corbyn will now join us - after two years of declining invitations to talk."

That's it for the politics liveblog today, after a tumultuous week in Westminster.

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