Brexit news: Theresa May stands by her deal in face of renewed threat from Conservative rebels
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has claimed her Brexit blueprint is “the only deal available” after she travelled to Europe in a desperate scramble to win concessions from EU leaders.
The prime minister was forced to shelve Tuesday's crunch vote on the withdrawal agreement in the face of near-certain defeat by Tory rebels, embarking instead on a whistle-stop diplomatic tour of European capitals.
It comes as Tory rebels renewed a push to overthrow her, with some members of the European Research Group claiming more letters calling for her resignation have been submitted.
Meanwhile, Downing Street said the delayed vote would take place by 21 January, though insiders hope it could be before depending on what happens in Brussels.
To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below
Using her intervention, Nicky Morgan, the former education secretary, says parliament needs to think how it is seen by the public at this moment.
"Maybe it's time for a government of national unity," she says, as one possible option to avoid a no-deal scenario.
Theresa May will travel to Dublin following a meeting of the cabinet on Wednesday, for talks on Brexit with Taioseach Leo Varadkar, the PMs official spokesman has announced.
This is from my colleague Lizzy Buchan on an apparent altercation in the chamber.
Firebrand Labour MP Dennis Skinner has been branded a "thug" after he appeared to call an SNP MP a "piece of shit" in the Commons.
Mr Skinner, who has served as MP for Bolsover for 48 years, could be seen angrily remonstrating with SNP MPs after Jeremy Corbyn was heckled during a debate on the Government's decision to pull the "meaningful vote" on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal.
The 86-year-old, who is widely known as "the Beast of Bolsover" for his uncompromising style, was seen to turn and allegedly mouthed "piece of shit" at Glasgow South MP Stewart McDonald during the debate.
Mr McDonald tweeted after the incident: "A new parliamentary habit seems to be forming, whereby any time an SNP MP sat behind Dennis Skinner verbalises any frustration about what Jeremy Corbyn says, he angrily turns round to tell us off.
"He has just turned round and called me a 'piece of shit'. He has become a thug."
Mr Skinner denied swearing at the SNP MP, telling the Independent: "I told him to shut up. They were shouting loudly over Jeremy Corbyn. So I told them to be quiet, I’ve done it before. They don’t like it.
"I could drown out their leader if I wanted to, as I sit only three seats down from him. But I don’t."
MPs have voted by 0 to 299 on Labour's emergency debate on Theresa May's decision to delay the Brexit vote.
The motion is non-binding, but symbolic, and acts to express anger at government.
Very interesting tweet here from George Freeman, who used to chair the No10 policy unit under Theresa May. Tory psychodrama played out in the open, as he appeals to his colleagues not to challenge the PM.
Donald Tusk, the European Council president, says European leaders want to help Theresa May but it is unclear how they can do that.
The PM has been on a whistle-stop tour of European capitals today, in an attempt to win support for her under-fire Brexit deal. She was forced to pull a crunch Commons vote on the deal on Monday, in the face of near-certain defeat.
Theresa May has given an interview in Brussels, where she has been holding talks with European leaders.
She told broadcasters: "What I've been doing here in Europe over the past day is actually doing what I promised parliament that I would do, which is speaking to European leaders about the concerns parliament has raised about the backstop."
May has met with Dutch PM Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council Donald Tusk and Juncker, who all have a "shared determination" to solve the backstop issue.
She went on: "The deal we’ve negotiated is a deal that honours the referendum, and it’s the best deal available - indeed it’s the only deal available.
"And the backstop, which is the issue that parliament has raised, is a necessary guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland.
"And whatever outcome you want, whatever relationship you want with Europe in the future, there is no deal available that does not have a backstop within it. But we don’t want the backstop to be used and, if it is, we want to be certain that it is only temporary.
"And it’s those assurances that I will be seeking from fellow leaders over the coming days."
Asked whether she had been told that the 48 letters to trigger a no confidence motion in her had been received, May said: "No, I have been here in Europe dealing with the issue I have promised Parliament I would be dealing with, which is the backstop for Northern Ireland in the withdrawal agreement."
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