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Brexit news - LIVE: Parliament descends further into farce after debate abandoned due to leak, as MPs pile pressure on Corbyn over second referendum

Follow our live coverage of the day’s political events

Benjamin Kentish
Political Correspondent
,Ashley Cowburn,Adam Forrest
Thursday 04 April 2019 07:49 EDT
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Brexit: MPs pass emergency law forcing Theresa May to seek further delay to avert no deal by one vote

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A plan to prevent a no-deal Brexit and delay the date of the UK’s exit from EU is being debated by the Lords this evening, after squeaking through the Commons.

It came as Chancellor Philip Hammond said a second referendum was a “perfectly credible proposition” and indicated the government would be prepared to compromise on a customs union.

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn's teams also met again after 11 Labour MPs, including four frontbenchers, urging their leader to insist on a second referendum in an open letter to The Independent.

Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load:

Arriving for the latest round of talks with the government in Westminster, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the idea of a "confirmatory" referendum would be discussed "We have been discussing Labour's alternative plan and issues such as confirmatory votes," he told reporters.

"We had discussions yesterday and we are going to continue them today."

Ashley Cowburn4 April 2019 11:21

After business question in the House of Commons, there is a ministerial statement on new sharia laws introduced in Brunei - including punishing gay sex with death stoning. 

Here is the latest from our Asia Editor, Adam Withnall 

Ashley Cowburn4 April 2019 11:45

Labour has kicked off the process of selecting MEP candidates for the European elections in May in preparation for a long extension of Article. 

Such a delay to Brexit will force the UK to take part in the elections which are scheduled for 22 May.

A Labour spokesperson tells The Independent: "The government’s disastrous and incompetent handling of Brexit has opened the possibility of a further extension of article 50 and UK participation in European elections.

"We do not favour such an outcome. The only reason this might arise is because of the government’s failure to negotiate a sensible deal that supports jobs and living standards.

"As a consequence of this Tory chaos, we are making contingency plans for EU elections and will be ready for any eventuality."

Ashley Cowburn4 April 2019 11:50

The foreign office has condemned the introduction of new sharia laws in Brueni which include punishing gay sex with stoning to death. 

Minister for Asia, Mark Field, says the government considers it "appalling" that in the 21st century such laws have been introduced. "We consider it illegal under international human rights law," he says.

"We strongly support the rights of the LGBT people here and the world."

His opposite number, the Labour frontbencher Khalid Mahmood suggests Brunei's membership of the Commonwealth should be reviewed.

More here:

Ashley Cowburn4 April 2019 12:04

Over in the House of Lords, peers are kicking off Lady Hayter's business motion to change today's schedule, enabling them to vote on Yvette Cooper's bill that passed the Commons last night. 

Ms Cooper's Bill on avoiding a no-deal scenario, and extending the Article 50 process, squeaked through the Commons by just one vote late last night.

Labour is now threatening to keep the House of Lords sitting all night if necessary to pass the Bill in the upper chamber.

But the bid has run into fierce opposition from pro-Brexit Tory peers - creating quite some drama in the Lords this afternoon. 

Lady Hayter accused "a small group of unelected peers" of trying to stop the Lords from considering the measure and then "trying to talk it out" through the night.

But she warned: "We will be here all night... if that's what it takes to do what the elected Commons has asked us to do."

Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, opposing Labour's move, said, to jeers: "This has got nothing to do with Brexit. This has to do with the procedures of the House."

Lord Forsyth said he was surprised and disappointed to see Labour joining with "insurgents" in the Commons, who had sought to "undermine the process and procedures" of the Commons.

Ashley Cowburn4 April 2019 12:40

The House of Lords has just voted down the first of several attempts to prolong the debate on Yvette Cooper's bill to avert a no-deal Brexit.

Lord Forsyth had tabled an amendment calling for the Lords to go into committee for the whole debate on the bill, which would drag the process out because it would allow each peer to speak more than once at each stage. However, the motion was rejected by 254 votes to 94 - a majority of 160.

Benjamin Kentish4 April 2019 13:04

NEW: The European Parliament has voted to give UK citizens visa-free travel even if there is a no-deal Brexit. Full story here:

Benjamin Kentish4 April 2019 13:17

The "toxic" atmosphere in parliament is putting women off entering politics, a government minister has said.

Speaking in the Commons, Victoria Atkins, the minister for women, also said parliament needed to be "more flexible" in the hours that it sits.

She told MPs:

"I make this observation - I've spent a great deal of my time persuading women to take the big step of coming into public life.

"I think the attitude and atmosphere at the moment in parliament is putting women off - it's pretty toxic.

"The predictability or unpredictability of Commons hours can cause problems.

"This week my little boy has just started his holidays and I had a bit of an 'about to' this morning trying to sort out childcare.

"But we all do this and we've got to make sure the Commons is more flexible in the way that it is so it encourages people from across our society to join."

Benjamin Kentish4 April 2019 13:29

Conservative MP Johnny Mercer has warned that his party would be "wiped out" in a snap general election - and that Jeremy Corbyn would become prime minister.

Benjamin Kentish4 April 2019 13:42

Angry Labour MPs have attacked Jeremy Corbyn after his party chairman offered to quit for defying an order to back a fresh Brexit referendum – but was told to stay on.

The Labour leader stepped in to rescue Ian Lavery, a key ally, after he suggested he follow other frontbenchers by resigning for breaking the whip.

The show of support came as Mr Corbyn sparked a shadow cabinet battle by refusing to make a Final Say public vote a red line in his talks with Theresa May to strike a compromise over her defeated deal.

Ashley Cowburn4 April 2019 13:59

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