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As it happenedended

Brexit news - live: Three ministers resign as MPs vote to seize control over EU exit from May

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Benjamin Kentish,Lizzy Buchan
Monday 25 March 2019 20:59 EDT
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House of Commons votes 329 to 302 to approve Letwin's amendment A: The Brexit Next Steps motion

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Theresa May has suffered another humiliating defeat in the Commons after MPs dramatically wrested control of the Brexit process from the government.

Pro-EU Tory ministers Steve Brine, Alistair Burt and Richard Harrington resigned from their posts to back a cross-party bid to hold indicative votes on Wednesday, allowing the Commons to test support for different Brexit options.

Some 30 Conservative MPs rebelled against the government to support the amendment tabled by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin, potentially paving the way for a softer Brexit deal that keeps the UK closer to Brussels.

It comes after the prime minister admitted there was "still not sufficient support" to bring her Brexit deal back to the Commons for a third "meaningful vote". MPs have overwhelmingly rejected her plan twice already.

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Tory grandee Ken Clarke, asks Keir Starmer if Labour will allow its MPs a free vote during the indicative votes. Apparently this is what happened in 1972 when the government passed the legislation taking the UK into Europe, Clarke says.

Starmer says there will be an intense discussion on what to do if the amendment passes, as they don't know what the options are. If no-deal is on the list then of course Labour will whip against it, he says.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 18:50

Away from the chamber, there's chatter on whether the Letwin vote could be right down to the wire.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 19:05

Sir Oliver Letwin is moving his amendment. He says it is not a "massive constitutional revolution" - the principle that government business takes precedence in the Commons only dates back to 1906.

He says he has been a supporter of Theresa May - and he has tried to vote for her every time she's brought her deal to the Commons.

He says he will continue to vote for meaningful vote three, four or "infinity" if it comes to that - as her deal is "perfectly okay".

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 19:21

Letwin confirms that he will push his amendment to a vote later, after being pressed by fellow Conservative Ken Clarke on how the votes might work.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 19:35

Away from the debate, Twitter has been going mad over the rumour that the influential Brexiteers who were at Chequers this weekend for talks with the PM have nicknamed themselves the "Grand Wizards".

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 19:45

Tory grandee Sir Nicholas Soames says he will vote for the Letwin amendment. He says this is only the beginning of a tortuous road to leaving the EU. He will not vote for a no-deal or a second referendum, as both are a recipe for chaos and division.

He says it is ironic that those who want Brexit most have rebelled against Ms May's deal the most often. Sir Nicholas, who is the grandson of Winston Churchill, says he is horrified by the damage being done to the UK's relationship with other countries.

Britain's reputation has been "gravely diminished", he says.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 19:54

Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett is moving her amendment to ensure that there is not a no-deal Brexit, unless MPs vote for it.

She says she supports the Letwin amendment. It is essential to seek the public's view for whatever path is taken - or risk being accused of an 'establishment stitch-up'.

The UK must not drift into a no-deal Brexit, she says, which would be the definition of irresponsible. But timing is tight now.

She says her amendment guards against the possibility of such a situation.

Labour's Yvette Cooper intervenes. She says May has ruled this out but has not provided any process to ensure those safeguards are in place to prevent a disorderly Brexit. This amendment is vital, she says.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 19:59

Tory ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve is one of the signatories to the indicative votes amendment. He says Brexit is a mistake of 'epic proportions' and he has yet to see any evidence that being outside the EU is better than being inside.

He says he voted to trigger article 50 out of deference to the result of the 2016 vote.

Grieve says he disagrees with Letwin on the PM's deal as he thinks it will deliver a third-rate outcome. Letwin said earlier that he would back it.

He says there has been a tendency to close down debate in the Brexit process - and claims 'excessive respect for the 2016 result' has prevented reasonable dialogue.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 20:11

Former chancellor George Osborne has a pretty withering reaction to rumours that the Brexiteers have nicknamed themselves the 'Grand Wizards'.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 20:23

How can Theresa May’s leadership of Brexit be brought to an end? The prime minister has overcome myriad humiliations but, as Joe Watts explains, she could survive others yet to come.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 20:48

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