Brexit news: Theresa May interrogated over no-deal ferry contract at PMQs as Tories lash out over aide's overheard comments
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has come under reneweed pressure over a botched no-deal ferry contract handed to a firm which had no ships.
The decision to award the £13.8m deal to Seaborne Freight was widely mocked at the time, and transport secretary Chris Grayling faced calls to resign over the matter amid claims that he misled MPs about whether taxpayers' money had been spent on the contract.
The prime minister also faced anger from MPs after her top Brexit aide was overheard describing plans to offer MPs with a last-minute choice between her deal and a "long" delay.
In a move that enraged Brexiteers, Olly Robbins was reportedly overheard in a Brussels hotel bar telling colleagues the EU would probably give the government an extension to the Article 50 withdrawal process.
To follow events as they unfolded, see out live coverage
My colleague is watching ex-Taioseach Bertie Ahern give evidence to MPs on the Irish border issue.
PMQs coming up any minute and here's a list of the people with questions. No hardcore Brexiteers on that list to make trouble for May over those Olly Robbins comments, but that doesn't mean they won't pop up.
And we're off! Theresa May starts by sending her best wishes to the clerk of the House David Natzler, who is retiring.
Helen Whateley asks about FGM, after the first prosecution took place in the UK. Backbench Tory MP Christopher Chope blocked a backbench bill the other day.
May confirms she will find time for parliament to discuss the FGM bill, saying the government had strengthened the law on FGM "leading to the first conviction" and was "helping communities around the world the end this appalling crime".
"But it is important that we give time to this bill and act further to ensure we end what is an absolutely abhorrent crime," she added.
Jeremy Corbyn pays tribute to David Natzler and also Gordon Banks, the World Cup-winning goalie who died yesterday.
The government's chaotic running of Brexit is laid bare in the handling of the Seaborne Freight ferry contract row, he says. 'What went wrong?
May says due diligence was done on the contracts.
Corbyn says £800,000 was spent on external consultants, despite government promises that it would not cost the taxpayer. Would she like to correct the record?
May says she's already been asked about this by the SNP - Labour following the SNP, whatever next, she jokes. She repeats that due diligence was done.
Corbyn says the government was advised it was 'high risk'. Why did Chris Grayling not listen?
May says the government must support start-up companies. Grayling also made this argument at the time. May mocks Corbyn, saying he argued that no money should be spent on no-deal prep. If he didn't want that then he should back her deal.
Corbyn says government advisers were instructed to restrict their due diligence checks to what Seaborne Freight told them. An FOI request shows Grayling breached the rules. What will May do about this?
She defends the award of the contract - and says no money has been paid to the contractor. Corbyn stands here time and time again, saying the government should not be spending money on no-deal prep.
Corbyn then raises the issue of Eurotunnel, which has launched a legal challenge against the Seaborne Freight decision. Will the people of Thanet be picking up the bill?
The PM says the government is in discussion with Thanet Council about the ferry contract - and this is important no-deal planning.
Corbyn says the best thing to do would be to take no-deal off the table, which the House voted in favour of recently.
He asks how she has confidence in Chris Grayling.
May says she has confidence in Grayling, who is delivering a major railway projects. She then attacks Corbyn over uncertainty on his Brexit stance, saying it's unclear whether he supports a second referendum.
'People used to say he was a conviction politician. Not any more.'
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford picks up on the Olly Robbins row, saying May has been 'hamstrung' by her own party and rejected by EU leaders - and rumbled by her loose-lipped Brexit adviser'.
He says businesses need certainty on Brexit.
May hits back, saying he can give them certainty by backing her Brexit deal.
Blackford asks May to rule out holding the meaningful vote just days before March 29.
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