Labour amendment defeat paves way for party supporting second referendum
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Your support makes all the difference.MPs have emphatically rejected Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit vision, placing huge pressure on the Labour leader to row in behind a second referendum.
Mr Corbyn told Labour MPs earlier this week that he was ready to back a Final Say vote "to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country" if his plan was defeated.
The move came during a series of Commons votes, which saw a surprise Brexiteer rebellion on a bid by Labour's Yvette Cooper to cement the prime minister's promise to allow MPs to rule out a no-deal exit.
Ms May tried to take the heat out of the clash by allowing MPs to vote on delaying the UK's EU withdrawal beyond March 29 amid threats of a ministerial resignations.
Meanwhile, Labour was embroiled in fresh controversy after Derby North MP Chris Williamson was suspended for saying the party had been "too apologetic" over antisemitism.
As it happened...
Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, is now wrapping up the debate for the government.
Alberto Costa thanks him for accepting his amendment on protecting EU citizens rights in a no-deal scenario.
He asks if the PM be writing the Donald Tusk to ask if the EU will agree to “carve out” citizens rights agreements from May's deal if there is a no-deal.
Barclay says the government will write to the EU institutions to ask if they will agree to this.
He says he will also accept Yvette Cooper's amendment to cement the PM's commitments on allowing MPs to vote on a no-deal Brexit.
He says the UK will only leave without a deal on March 29 "if there is explicit consent in this House".
MPs have started voting on Labour's amendment, asking MPs to back a softer Brexit.
Labour's amendment is defeated by 240 votes to 323, with a majority of 83.
Here's a clip of the result
MPs are now voting on the SNP amendment, which seeks to rule out a no-deal Brexit under pretty much any circumstances.
The SNP has been defeated by 288 votes in favour to 324 against - a majority of 36.
Tory MP Alberto Costa's amendment on EU citizen's rights has been accepted without a vote. This is unsurprising as the government said it would accept it earlier in the debate.
Dame Caroline Spelman confirmed she would not be moving her amendment to force the government to rule out no-deal.
Now MPs are voting on the final one, from Labour's Yvette Cooper, which basically cements what the PM promised this week on giving MPs a vote to rule out a no-deal exit.
Interestingly, the government had said it would accept but Tory MPs shouted object - meaning it's now being voted on.
The tellers for the noes - who count the votes - are Peter Bone and Christopher Chope, who are hardcore Brexiteers.
There is some speculation now that Brexiteers are mounting a rebellion against this amendment - perhaps as another warning shot to the PM.
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