Brexit no-confidence vote: Theresa May makes speech outside Downing Street after surviving attempt to bring down her government
MPs voted along party lines during the vote
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has appealed for other political parties to work with her on Brexit, after avoiding a dramatic bid to topple her government in the wake of the historic Commons defeat of her Brexit deal.
MPs rejected Jeremy Corbyn's motion of no confidence in the government by a margin of 325 to 306 after Tory Brexiteers and the DUP rowed in behind the prime minister.
Ms May's narrow reprieve came less than 24 hours after the crushing defeat of her Brexit deal in the Commons, and now paves the way for cross-party talks on a plan B.
Conservative rebels and members of the Democratic Unionist Party who consigned the PM to the worst defeat in parliamentary history on Wednesday rallied behind her to see off the threat of a general election.
Welcoming the result, Ms May told the Commons: “I am pleased that this house has expressed its confidence in the government.
“I do not take this responsibility lightly and my government will continue its work to increase our prosperity, guarantee our security and to strengthen our union."
She invited opposition leaders to meet her for late-night talks on Wednesday, saying she "stands ready to work with any member of this House to deliver on Brexit".
The move triggered an immediate row as Mr Corbyn's spokesman said he would not meet Ms May unless she ruled out a no-deal Brexit.
It comes after a dramatic day in the Commons, where opposition MPs lined up to rubbish Ms May's administration and decry the lack of support for her central policy - the Brexit deal.
The Labour leader said her "zombie government" was unable to govern and declared her "Frankenstein" Brexit deal officially dead.
"There can’t be meaningful talks about how to find a deal that reflects the majority in parliament and that can command a majority in parliament while the threat of no deal, which would be disastrous for the country ... is still on the table. That must come off the table", his spokesperson later said.
If you would like to see how the vote unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:
The Brexit withdrawal agreement is not open to renegotiation, a source close to Emmanuel Macron has said.
"It would be wrong for Britain to think EU side is febrile and weak on Brexit. The EU won't give in on principles."
Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom said that if Ms May wins the vote of confidence, she would seek to hold discussions with senior parliamentarians on the way forward.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme she said:
The prime minister will then not necessarily be looking for new ideas that no-one has thought of before, but actually seeking a consensus, a fresh initiative to find a solution that is negotiable with the European Union and that would command a majority in the House of Commons.
The prime minister has been clear that she wants to talk to senior parliamentarians about what would command a majority and that is what we will be doing over the coming days."
Mrs Leadsom acknowledged that there had been no contact with Jeremy Corbyn but said the Labour leader needed to come forward with constructive proposals.
"I don't think she has written him off at all but he needs to come to the table and tell us what he wants to do," she said.
"He has not put forward any specific constructive proposal and that is a problem, which is why the Prime Minister will be engaging right across the House with those who do have very sincerely held views but want to constructively deliver on what the vast majority of parliamentarians voted for."
Ministers called business leaders after the Brexit vote to discuss the next steps, but one chief executive said there was "very little guidance" on what happens now.
Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark made a conference call to officials from business groups including the CBI and manufacturers' organisation the EEF.
Ian Wright, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation, said of the call from the Chancellor:
There was very little guidance on what happens next.
The tone of the conversation was very serious, but I do believe those ministers on the call have an absolute commitment to trying to avoid a no-deal Brexit.
French companies must prepare for a worst-case, no-deal Brexit following the defeat of Ms May's Brexit deal, France's Medef business lobby group has said.
"Medef has taken note of the House of Parliament's vote on Jan. 15. Unfortunately, this result has made it quite possible that the UK leaves on March 29 without a deal," Medef said in a statement
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage told ITV1's Good Morning Britain: "If the Prime Minister had any sense of honour she would resign this morning having led us to this debacle, but of course she won't."
Describing Ms May's Withdrawal Agreement as being like "a surrender document of a nation that had been beaten in war", Mr Farage added: "Brexit is not the problem, this Prime Minister is, she needs to go."
Mr Farage also added that he now expects the two-year Article 50 process leading to Brexit to be extended beyond 29 March.
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