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As it happenedended

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 

Lizzy Buchan
Political Correspondent
Wednesday 16 January 2019 17:59 EST
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Theresa May delivers statement outside Number 10 Downing Street following second vote of confidence in her government

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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.

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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:

Theresa May starts by condemning the recent terror attack in Nairobi and confirms there has been a British casualty.

Charlie Elphicke, the Dover MP, has the first question. He asks what is clearly a planted question about how well Conservatives have delivered for jobs and the economy - and the greatest threat to people's livelihood lies with a Labour government.

May agrees and condemns Labour.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:04

Jeremy Corbyn asks to correct the record. He says he wrongly suggested that last night's Commons defeat was the largest since the 1920s. It was in fact the largest ever!

He asks if its true she is going to reach out to other parties to find a way forward and was she ruling out a customs union?

May says the government wants to deliver on the referendum result, which include trading with the wider world.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:05

Corbyn asks May to confirm that there will not be a no-deal Brexit, as Greg Clark, the business secretary said yesterday.

May says she does not want a no-deal but the way to avoid that is to vote for her deal.

Corbyn says she hasn't answered on customs union or no-deal. Can't she understand that the House rejected her deal and she needs to come up with something new. He says the government is also failing on other areas, particularly poverty. 

May says the number of people in absolute poverty is at a record low. Labour would raise taxes and working people would pay the price.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:09

This exchange is getting a little repetitive.

Corbyn says May is in denial about facts and statistics, pointing to complaints from the statistics watchdog about the Department for Education and also about stats from the Home Office.

May points to money being made available to police services and other public services. She says the powers given to police matters as well as money spent. She says Corbyn voted against attempts to toughen up sentences on knife crime.

Corbyn says Labour brought in tough measures on police and its the Tories that have made life less safe for people. 

He adds: 'Isn't it the case that with every other previous PM that they would have resigned over such a defeat?'

May says he mentioned how important Brexit is. He has been calling for weeks for a general election. Yet when asked whether he would campaign for Brexit in a general election, he refused to answer multiple times.

The Labour leader has allowed antisemitism to run rife, has abandoned our allies and plans to wreck our economy, she says.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:15

Bit of a scattergun approach from Mr Corbyn there. To be fair, he is due to open the no-confidence debate imminently.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:16

SNP's Ian Blackford is up now. He asks if the PM's plan B will be a 'redressing of plan A'?

May says she plans to listen to parliamentarians and find out what will secure the support of the House. This is against the background of delivering on the referendum result.

Blackford says this is an 'omnishambles' from the government. The EU will not back changes to the deal. Westminster is in chaos, he adds. May knew this deal was dead from Chequers and when she withdrew the vote in December.

The PM must secure the confidence of the people and legislate for a People's Vote, he says.

May says there has been a People's Vote - back in 2016. She will deliver on the vote of the people.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:19

Tory MP Jeremy Lefroy also pays tribute to those killed in a terror attack in Kenya.

He asks for a fairer formula for NHS commissioning groups and praises the PM for promising more than £20bn to the NHS.

May thanks him for highlighting the long-term plan and says this will enable the government to ensure fairer funding.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:21

Labour's Peter Kyle says the defeat was "titanic" and the PM must change with it. People were protesting outside parliament - not for a Norway deal but for a people's vote. Has she broken her promise to the people to let them have control over their lives?

May says there has been a public vote in 2016. She is going to work with other parties to find a way forward.

Interestingly, she does not mention Labour by name.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:23

Our deputy political editor picks up on this point from the PM's response to Ian Blackford.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:24

Labour MP Seema Malhotra asks if the PM is open to changing to any of her own lines if she is going to work with other parties in a constructive way.

May says she will be talking to other politicians - but still does not mention Labour by name. The deal must deliver on the Brexit vote.

Tory MP Helen Grant asks a helpful question - will failing to deliver Brexit damage the public perception of politics?

May, surprisingly, says yes.

Lizzy Buchan16 January 2019 12:27

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