Brexit vote: MPs vote for Theresa May to renegotiate Irish backstop with EU
Follow updates from Westminster as they unfolded throughout the day
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Your support makes all the difference.MPs have authorised Theresa May to go back to Brussels to renegotiate a key part of her Brexit deal after a series of dramatic Commons votes.
Different Brexit factions tabled amendments to Ms May’s exit plan, which she was forced to bring back to the Commons on Tuesday after MPs overwhelmingly rejected her Brexit deal earlier this month.
Amid an apparent compromise between Tory Remainers, Brexiteers and her DUP allies, MPs backed a bid by Tory grandee Sir Graham Brady to scrap the Irish backstop and replace it with “alternative arrangements”, requiring the prime minister to go back to Brussels.
However the path ahead looks rocky, as the European Commission immediately sent out a statement saying the deal was “not open for renegotiation”.
Follow updates from Westminster as they unfolded throughout the day
Leading Brexiteer - and May rival - Boris Johnson says he will support Sir Graham Brady's amendment, which seeks to remove the backstop from the withdrawal agreement and replace it with "alternative arrangements".
Crucially, he says the PM must seek to reopen the Brexit deal - something the EU has repeatedly ruled out.
BREAKING - Labour announces it will back an amendment by Yvette Cooper, which seeks to take the threat of no-deal off the table by delaying Brexit.
In a timely reminder of trouble ahead, the European Parliament's Brexit chief has poured cold water on any attempts to reopen the withdrawal agreement.
Guy Verhofstadt told The Independent that the EU’s legislature, which has to approve any deal, would not consent to a “watered down” agreement and that the controversial Irish backstop could not be ditched.
More from our Europe correspondent Jon Stone:
Significant news starting to emerge from the No10 lobby briefing. Apparently, the prime minister told the cabinet that the withdrawal agreement text will need to be reopened.
This is a big shift from May's original position that her deal is the best available. It also flies in the face of the EU's current position, as shown by my last post on Guy Verhofstadt.
More from the lobby briefing - Theresa May told the weekly meeting of senior ministers in Downing Street that she will open this afternoon's Brexit debate in the Commons with a statement explaining why she is backing Sir Graham Brady's amendment.
Her official spokesman said she aims to return to the Commons "as soon as possible" with a revised deal, which will be subject to a "meaningful vote" by MPs. If this is rejected by MPs, she will table a further amendable motion for debate the next day.
If no new deal has been reached with the EU by February 13, Ms May will make a statement to the House that day and table an amendable motion for debate the following day.
Read our breaking story:
Philip Hammond has confirmed the Spring Statement will be on March 13.
At Treasury questions in the Commons, the Chancellor said: "I can inform the House today that the Spring Statement will be made on Wednesday 13th March.
"I'd remind the House that the Spring Statement is not a fiscal event but as I've said before if the economic or fiscal outlook changes materially then it's always open to us to turn it into a fiscal event."
BREAKING: Fiona Onasanya, the independent MP, has been handed three month prison sentence for lying to police over a driving offence.
Two interesting points from Fiona Onasanya's conviction. Firstly, she will not take part in tonight's Brexit votes where every single vote will count.
Secondly, it could trigger a by-election in her Peterborough constituency. If a sitting MP is sentenced to time in prison, then there will be a recall petition. If 10 per cent of her constituents vote for a by-election then it will take place.
It's nearly time for Brexit debate to begin, and all eyes will be on John Bercow when he sets out which amendments are going to be called for debate.
The PM is due to open the debate.
John Bercow has selected amendments by Jeremy Corbyn (A), Ian Blackford (O), Dominic Grieve (G), Yvette Cooper (B), Rachel Reeves (J), Caroline Spelman (I) and Graham Brady (N).
Bercow says if the Labour motion is passed, the SNP’s one will not be put to a vote. If the Cooper amendment is passed, Rachel Reeves' one will fall. This is because they are quite similar.
He says at the end there will be a vote on the main motion, which means could be up to eight votes.
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