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As it happenedended1526499496

Westminster - as it happened: Labour motion forcing government to release secret post-Brexit customs plans defeated

All Wednesday's developments from Westminster

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
,Lizzy Buchan,Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 16 May 2018 18:00 BST
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A Labour motion to force the government into publishing private Cabinet papers on post-Brexit customs proposals has been defeated.

The party’s motion would have required the government to release to parliament all papers prepared for the Brexit sub-committee on the two customs models, including any economic analysis.

It was defeated by 301 votes to 269, a majority of 32.

The vote was the latest in a string of Labour motions using an arcane parliamentary procedure to make the vote binding on the government by issuing a “humble address” to the Queen asking her to require ministers to comply.

The debate came after Theresa May was under over Brexit during Prime Minister’s Questions, as Jeremy Corbyn sought to capitalise on deep divisions among senior Tories over future customs arrangements.

The Labour leader drew laughs when he mocked Ms May's call for "as little friction as possible", adding: "Was she talking about EU trade or the next cabinet meeting?"

Mr Corbyn called on the prime minister to "step aside and let Labour" carry out the negotiations as he tore into her record on zero hours contracts and workers rights.

See below for the developments as they happened

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Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 10:59
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Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 11:27
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Some reaction here from a Labour MP on Paul Blomfileld's comments this morning on Radio 4.

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 11:34
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Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 11:55
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PMQs has now started. Theresa May congratulates Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding this weekend. She also pays tributes to MP Jo Cox, who was murdered two years ago outside her constituency office.

Jeremy Corbyn goes in with his first question on Brexit, mocking the Prime Minister for Cabinet in-fighting. 

"Mr Speaker, when the Prime Minister wrote at the weekend that she wanted 'as little friction as possible' was she talking about EU trade or the next Cabinet meeting?" 

But May hits back about Labour's stance on a second referendum and she asks him to rule out a second referendum.

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 12:09
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Corbyn says the divisions in the Cabinet means there has been no progress in the Brexit negotiations in the last five months. 

He asks the Prime Minister to ask how much "friction" she is willing to accept.

May says she wants to able to ensure we continue to trade in a frictionless way as possible after Brexit. She says the government will be publishing a white paper next month on the negotiating strategy. 

Corbyn adds the uncertainty and recklessness of the government is putting jobs at risk.

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 12:11
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  ↵

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 12:11
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May says Corbyn wanted to trigger Article 50 the morning of the referendum, when it had become clear the UK had voted to leave the European Union. 

Corbyn says businesses are frustrated by the government's stance. He says if the PM cannot convince her own Cabinet of her strategy what chance does she have of convincing the 27 other EU member states. 

May hits back saying we have record levels of unemployment under Labour. 

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 12:14
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Corbyn says: "Can I congratulate the Prime Minister on record levels of zero hours contracts." 

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 12:14
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Corbyn asks how many additional HMRC staff have been recruited to deal with Brexit - May refers to the money set aside by the Chancellor in recent months and sidesteps the question. 

She asks Corbyn to "welcome" the jobs created under this Government.

Corbyn says we've had 23 months since the referendum, and just 10 months left in the negotiations. The Government is so busy negotiating with itself it cannot negotiate with anyone else. 

He asks the PM to step aside and let Labour negotiate Brexit.

Ashley Cowburn16 May 2018 12:18

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