Brexit: John Bercow says there is 'arguable case' government has committed contempt by failing to publish legal advice
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May is facing a constitutional crisis after six opposition parties joined forces to accuse the government of contempt of Parliament over its failure to publish its full Brexit legal advice.
The Commons Speaker, John Bercow, said there was "an arguable case" that the government had committed contempt, after he was asked by Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, the Green Party and the DUP to begin proceedings.
Earlier, Attorney general Geoffrey Cox admitted the UK could be locked into a customs backstop under the prime minister’s Brexit blueprint.
Mr Cox confirmed that neither the UK nor EU would be able to unilaterally end the Northern Irish backstop arrangement if it came into force, in an address to MPs.
It also comes as The Independent’s petition calling for a Final Say referendum on Brexit was delivered to Downing Street, after more than a million people backed the campaign.
See below for live updates:
The Irish backstop would continue to apply "unless and until it is superseded" by a subsequent agreement, the government's Brexit legal advice said.
The 43-page document, released on Monday, states: "The main provisions of the Protocol come into force from the end of the implementation period (31 December 2020 - see Article 185 of the Agreement) in the event that a subsequent agreement is not in place by then, and the Protocol will continue to apply unless and until it is superseded, in whole in or part, by a subsequent agreement establishing alternative arrangements (Article 1(4), and the fifth recital in the preamble)."
But if the implementation period is extended then the backstop will not apply until after the end of that period, the paper states.
The Independent's John Rentoul has dug out the key paragraph about how the backstop will be ended.
Theresa May is now making a statement in the Commons on her visit to Argentina for the G20 summit at the weekend.
After Brexit, she says Britain will continue to play an active role in the international community and assisting in addressing global challenges. She says the leaders agreed to the need for reform of the World Trade Organisation.
Britain is "open for business" after Brexit, she said.
Labour whips say the government benches are rather empty - though probably worth remembering that this is the latest in a flurry of Commons appearances from the PM in the last three weeks.
The PM said said it remains a disappointment” that the US has opted out of the Paris climate change agreement.
She also met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying she urged him to make sure that those responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi were held to account and urged Saudi Arabia to end the conflict in Yemen.
Jeremy Corbyn, replying to the PM, says the G20 nations have been too slow to reject the "failed neoliberal economics" that caused the economic crisis a decade ago.
He said "warm words" with Saudi Arabia were not enough to bring an end to the conflict in Yemen or to get justice for murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
We must have clear trade principles that respect human rights, he says.
May says it is interesting that he is so keen on trade - as last week he said he didn't want to do trade deals at all.
Conservative MPs have attacked the government after a paper setting out official legal advice on Theresa May’s Brexit deal, confirmed Britain cannot leave the arrangement it creates without the EU’s agreement.
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Back in the Commons, Tory MP Anna Soubry says the lack of women leaders at the G20 was 'really striking' - as it was only Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF, and Theresa May.
May says Britain has a good record but there is more that needs to be done, particularly around the 'harassment and bullying' many female politicians endure.
Elsewhere, Liam Fox, the Brexiteer International Trade secretary, has been tweeting about preparations for joining the World Trade Organisation.
Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, is now making a statement to the Commons on the Brexit legal advice.
He jokes that it is good of the PM to warm up for him - as he gave a warm-up speech for her at Conservative party conference in October.
He says ministers often receive advice from departmental lawyers and he has a legal duty to advise the House, objectively and impartially. He can only inform on whatever political decision MPs make.
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