Conservative rebels win bid to let MPs take control of EU exit plans if Theresa May loses vote
Prime minister suffers humiliating double defeat in Commons
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has suffered two humiliating defeats in parliament as MPs flex their muscles ahead of a Commons showdown over her deal.
In extraordinary scenes, the government was found to be in contempt of parliament over its refusal to publish key Brexit papers after opposition MPs won a narrow victory to force their hand.
Tory rebels then inflicted a further defeat on the prime minister, by backing an amendment that would give MPs control over Brexit if Ms May's deal is voted down next week.
It comes as the prime minister began a five-day Commons debate on her Brexit blueprint, which culminates in crunch votes that could threaten her leadership and her government.
See below for live updates
Interesting - there were 26 Tory rebels on Grieve's amendment, including May loyalists Damian Green and Sir Michael Fallon.
More on Nigel Farage quitting Ukip.
Mr Farage said he was leaving Ukip in protest at the direction taken by the party's leader Gerard Batten.
Mr Farage had called for Mr Batten to be ousted as leader after he appointed political activist Tommy Robinson as an adviser.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage said: "And so, with a heavy heart, and after all my years of devotion to the party, I am leaving Ukip today.
"There is a huge space for a Brexit party in British politics, but it won't be filled by Ukip."
As May continues to answer questions from MPs, critics of the government are reacting to the vote earlier this afternoon which found the government in contempt of the Commons.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: "This is now a Government on the ropes. Theresa May's majority has evaporated, and the credibility of her deal is evaporating with it.
"Parliament has asserted itself, and the full legal advice must now be published as a matter of urgency.
"The Commons is now very likely to defeat the Government again next week on the Brexit deal, at which point the country must be given a People's Vote, and asked to choose between the deal or remaining in the EU."
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said: "This is a hammer blow to the Government and their agenda.
"The Government at the moment cannot even run a bath let alone anything else. The Prime Minister might remain in office but tonight she is out of power.
"Tonight's vote is a dark omen for next week's meaningful vote. The Government are facing a colossal defeat. It is time to agree to a People's Vote to end this deadlock."
May is repeating her mantra on the meaningful vote next week. It is "this deal, no deal or the risk of no Brexit", she says.
"Even if we held a referendum, what would it achieve? It wouldn't bring the country together, it would divide us all over again."
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, responds to Theresa May by saying her Brexit deal will make the UK worse off.
He says Ms May should resign if she is no longer able to command a majority in the House.
The People's Vote campaign has just issued this statement from Dominic Grieve about the success of his amendment earlier:
Parliament has tonight asserted its sovereignty to ensure that amendments – such as for a People’s Vote – can be made to any motion if or when the Government’s proposed deal for leaving the EU has been defeated.
MPs are tonight starting the process of taking back control. No longer must the will of Parliament – reflecting the will of the people – be diminished.
More and more MPs are concluding that the Government’s proposed deal is not what was promised two years ago, it’s a much worse deal than the one we’ve already got in the EU and, if approved would mean Brexit goes on forever because it leaves all the big questions unanswered.
Parliament must now take back control and then give the final decision back to the public because, in the end, only the people can sort this out.
Conservative MP Ken Clarke asks Jeremy Corbyn what Brexit deal he wants.
Mr Corybn replies that the government should go back and negotiate a permanent customs union backed by the Trades Union Congress and Confederation of British Industry.
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