Brexit news: Jeremy Corbyn urges Theresa May to rule out 'devastating' no-deal as EU rejects her plan B
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Theresa May has repeatedly refused to rule out a no-deal Brexit ahead of a critical vote next week, as MPs ramp up the pressure on the prime minister to change course.
Jeremy Corbyn has urged the prime minister to take a “devastating” no-deal exit off the table during a tense prime minister’s questions clash, where Ms May accused the Labour leader of being prepared to "meet Hamas, Hezbollah and the IRA" but declining to meet her to discuss Brexit.
It comes as a prominent Conservative MP condemned Liam Fox, after he suggested those backing a move to extend Article 50 were motivated by “having no Brexit at all”.
Hitting back at the international trade secretary, Anna Soubry said Dr Fox’s comments were “not true” while another Tory MP said he "has never been very good at detail".
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A cross-party bid for parliament to “take control” to block a no-deal Brexit has received a big boost after Labour said it is “highly likely” to back it.
Opposition support would all-but guarantee that the plan – to force Theresa Mayto seek an extension to the Article 50 process until the end of 2019, unless her deal passes by the end of February – will win Commons approval.
John McDonnell described the backbench bill, put forward by Labour's Yvette Cooper and Conservative Nick Boles as “sensible”, ahead of a crucial vote next Tuesday.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, has said overturning the referendum result would be politically "calamitous" and worse than a no-deal Brexit.
Dr Fox, who is currently at the world economic forum in Davos, said that some amendments tabled by backbenchers presented a "real danger" constitutionally.
He said that "there are many who talk about delaying Brexit when what they really mean is not having Brexit at all", saying that would be the "worst outcome".
Asked if he believed that a delayed Brexit - via an extended Article 50 period - was worse than a no-deal Brexit, he said: "You need to think about the political consequences as well as the short-term economic consequences.
"There is no doubt that leaving with a deal and minimising disruption both to the UK and our EU trading partners is in our best interest.
"But I think the most calamitous outcome would be for Parliament, having promised to respect the result of the referendum, to turn around and say it wouldn't."
But he has been criticised for his comments, with the prominent Tory MP Anna Soubry, suggesting his claims were wrong about those supporting the amendment to extend Article 50, and prevent a no-deal Brexit.
A second Conservative MP also had some comments for Dr Fox after his appearance on the BBC.
In news unrelated to Brexit, Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, is being questioned at parliament's justice committee.
He says there have been significant cuts to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and he believes the institution will not be able to sustain its current service, if further budget cuts are made. He says the government has no intention to do so.
In an interview with the Luxembourg Times, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, has been asked about the prospect of "delaying Brexit" by seeking an extension to Article 50.
He says: "If Britain asks for an extension, it has to be approved by EU leaders. "They will only agree if three questions are answered: first and second, why and how long? And third, will not that be a problem for holding the EU elections in May? I have no clear legal answer to the third question yet. It is important that the EU's democratic processes are not disturbed by this, however.
"The first two questions are complex and interconnected: it needs a stable majority in London for all laws related to Brexit that need to be adopted. This will need time."
Dashing the hopes of Theresa May and prominent Brexiteers he says: "We cannot tie the backstop to a time limit".
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