Brexit: Corbyn compares Theresa May's deal to 'Frankenstein's monster' amid ridicule over lorry test
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Your support makes all the difference.Jeremy Corbyn has compared Theresa May's Brexit deal to "Frankenstein's monster" as the prime minister faced pressure on all sides ahead of a crunch Commons vote.
As MPs returned to Westminster after the Christmas break, rival Brexit factions turned up the heat on Ms May over her blueprint, which is expected to be voted down in a parliamentary showdown on January 15.
The Labour leader said there could be "no more hiding and no more running away" from holding the long-promised meaningful vote on Ms May's deal, with only three months left until exit day.
He accused ministers of pushing a "Frankenstein's monster of a deal" and criticised "shambolic" no-deal Brexit preparations by transport secretary Chris Grayling.
His comments came as the government faced ridicule over its first major tests of plans for no-deal chaos at UK borders, when scores of lorries travelled from Manston Airport, near Ramsgate, in Kent, to Dover, to trial contingency plans to ease congestion on the roads and at ports.
To follows events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below
Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has criticised the government's lorry plan as "too complex" and likely to cause "enormous confusion" for drivers.
On Twitter, he said: "Routing lorries via Manston is not the answer.
"Far better to extend the tried and tested traffic management system on the A20 at Dover to Kent's motorways.
"That way lorries can be effectively managed, got most speedily to the ports and all our motorways can be kept open. Manston should only be used as a last resort.
"Trying to explain to lorry drivers - many from overseas - to go there will be very difficult. The whole route plan is far too complex and will cause enormous confusion.
"Better to stick to what lorry drivers are most used go - going to the Channel Ports via the M20/A20. Yet using traffic management to keep the motorways open and use Manston only after road capacity is used up."
A government-funded exercise being carried to test the resilience of the transport network under a no-deal Brexit is "enough to make one weep", according to a former Conservative chairman.
The remarks from Lord Patten came as dozens of lorries occupied a disused airfield in Kent in a "live test" of how ministers plan to ease congestion on roads to the Channel port if Britain leaves the bloc without a deal.
More here:
Indy political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has been digging into the numbers around the no-deal lorry trials.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that 89 drivers were involved in its no-deal test at the disused airfield in Kent and each were paid £550 - amounting to £48,950.
Haulier Eddie Stobart has confirmed that 15 lorries in its fleet are being used in the no-deal Brexit planning exercise.
A spokesman said: "After being approached by the Trade Association on behalf of the DfT and in support of the FTA, we are supporting Operation Brock by supplying 15 of our vehicles for today's trial."
Ben Pearce, who was taking part in the test from haulier firm Jempsons, said the test seemed to be going well.
He told the Press Association: "It will give them a fair idea how the traffic will behave if they do use the space as a holding bay.
"The airport itself is plenty big enough for a large amount of lorries.
"If they do say there's no-deal Brexit and they use Manston, I think it will be busier in this area because there's one stretch of the route which is a single carriageway that gets quite narrow."
There was also a problem with congestion around the entrance to the airfield which needs resolving, Mr Pearce added.
He is being paid at his normal rate for taking part in the exercise and added: "It is not too bad just sitting here, drinking my coffee."
Theresa May is now making a speech in Liverpool to unveil the NHS 10-year plan, which aims to save half a million lives over the next decade by tackling killer diseases with earlier treatment, healthy living improvements, and technology to remove waits and assist diagnosis.
Here's our earlier story:
'The NHS is the public's priority, so I have made it my number one spending priority,' says Theresa May.
She says the plan looks at integrating health and social care - and at using new technology to boost healthcare improvements. She repeats her commitment to invest £20.5bn in the NHS over the next 5 years, which was announced in July for the 75th birthday of the health service.
Not everything can be done at once, so careful choices need to be made, the PM says. Hints at the challenges the health service still faces.
There will now be a Q&A.
May is asked about her claims of a Brexit dividend - which have been widely discredited - and how she can fund the NHS if Brexit doesn't work.
She says she is talking to colleagues and speaking to European leaders about her Brexit deal. She says she will be setting out measures specific to Northern Ireland and also to speak to parliamentarians.
The vote is due to happen in the coming days, she says.
May is asked about how preventative measures are going to be delivered as local authority budgets have been slashed.
She says its not all about prevention and they will make sure the NHS is the best in the world.
Asked about efficiencies the NHS needs to make, she says the government is going to try to make sure people are kept out of hospital.
Another person asks May about targets. She admits the NHS has been slipping against some targets and performance still matters, but needs to ensure that they are the right targets for the future.
And that's it.
It is going to be a busy day in the Commons today, as MPs return after the two-week Christmas recess. The day begins at 2.30pm with Work and Pensions questions to Amber Rudd, which should be interesting in the wake of reports she is delaying the roll out of Universal Credit.
There will be two urgent questions from 3.30pm. Jeremy Corbyn has managed to secure an eye-catching one on the Brexit deal, while Tulip Siddiq the Labour MP, has a question on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian woman imprisoned in Tehran.
Then there are three statements on the NHS, migrant crossings and the drone chaos at Gatwick over Christmas.
To frighten the EU into believing we are serious about no-deal Brexit, the country has staged a fake traffic jam all the way to Dover, writes the Indy's Tom Peck.
Read his full sketch here:
Also from the lobby briefing, Ms May will hold talks in Downing Street on Thursday with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe who has expressed concern about the consequences of a no-deal Brexit.
Downing Street was mocked when a supposed communications grid for Ms May's Brexit deal was leaked, which boasted that Mr Abe would back the plans.
Nervous journalists also asked about reports that February recess might be cancelled so MPs can get the legislation through parliament.
He said: "We are committed to ensuring the statue book is ready for exit day and will do whatever is required to deliver that"
These bills include the Trade Bill, Agriculture Bill, Fisheries Bill, Healthcare Bill, Immigration Bill, Financial Services Bill - and the Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill.
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