Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

Brexit news: Government finally publishes full legal advice as Theresa May accused of 'inadvertently misleading' parliament

Follow all the latest updates, as they happened

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
,Lizzy Buchan
Wednesday 05 December 2018 19:10 GMT
Comments
Theresa May accused of 'inadvertently misleading' parliament in PMQs clash

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Theresa May has been accused of "inadvertently misleading" parliament over Brexit in an angry prime minister's questions clash, as the government was forced to publish the full legal advice on her deal.

Her administration became the first in modern political history to be found in contempt of parliament over its refusal to hand over the advice on a bruising day in the Commons, where Ms May suffered three significant defeats.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the advice had to "dragged out" of ministers and claimed Ms May had been misleading MPs, before he was rebuked by the Speaker.

Meanwhile, home secretary Sajid Javid acknowledged the deal is not "perfect in every sense" as he opened the second day of debates, which will culminate in a Commons showdown next week.

To follow events as they happened, see our live coverage below

He asks for the PM to "immediately end" the five-week for universal credit, but the PM says no one needs to wait for money "if they need it". 

Corbyn says foodbanks "are not just a photo opportunity for Conservative MPs" - after several of them posted photographs of themselves at their food banks this weekend.

"The new Work and Pensions Secretary seems to have taken a lesson from her and created a hostile environment for those that are claiming benefits," he said.

"One of the Government's policies that is causing the greatest anxiety and poverty is Universal Credit, the UN rapporteur professor Alston said it was fast falling into universal discredit.

"When will the Prime Minister demonstrate some of her professed concern about burning injustices and halt the roll-out of Universal Credit?"

May says the Labour leader wants to go back to "square one" with the welfare system - back to the system of legacy benefits. 

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:12

John Bercow is making lots of interventions at PMQs. This is what he said yesterday to MPs in the Commons: "People may want to bear in mind that their own enthusiasm to speak is not always matched by an comparable enthusiasm of everyone else to listen."

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:15

May hits back at Corbyn - who demands she reverse austerity cuts, including the bedroom tax - listing what she believes are the Conservatives' achievements on the economy.

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:18

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:19

The DUP are not happy with the publication of the government's legal advice published just minutes before prime minister's questions. This is from the DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds.

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:21

Ian Blackford - the SNP leader - accuses the PM of " perhaps inadvertently" misleading the House over the issue of the Irish backstop in the Brexit deal. 

He accused May of "concealing the facts on her Brexit deal".

The party's Westminster leader mocked the PM for having lost three votes yesterday and being found in contempt of Parliament, saying: "We were promised strong and stable - what we've got is a Government in crisis."

The MP asked: "Is it time that the Prime Minister took responsibility for concealing the facts on her Brexit deal from members in this House and the public?

"Will she take responsibility?"

Mrs May rejected the claim, and said the full legal advice they were forced to publish today was the same as the shortened statement the Government made earlier this week.

Speaker John Bercow also reprimanded Blackford for the acusation. 

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:25

Geoffrey Cox - the attorney general - has said the decision to make his legal advice available to MPs by placing it in parliamentary libraries "does not set a precedent for any future release of law officers' advice".

In a written statement he said: "It remains a fundamental constitutional convention that neither the fact, nor the content, of law officers' advice is disclosed outside Government without the law officers' consent.

"That convention provides the fullest guarantee that the business of governments is conducted at all times in the light of thorough and candid legal advice, which may also enter into matters of acute sensitivity to the public interest."

"It is necessary that the public has confidence in the ability of Government and Parliament to work together at a time of national decision-making of the most profound significance.

"The standing of the House of Commons is also of prime importance. For these reasons, having tested the will of the House twice, the Government will respect its decision and, in these exceptional circumstances and to resolve for the present those constitutional tensions, it has decided, with my consent, to publish this advice."

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:30
Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 12:46

Ashley Cowburn5 December 2018 13:05

Interesting note from PA data journalist Ian Jones, who has been keeping track of the length of ever-more sprawling PMQs sessions.

Lizzy Buchan5 December 2018 13:10

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in