Brexit news - live: Theresa May heads to France amid howls of outrage from Tory Brexiteers at 'surrender' over customs union

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What does a no-deal Brexit mean?

MPs have voted in favour of a new law to extend the Brexit process and prevent the UK from crashing out of the EU without a deal.

The Commons backed a series of Lords amendments to Labour MP Yvette Cooper's backbench bill on Monday night after it was rushed through both Houses of Parliament.

It came as prime minister Theresa may prepared for a whistle-stop tour of European capitals in a bid to secure a Brexit delay ahead of a crucial EU summit on Wednesday.

Ms May was warned not to "surrender" to Labour after a senior minister signalled she was planning to cave in to Jeremy Corbyn's customs union demands.

Tory divisions burst into the open when solicitor general Robert Buckland suggested the prime minister could compromise on a softer Brexit - triggering an immediate backlash from Eurosceptics.

Prominent Brexiteer Mark Francois called for a vote to allow Tory MPs to demonstrate they have "lost faith" in Ms May's leadership and warned she could "destroy" the party.

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Key Points

• Top Tories clash over suggestion May could soften opposition to Labour's Brexit demands
• PM to hold talks with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron ahead of crucial EU summit
• Everything that's going to happen in this crunch Brexit week
• Boris Johnson rapped for breaking Commons rules over financial interest in property
• Theresa May heads to Paris to plead for extension amid Tory fury in London
• Parliament passes bill to prevent UK crashing out of EU without a deal

[8 April 2019 10:05 · Lizzy Buchan]

EU's Brexit chief Michel Barnier is in Dublin today, ahead of the crunch EU summit on Wednesday.

[8 April 2019 10:19 · Lizzy Buchan]

A Labour MP’s constituency office windows have been smashed in what is believed to be an act of intimidation over her Brexit stance.

The damage to the office of Helen Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland in County Durham, was inflicted on Saturday and comes amid an increasingly febrile atmosphere in Britain over its exit from the European Union. 

[8 April 2019 10:26 · Lizzy Buchan]

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said the PM was leaving "no stone unturned" to try and resolve Brexit.

Arriving in Luxembourg for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Councils, Mr Hunt told reporters: "We are doing absolutely everything we can to try and get a resolution to get Brexit over the line."

He said the government was going into the talks with Labour "sincerely" but said "in our system" it is "very, very difficult" for Theresa May to open talks with Jeremy Corbyn.

[8 April 2019 10:45 · Lizzy Buchan]

Michel Barnier will hold talks with Leo Varadkar in Ireland later ahead of this week's crunch summit in Brussels.

At the weekend, the taioseach said his own preference was for a longer extension than the June 30 date proposed by the UK.

"What we want to avoid is an extension that just allows for more indecision and more uncertainty," he added.

Mr Varadkar also said the prospect of one of the EU27 saying no to any form of extension at the European Council meeting was "extremely unlikely".

He said any country that vetoed a further Brexit extension would not be forgiven by other member states.

Mr Barnier's visit is the latest evidence of intensifying diplomatic exchanges between the Dublin government and key EU figures in the Brexit process.

Last week, Mr Varadkar held bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Dublin.

[8 April 2019 10:58 · Lizzy Buchan]

NEW: Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is hosting Theresa May for Brexit talks on Tuesday. We knew the PM was travelling to Brussels for the European Council on Wednesday, where she will beg for an extension to avoid a no-deal Brexit on Friday.

These Merkel talks are new - so maybe a sign of movement.

[8 April 2019 11:05 · Lizzy Buchan]

Europe reporters are saying Theresa May will French president Emmanuel Macron tomorrow too. 

[8 April 2019 11:20 · Lizzy Buchan]

Boris Johnson breached House of Commons rules by failing to declare a financial interest in property in Somerset within the required time limit, the Commons Standards Committee has found. 

[8 April 2019 11:39 · Lizzy Buchan]

Boris Johnson has breached House of Commons rules by failing to declare a financial interest in property in Somerset within the required time limit, the Commons standards committee has found. 

According to Commons watchdog, the former foreign secretary registered an interest of a 20 per cent share of the property in January 2019 despite being notified of his acquisition almost a year ago - way outside the 28-day time limit. 

It follows Mr Johnson's previous apology to the committee just four months ago after breaching rules on declared earning for his book royalties. 

[8 April 2019 11:53 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May will undertake a whirlwind tour of European capitals in a bid to secure more time to lock in a withdrawal deal before Brexit.

The prime minister will meet both German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron, who has taken a more bullish position with the UK over Brexit.

Ms May has cancelled her weekly cabinet on Tuesday to facilitate the meetings, and is also expected to hold a series of calls with other leaders.

More here: 

[8 April 2019 12:09 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald warned that a customs union does not "solve the problem for the north of Ireland" as she visited Westminster for Brexit talks with Jeremy Corbyn.

She told the Press Association a customs union "probably makes sense for Britain" but said: "You need to be aware that membership of the customs union alone does not solve the problem for the north of Ireland - we need alignment also with the single market.

"These are the bare minimums that are required just to keep the lights on on our island. I think for our purposes we have to be clear that this Brexit saga cannot go on indefinitely - there actually has to be a conclusion, there has to be an end point.

"Whether there is a deal, and I hope there is, or no-deal, I hope that that doesn't come to pass, but irrespective of whether there's a deal or no-deal or an extension of any duration we are very clear, and the British political system needs to be very clear, that the commitments made to Ireland must be honoured."