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As it happenedended

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

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Lizzy Buchan
Political Correspondent
,Zamira Rahim
Monday 08 April 2019 17:15 BST
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What does a no-deal Brexit mean?

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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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A bill to extend the Brexit process and avoid a no-deal scenario has been given an unopposed third reading in the House of Lords and will now go back to the Commons.

Commons leader Andrea Leadsom said the government would not stand in the bill’s way and would schedule time for a debate tomorrow if it gets royal assent this evening.

However Ms Leadsom called the bill, put forward by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, a “huge dog’s dinner”.

She said it seemed “inconceivable that parliament has looked at this bill for the first time last Tuesday, and has had just a few hours of debate across both Houses”.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 20:10

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.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 20:34

Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has resigned from the European Research Group (ERG).

Announcing his resignation tonight, he said: “Despite excellent chairmanship by Jacob Rees Mogg who has accommodated all views I can no longer be a member of caucas which is preventing WA4 from passing.

"Hardcore element of ‘Unicorn’ dreamers now actually endangering [sic]."

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 21:19

Theresa May is considering giving lawmakers a vote on whether to hold a second Brexit referendum in a bid to break the deadlock in talks with the opposition Labour Party, according to The Telegraph.

The newspaper said the prime minister discussed the idea of offering to put her deal to a confirmatory public vote with some of her ministers today.

It also reported that Ms May’s chief enforcer in parliament is confident the government has the numbers to defeat any attempt to hold a second referendum.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 21:54

Conservative Sir Bill Cash, speaking as MPs debated the European Union (Withdrawal) (No 5) Bill, moved an amendment to prevent the holding of European Parliament elections.

He told MPs: “All over the country there is a firestorm about the fact we could be involved in European elections.

“There are people leaving their own parties over this because they are so completely infuriated about the fact that the arrangements which are under consideration could lead us to this absolutely insane idea of our being involved in European elections.”

Hilary Benn, Labour chairman of the Exiting the European Union Committee, said he would offer his support to the “prevention of a no-deal Brexit Bill”.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 22:38

Tory MP Sir Bill Cash's amendment to stop Brexit being delayed beyond 22 May was rejected by 392 votes to 85, with a majority of 307. 

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 22:45

MPs have voted in favour of the Cooper-Letwin bill which will force the prime minister to seek an extension to Article 50, therefore preventing the UK from crashing out of the EU with no deal.

They voted to accept the final Lords amendment by 390 votes to 81, with a majority 309.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 23:02

The legislation to extend the Brexit process in a bid to avoid a no-deal scenario has received royal assent and has become law.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 23:13

More than 70 Tory MPs rebelled on each vote linked to amendments to Ms Cooper's legislation, according to the division lists.

Labour Brexiteer Kate Hoey and the DUP joined forces with them.

Tory former Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab, along with Jacob Rees-Mogg, were among those who rebelled.

Chiara.Giordano8 April 2019 23:31

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