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Brexit news - live: Three ministers resign as MPs vote to seize control over EU exit from May

Follow The Independent's live coverage of today's political events 

Benjamin Kentish,Lizzy Buchan
Tuesday 26 March 2019 00:59 GMT
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House of Commons votes 329 to 302 to approve Letwin's amendment A: The Brexit Next Steps motion

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Theresa May has suffered another humiliating defeat in the Commons after MPs dramatically wrested control of the Brexit process from the government.

Pro-EU Tory ministers Steve Brine, Alistair Burt and Richard Harrington resigned from their posts to back a cross-party bid to hold indicative votes on Wednesday, allowing the Commons to test support for different Brexit options.

Some 30 Conservative MPs rebelled against the government to support the amendment tabled by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin, potentially paving the way for a softer Brexit deal that keeps the UK closer to Brussels.

It comes after the prime minister admitted there was "still not sufficient support" to bring her Brexit deal back to the Commons for a third "meaningful vote". MPs have overwhelmingly rejected her plan twice already.

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Alistair Burt, the foreign office minister, has resigned, government sources have confirmed.

It seems now that health minister Steve Brine has also resigned from the government so he could back the Letwin amendment.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:25

Here are the 30 Tory rebels, who voted in favour of the Letwin amendment. 

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:30

The government DEFEATED the Beckett amendment by 311 votes to 314, which aimed to give MPs had a say on a no deal.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:35

MPs are now voting on the motion as amended - ie with the Letwin amendment on it.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:35

Here are your Labour rebels, who voted against the Letwin amendment.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:38

Lots of sadness about the resignation of Alistair Burt, who was widely regarded at the Foreign Office and well liked across parliament.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:44

That's it for tonight's votes, as the main motion, as amended by Sir Oliver Letwin, passed by 327 votes to 300.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:50

The Brexit department said the vote on Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment set a "dangerous, unpredictable precedent" for the future.

"It is disappointing to see this amendment pass, as the government made a clear commitment to provide a process to find a majority in parliament for a way forward this week," a spokesman said.

"This amendment instead upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future.

"While it is now up to parliament to set out next steps in respect of this amendment, the government will continue to call for realism - any options considered must be deliverable in negotiations with the EU.

"Parliament should take account of how long these negotiations would take and if they'd require a longer extension which would mean holding European Parliamentary elections."

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:55

Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliament's Brexit coordinator, is straight out of the blocks.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 22:59

So what's going on now? Basically, MPs have voted to take control of the Commons timetable on Wednesday so they can hold a series of indicative votes on different Brexit options.

It's controversial because the government is normally in charge of the parliamentary agenda - but MPs have tonight voted to tear up the rule book.

The folk at the Institute for Government have produced a very helpful explainer on the votes.

Lizzy Buchan25 March 2019 23:15

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