Brexit news - live: MPs to vote on withdrawal bill in June as Cabinet sets summer deadline for exit
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Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May's cabinet has set a summer deadline for the UK finally to leave the EU, prompting speculation the prime minister could be ready to name her departure date.
The decision suggests Ms May is ready to confirm she will quit within two months when she meets Tory backbench leaders on Thursday, after she promised to quit when the first phase of Brexit is complete. She will bring forward her withdrawal agreement bill in early June to ensure Brexit happens this summer, Downing Street said.
It came after the EU told Britain that it was on a "Brexit break" but officials will meet Olly Robbins, Ms May's top Brexit negotiator tomorrow.
Elsewhere, a group of senior Tories urged Ms May to to stand firm against Labour's demands for a customs union in the cross-party talks or risk losing the support of her party's "loyal middle".
But the warning drew fury from shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who voiced fears that any agreement with Ms May would be "overturned within weeks".
Late on Tuesday Ms May met Jeremy Corbyn and both agreed that cross-party talks should continue.
However, making clear their precarious nature, the Labour leader told the prime minister he had "doubts over the credibility of government commitments, following statements by Conservative MPs and cabinet ministers seeking to replace the prime minister".
See how we covered the day's events live, below
Former Labour MP Bridget Prentice has resigned from the party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's leadership on Brexit and antisemitism.
The ex-justice minister, who has been a member of the party for 45 years, said the party has "been destroyed".
Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran has ruled herself out of running to succeed Vince Cable when he stands down as party leader.
The Oxford and Abingdon MP was regarded as serious contender for the job, most likely running against deputy leader Jo Swinson.
However she said it was "completely and utter wrong" that she made the decision after it emerged she was once arrested for assaulting her boyfriend.
Ms Moran told The Independent: "I am very grateful to the large number of constituents, supporters, party members and elected representatives who have encouraged me to throw my hat into the ring in the forthcoming Liberal Democrat Leadership contest.
"As a relatively new MP, however, my first priority has to be to serve my constituents to the best of my ability.
"I hope they consider that I am doing a good job so far, but I do not believe that I would be able to continue to do so to the standard they have the right to expect if I took on the busy role of party leader as well.
"For this reason, I wrote to local party members earlier this week to let them know that I would not be standing for the Leadership this time."
The government has been told to ditch its controversial voter ID policy after new analysis found that it had stopped 800 people voting in local elections earlier this month.
819 people were turned away from polling stations because they did not have formal identification and did not return, according to a study by the Local Government Chronicle (LGC).
The policy of asking voters to show ID is being trialled in ten areas of the country, despite opposition from charities, campaigners and opposition parties.
The European Union remains on a "Brexit break" unless there are developments at Westminster, a spokesman said as Theresa May's negotiator Olly Robbins visited Brussels.
European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: "We continue on our Brexit break.
"We will come out of the Brexit break if there is something happening in London.
"We will listen to Olly Robbins tomorrow."
An MP has urged ITV to cancel The Jeremy Kyle Show after a man who appeared on the programme died shortly after filming an episode.
The controversial talk show has been pulled from the air indefinitely by the broadcaster following the death.
Conservative MP Charles Walker has since said that ITV would be “best advised” to stop the show, telling The Daily Mail: ”It’s a very, very unattractive TV show and I’m surprised it’s gone on so long.”
More here:
Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has criticised the government for Brexit paralysis as there have been no divisions since April 10.
While some business has gone through unopposed, it's a clear sign of how little else can be done while the government is focused on leaving the EU.
A party investigation has determined there are "no grounds for action" against for Liberal leader Lord Steel.
He had been suspended by the Liberal Democrats following comments he made to an inquiry regarding child abuse allegations against former MP Sir Cyril Smith.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said that the party executive had "determined, after careful consideration, that there are no grounds for action against David Steel".
Lord Steel said: "I am naturally pleased and relieved the executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has completed their investigation and, after fully considering my responses to questions at IICSA, has lifted my suspension from the party and cleared my name. "
Change UK’s Chuka Umunna has branded Nigel Farage “chicken” for refusing to take up a challenge to a TV debate from the party’s leader Heidi Allen, writes Indy political editor Andy Woodcock.
Remain-backing Ms Allen threw down the gauntlet in a party election broadcast, saying a live on-air showdown would allow the pair to “share with the British people our vision for the future and let them decide which they prefer”.
But the Brexit Party leader responded with a No, asking: “Who is she?”
Mr Umunna said: “I think he is chicken. He likes to talk to people who agree with him but doesn’t want to have a debate with people who disagree. It’s clearly rubbish Farage saying he doesn’t know who Heidi is. This is the sneering, bullying nature of the Brexit Party which when you look behind the razzmatazz is a nasty force.”
"Like Trump, Nigel Farage stands for nothing but himself. It’s up to us to oust him at the EU elections," says Chuka Umunna.
The Change UK MP has written exclusively for The Independent about the "Trumpification" of UK politics and why his party thinks it can reverse the trend.
Read his column here:
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