Brexit: Labour MP suspended from Commons for stealing ceremonial mace in protest at vote delay
The latest Brexit developments at Westminster
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Your support makes all the difference.A Labour MP was ejected from the House of Commons for seizing the ceremonial mace in protest at Theresa May's decision to delay a key Brexit vote.
In dramatic scenes, Lloyd Russell-Moyle swung the antique symbol of parliamentary authority from its holder after the government confirmed it would delay the vote on the prime minister's Brexit deal.
Tory MPs screamed "expel him" as Mr Russell-Moyle was promptly asked to leave the chamber by Speaker John Bercow.
The incident came after Ms May faced fury from MPs for calling off a vote on her Brexit deal, in an attempt to seek further "assurances" from the EU.
The prime minister admitted her blueprint would have been "rejected by a significant margin" on Tuesday due to major rebellion by Conservative MPs, as she confirmed plans in an eleventh-hour Commons statement.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn secured an emergency debate on the delay on Tuesday, saying "the government’s incompetence can’t be used as an excuse to threaten the country with no-deal".
It comes as the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50 and stop the Brexit process following a "democratic process".
See below to read our coverage of events as they happened
This is from our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, following this morning's No 10 briefing with journalists here in Westminster...
Downing Street has announced that urgent talks are talking place now with cabinet ministers, amid continued suggestions that tomorrow’s ‘meaningful vote’ could yet be pulled.
Theresa May’s spokeswoman insisted that was not the purpose of the sudden conference call, telling journalists: “The vote is going ahead as planned.”
Instead, the talks were intended to update the cabinet on talks the prime minister held over the weekend with various EU leaders, she said.
The spokeswoman refused to go into what was discussed with EU leaders, saying it would not right to do so before cabinet ministers were informed.
However, she continued to insist the withdrawal agreement had been “agreed and negotiated” – and that reopening it could backfire on the UK, by allowing some EU countries to push for tougher terms.
Ms May will be in Brussels on Thursday, for an EU summit. Asked if, as rumoured, she could travel there before Thursday, the spokeswoman replied: “There are no plans to do that.”
Over the weekend, the prime minister spoke with Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Junker, heads of the EU council and commission respectively, as well as with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and the prime ministers of Ireland and the Netherlands.
Bloomberg is reporting that Theresa May will call off tomorrow's Commons vote on her Brexit deal, despite a No 10 spokesperson having insisted moments ago that she would not...
NEW: Asked if the vote is being called off, one Cabinet source tells me: "Looks it".
BREAKING: Theresa May will give a statement in the Commons on Brexit at 3.30pm. All the signs are that the vote is being called off.
This is very interesting too. There's no reason Andrea Leadsom would be giving a statement today unless the Commons business is about to be changed.
BREAKING: Theresa May has called off tomorrow's vote, a very well-placed source has told me.
Jeremy Corbyn has responded to tomorrow's vote being delayed. He said:
“The government has decided Theresa May's Brexit deal is so disastrous that it has taken the desperate step of delaying its own vote at the eleventh hour.
"We have known for at least two weeks that Theresa May’s worst of all worlds deal was going to be rejected by Parliament because it is damaging for Britain. Instead, she ploughed ahead when she should have gone back to Brussels to renegotiate or called an election so the public could elect a new government that could do so.
“We don't have a functioning government. While Theresa May continues to botch Brexit, our public services are at breaking point and our communities suffer from dire under-investment.
“Labour’s alternative plan for a jobs first deal must take centre stage in any future talks with Brussels.”
Steve Baker, the Eurosceptic ERG's main organiser, says:
"This is essentially a defeat of the prime minister's Brexit deal. The terms of the withdrawal agreement were so bad that they didn't dare put it to Parliament for a vote. This isn't the mark of a stable government or a strong plan."
He added
"Parliament should be been allowed to voice its concerns about the proposed withdrawal agreement. Without a clear rejection of the terms by MPs, the prime minister has kicked the can down the road and the EU is very unlikely to re-negotiate."
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