Brexit news: MPs submit indicative vote plans as government rejects 'Revoke Article 50' petition

Follow The Independent's coverage of how the day unfolded

Countdown to Brexit: How many days left until Britain leaves the EU?

MPs are gearing up for a series of votes on different Brexit scenarios after dramatically wresting control of the EU exit process from the government.

Different Brexit factions must put forward their preferred options by the end of the day for “indicative votes” on Wednesday, including bids for a Norway-style deal and a second referendum.

The move could pave the way for a softer Brexit, prompting infighting among Eurosceptic hardliners over whether to back Theresa May‘s deal instead.

On Tuesday, the prime minister’s Brexit strategy was left in disarray and her leadership under threat after three of her ministers resigned and MPs dramatically voted to take control of the process.

Her authority was left in tatters after 30 members of her party defied her instructions and voted for the move. Three government resigned in order to vote against the prime minister.

It comes as the government rejected a petition with more than 5.78 million signatures calling for Brexit to be halted by revoking article 50.

In an official response posted on the parliamentary petitions website, the Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) said: “This government will not revoke Article 50.

“We will honour the result of the 2016 referendum and work with parliament to deliver a deal that ensures we leave the European Union.”

The petition will still be debated by MPs in the Commons’s secondary chamber Westminster Hall on 1 April.

A government minister will be required to respond to the petition, but there will be no vote on the action it demands.

Follow our coverage of how the day unfolded

Key Points

• Revoke Article 50 petition to cancel Brexit to be debated by MPs next week
• DUP's Sammy Wilson says party will back longer extension over 'toxic' deal
• Brexiteers turn on Jacob Rees-Mogg as he suggests he could support May's deal
• Real Brexit revolt' underway, says European parliament's Brexit chief
• Viral petition to cancel Brexit will have Commons debate, MPs say
• More ministers prepared to quit if PM does not change course, says Alistair Burt

[26 March 2019 19:39 · Samuel Osborne]

A motion for Wednesday's indicative votes has been tabled by supporters of the Common Market 2.0 plan including Conservatives Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Andrew Percy and Labour's Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell and Diana Johnson.

The motion proposes UK membership of the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area, allowing continued participation in the single market and a "comprehensive customs arrangement" with the EU after Brexit.

[26 March 2019 19:51 · Samuel Osborne]

Scratching your head on indicative votes? Our political editor Joe Watts has everything you need to know: {"type":"image","data":{"title":"fded42c6-aff3-44f8-ab60-8c00cb7f3129.jpg","description":null,"caption":null,"copyright":null,"credit":null,"alt":null,"doNotReuse":false,"url":"https://static-independent.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/2020/08/19/17/fded42c6-aff3-44f8-ab60-8c00cb7f3129.jpg","id":"https://images.scribblelive.com/2019/3/26/fded42c6-aff3-44f8-ab60-8c00cb7f3129.jpg","bundle":"remote_image","mid":313548,"changed":"1597857001","workflow":{"name":"Published","id":"62","uuid":"312eeebb-ed05-4519-99a5-3a48c2856a46"},"notes":null}}

[26 March 2019 20:08 · Samuel Osborne]

Another motion for the indicative votes debate would require the government - if it has not secured a deal - to stage a vote on a no-deal Brexit two sitting days before the scheduled date of departure.

If MPs refuse to authorise no-deal, the prime minister would be required to halt Brexit by revoking Article 50.

The motion, tabled by the SNP's Joanna Cherry, has been signed by 33 MPs including Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Labour's Ben Bradshaw and all 11 members of The Independent Group.

[26 March 2019 20:20 · Samuel Osborne]

A motion tabled by Conservative MP George Eustice - who quit as agriculture minister this month to fight for Brexit - proposes remaining within the EEA and rejoining EFTA, but remaining outside a customs union with the EU.

The motion was also signed by Conservative MPs including former minister Nicky Morgan and head of the Brexit Delivery Group, Simon Hart.

[26 March 2019 20:28 · Samuel Osborne]

[26 March 2019 20:47 · Samuel Osborne]

Chuka Umunna, spokesman of the Independent Group, has announced the group's members will support an amendment calling for a People's Vote tabled by Margaret Beckett.

Fellow MPs Anna Soubry, Mike Gapes and Chris Leslie also took to Twitter to express their support for the amendment.

[26 March 2019 20:53 · Samuel Osborne]

Eurosceptic Conservative MP John Baron has tabled a motion for indicative votes which will see the UK leave the EU without a deal, The Daily Telegraph's deputy political editor has reported.

[26 March 2019 21:05 · Samuel Osborne]

Theresa May will face Conservative MPs demanding she resigns hours before the Commons holds several votes on whether to wrest further control of the Brexit process from her hands.

It comes after  parliament took some control of the process away from the prime minister on Monday.

[26 March 2019 21:23 · Samuel Osborne]

Former Brexit secretary David Davis has claimed Ms May now had a "reasonable chance" of getting her deal through Parliament.

Mr Davis told the BBC: "It's not a good deal but the alternative is a complete cascade of chaos.

"We are going to see proposals being put up that are all worse than her proposal.

"I think she's got a reasonable chance. She's got to get the DUP onside."

[26 March 2019 21:47 · Samuel Osborne]

Conservative MP Nigel Evans, a joint executive secretary of the backbench 1922 Committee, told BBC Radio 4's PM: "The prime minister will be addressing the 1922 tomorrow at 5pm.

"I am encouraging her in that speech to give the timetable for her departure.

"A number of Brexiteers are reluctant to support her deal because they think if it gets over the line, she will then say 'Look what I've achieved, I'm staying'.

"A number of them want to make absolutely certain she's nowhere near the negotiating table when we start talking about the future trade relationship with the EU.

"If the Prime Minister announces a timetable of departure, I think that's going to swing a lot of people behind her deal, we could get it over the line."