EU dismay at May's humiliating defeat as Tory row descends into open warfare
Live updates from Westminster
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Theresa May has been at loggerheads with her ministers as several openly contradicted each other over the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.
After MPs refused to support the prime minister’s plan in her latest Commons defeat, EU ministers said it made the current situation even more difficult.
Andrea Leadsom, the commons leader, insisted the option of leaving without a deal remained on the table, but foreign office minister Alastair Burt insisted this was not possible.
A dozen or more ministers could quit if Ms May refuses to extend the Brexit negotiating period beyond 29 March and veers towards a no-deal scenario, former attorney general Dominic Grieve said.
Margot James became the latest minister to rule out remaining in the government if that situation occurred.
The digital minister told Channel 4 News: “I could not be part of a government that allowed this country to leave the European Union without a deal.” Downing Street insisted Ms May would continue with her negotiating strategy, with ministers dismissing yesterday’s vote as no more than a “hiccup”.
Here is how we covered the day’s events:
Ireland’s foreign minister says Theresa May’s parliamentary defeat has increased scepticism among the EU that she can pass her withdrawal agreement.
Simon Coveney adds Ireland is 100 per cent committed to remaining a full member of the EU single market.
Labour MPs are being "pushed to the brink" by the leadership's refusal to throw the party's weight behind a second referendum, one pro-Remain backbencher has warned.
Ian Murray was speaking amid growing speculation that Labour MPs may quit the party out of frustration with leader Jeremy Corbyn's stance on EU withdrawal.
Former frontbencher Chuka Umunna said on Thursday he did not "give a damn... about keeping any party together" when compared to the overriding priority of the national interest in avoiding a no-deal Brexit.
Government ministers have openly contradicted each other over the prospect of a no-deal, as a senior Tory claimed half a dozen members of Theresa May's cabinet could resign to stop a disorderly Brexit.
Political parties from Northern Ireland and the Republic were in agreement that the backstop is a vital part of any Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
Representatives from Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, SDLP, The Green Party, Labour Party, Social Democrats and People Before Profit, all spoke on Friday at the All-Island Civic Dialogue hosted by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
All parties, who hail from across the political spectrum both in the north and south, had a rare moment of unison as they noted their constituents were worried about the effect of Brexit on jobs, security, farming and the economy.
The border, however, was the key issue for every party.
Joe Watts, The Independent's Political Editor, has filed a piece about the prime minister's response to schoolchildren protesting against looming climate disaster
A former Irish premier has blasted the position of the UK Parliament over the Brexit negotiations as unreasonable.
Addressing a meeting of the European Economic Social Group at Riddel Hall in Belfast, Brian Cowen stressed his belief that there will be a trade agreement between the UK and EU, and that the backstop arrangement is "highly unlikely" to ever come into operation.
The backstop will not come into operation and yet we have a Parliament withholding agreement to allow that transition period to take place so that negotiation can happen on the basis that it is there as a contingency in the first place.
I just don't think it is reasonable. I wouldn't be popular for saying it, but I don't think it is reasonable.
I could have taken the position, I don't think it's reasonable we open negotiations on the basis you won't even consider joining the customs union, but I have to respect the British Government's position, they don't wish to join the customs union, I accepted it, Barnier accepted, the 27 accepted it. We were prepared to hardwire a harder version of Brexit in the negotiations, and yet we are not allowed to have a contingency arrangement that protects the integrity of the single market.
It's in all our interests here on this island that that be the case, do people want the situation where, the international supply lines that come across borders all the time, that that ends?"
The UK Government has failed to give clarity on funding for the devolved nations post-Brexit, according to the finance secretaries of Scotland and Wales.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss spoke to Scotland's Finance Secretary Derek Mackay and Welsh Finance Minister Rebecca Evans at a meeting in Cardiff on Friday.
Following the meeting, Mr Mackay said no reassurances were given over the replacement of EU funding or public-sector pensions.
DUP leader Arlene Foster has said Brexit should not be a barrier to restoring power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
She believes devolved government could be restored despite the ongoing uncertainty around the UK’s exit from the EU.
Ms Foster called on Sinn Fein to get “serious” about restoring the institutions as she arrived for roundtable talks with the four other Stormont parties and the UK and Irish governments.
“I don’t think Brexit should prevent us from having a government in Northern Ireland,” she said.
“I wish that we had had a government up and running since March 2017, that’s when we should have been back into government, instead, because Sinn Fein has refused to go back in, we have to deal with that.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments