Brexit news: UK to request Article 50 extension to delay EU exit until at least June

May finally wins a key showdown but cabinet unity in tatters as top ministers oppose her motion

Moment MPs vote to delay Brexit until 30 June - if MPs approve the Prime Minister's deal

MPs have overwhelmingly voted to delay Brexit after the Commons backed a motion ordering Theresa May to ask the EU to extend article 50 until at least June.

Amid dramatic scenes, Labour provoked fury among pro-EU MPs by abstaining on a bid for a Final Say referendum, which was defeated by 249 votes.

Rebel calls to allow parliament to take control of the Brexit process through "indicative votes" were also defeated, though narrowly.

It comes after the US president Donald Trump also made an explosive intervention into the debate, saying a public vote would be "unfair" and he was "surprised at how badly" the Brexit talks had gone.

But worryingly for Ms May cabinet unity crumbled when it came to a free vote on the government's Brexit delay motion.

Eight of her top ministers voted against it – and a further 180 Conservative MPs did likewise.

Ms May will now eye a third vote on her withdrawal agreement while Britain asks the EU for a delay to the date of its exit from the bloc.

See below how we covered Thursday's events live

Key Points

• MPs reject attempt to hold second referendum after Labour abstains
• Attempt to hold 'indicative votes' on Brexit narrowly defeated in the Commons
• Donald Trump lashes PM's Brexit strategy and says second referendum 'unfair'
• David Lidington promises "indicative votes" if PM's deal voted down again
• John Bercow could stop May staging repeated votes on her deal, says Leadsom

[14 March 2019 10:06 · Shehab.Khan]

New negotiating team

Tabled by Leave-backing Conservative Sir Christopher Chope, with no other signatories, this amendment calls for an extension to May 22 "for the specific purpose of replacing the UK negotiating team".

[14 March 2019 10:12 · Lizzy Buchan]

Timings for today 

[14 March 2019 10:25 · Lizzy Buchan]

Breaking: MPs will attempt to wrestle control of the Brexit agenda from Theresa May with votes on all the options – including a fresh referendum – on another day of Commons drama.

A cross-party alliance will bid to force the “indicative votes”, before the prime minister’s third attempt, next week, to ram through her battered deal while threatening MPs with a long delay to Brexit if they refuse.

More here:

[14 March 2019 10:42 · Lizzy Buchan]

Pro-Europe Tory Ken Clarke told Sky News: "I think we should suggest to the Europeans a good, long delay.

"Go back to square one and work out... over a proper time, the final relationship."

[14 March 2019 10:46 · Lizzy Buchan]

Reports that there may be another cabinet meeting today to discuss the votes later.  

[14 March 2019 10:59 · Lizzy Buchan]

[14 March 2019 11:16 · Shehab.Khan]

Crispin Blunt, a Eurosceptic Conservative MP and former Prisons Minister, said Theresa May should sack ministers who voted against her in Wednesday's vote.

"They should have resigned. If you're not going to support the Government's position then fair enough, but there's a deal," he said.

"If you're in the Government, then you vote the Government's position."

Asked if the Prime Minister should sack rebel ministers, he replied: "Well, obviously."

"I shall be voting to try and ensure we honour our commitment to the British public in the 2017 General Election. Eighty-five per cent of us in there were elected to try and get this done.

"It's absolutely clear to me that the interests of the United Kingdom now are to leave on March 29, to manage the transition to World Trade Organisation terms.

"The Prime Minister has shown a great deal of resilience, and let's hope she can find it in herself to save at this late stage her nation from the national humiliation we appear to be about to inflict on ourselves, and the disaster for the Conservative Party."

[14 March 2019 11:27 · Benjamin Kentish]

Donald Trump has just tweeted this, again confirming his support for Brexit...

[14 March 2019 11:37 · Lizzy Buchan]

Away from Brexit, a big bit of news - One former paratrooper is to be prosecuted for two murders and four attempted murders on Bloody Sunday, Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has announced.

The veteran, known as Soldier F, will face prosecution for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney and the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O'Donnell in Londonderry in 1972.

Sixteen other former soldiers and two suspected ex-members of the Official IRA, all of whom were also investigated as part of a major police murder probe, will not face prosecution, the PPS said.

Read our piece here:

[14 March 2019 11:47 · Shehab.Khan]

Asked about the redistribution of UK seats to other EU countries for the upcoming European Parliament elections, European Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas said:

The Juncker letter has said very clearly that if the UK is still a member of the EU at the time of the parliament elections they will have to take part in those.

And he also said... yesterday that this unanimous decision by the EU 27 leaders on a possible extension request will have to give priority to the need to ensure the functioning of the EU institutions and take into account the reasons for and the duration of the possible extension."