Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Â鶹ԼÅÄ News Channel

Katy Balls of The Spectator says that the government's narrow win on the Hilary Benn amendment is "by far this is the best thing that has happened to the government this week".

There will still be 20 Brexiteers who will never change their minds, she adds, so the prime minister "needs Labour votes".

Sam Coates of The Times says that "lots of MPs are extremely sceptical" that the government can change the deal to something they can agree with. He adds that for 25 Labour MPs to back the deal would be "a lot" when "they've got no other reason to back it".

Dawn Foster of The Guardian says the prime minister "still has to tackle the DUP" and Conservatives are "terrified for what this means for the future of their party".

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Chris Bryant will not push his amendment, which said the government could not bring the same deal back in front of MPs for a third meaningful vote, to a vote.

So, MPs are now voting on the government's Article 50 motion to seek permission from the EU to delay Brexit beyond 29 March.

The result is expected shortly.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs have voted against the Labour Party's frontbench amendment, which rejects the prime minister's deal, no-deal and calls for an extension of Article 50 to allow time to find a different approach, by 318 votes to 302 - a majority of 16.

The scene in the Commons as MPs reject, by just two votes, the amendment proposed by the Labour chair of the Brexit committee, Hilary Benn, which would have given Parliament more control of the Brexit process.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs are now voting on the Labour Party's frontbench amendment tabled by Jeremy Corbyn.

The amendment:

• rejects the prime minister's deal
• rejects no-deal
• seeks an extension of Article 50 to avoid no-deal on 29 March
• seeks an extension of Article 50 "to provide parliamentary time for this House to find a majority for a different approach"

The result is expected shortly.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs have narrowly voted against senior Labour MP's Hilary Benn's amendment which would have allowed MPs to take control of the parliamentary business and potentially hold indicative votes, by 314 votes to 312 - a majority of just two.

Image source, Reuters

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said he was waiting for the result of the votes in the House of Commons "with patience".

In a speech in Romania, Mr Barnier said: "What we need to move ahead is not a negative vote against no-deal. We need a constructive and positive vote.

"I will continue to exercise patience and calm and to remain respectful of the UK and its people and of its legislative and parliamentary procedures.

"We will be expecting and awaiting the votes in that spirit."

Hold up a copy of the withdrawal agreement, he said: "If the UK still wants to leave the EU and wishes to leave it in an orderly fashion - which is what the prime minister said - then this treaty... is the only one available."

Labour's official position was to abstain on Sarah Wollaston's motion calling for another referendum, arguing that now was not the right time for a fresh vote.

Twenty five Labour MPs rebelled against their party leadership by voting for the amendment, including David Lammy, Owen Smith, Ian Murray, Stella Creasy and Meg Hillier.

Eighteen Labour MPs rebelled in a different way - by opposing the motion. These included Kate Hoey, John Mann and Caroline Flint.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs are now voting on senior Labour MP's Hilary Benn's amendment, which would allow MPs to take control of the parliamentary business on March 20, possibly to make time for indicative votes.

What are indicative votes?

Indicative votes are votes by MPs on a series of non-binding resolutions. They are a means of testing the will of the House of Commons on different options relating to one issue, in this case what to do about Brexit.

MPs are now voting on the amendment. The vote will be announced in about 15 minutes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP Lucy Powell's amendment, which specifies that Article 50 should only be extended until 30 June, has been rejected by 314 votes to 311 - a majority of just three votes.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ News Channel

Conservative Shailesh Vara tells the Â鶹ԼÅÄ News Channel that it is the "right thing" that MPs have voted against holding another referendum.

"We've had two years," he says, and he is not in favour of extending the Brexit process.

There would be "short term difficulty" in the event of a no-deal Brexit, but longer term it would be a "better deal," he says.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Hilary Benn has moved an amendment which allows MPs to take control of the parliamentary business on March 20.

His Labour colleague Lucy Powell agrees, but has moved her own amendment to that one, specifying that any extension to the Brexit process should end by 30 June.

So - MPs are now voting on Ms Powell's amendment, with a result expected in 15 minutes.

After this, MPs will vote on Mr Benn's amendment.