Day: December 5, 2018

    The second day of the marathon Brexit deal debate in the Commons got under way as Home Secretary Sajid Javid addressed MPs. It began immediately after Prime Minister's Questions in which Theresa May was accused of hoodwinking Parliament over bombshell warnings included in the legal advice about her deal which she denied. The Government was forced to publish the legal texts in full after it was held in contempt following a motion in the Commons on Tuesday. Wednesday's debate on the Brexit deal in the Commons was focussing on security with Mr Javid leading with an opening statement and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to deliver a closing speech.

    Theresa May has been forced to hand MPs control of Brexit after the government lost a key battle in the Commons on Tuesday. In a pivotal moment in the Brexit saga, MPs inflicted defeat on the government by throwing their weight behind a motion by Dominic Grieve. It means that, should May’s Brexit plan be voted down next week as is widely anticipated MPs can effectively instruct minsters on what to do next and amend her “plan B” option. The government lost by a sizeable 22 votes - 321 to 299 - just minutes after MPs voted to find ministers in contempt of parliament over their refusal to publish secret Brexit legal advice. The amendment move opens the door for MPs to back alternatives to May’s Brexit, including a Norway-style Brexit, a re-run of the referendum, or a...