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| Scotland Brexit: Scottish Tory MPs to back May's deal | Scotland Brexit: Scottish Tory MPs to back May's deal |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| All 13 Scottish Conservative MPs are expected to back Theresa May's Brexit deal in the latest Common vote | All 13 Scottish Conservative MPs are expected to back Theresa May's Brexit deal in the latest Common vote |
| The PM's proposals had previously been opposed by Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson and his Moray colleague Douglas Ross, | The PM's proposals had previously been opposed by Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson and his Moray colleague Douglas Ross, |
| But Mr Thomson and Mr Ross confirmed ahead of the vote that they would now be backing it "with a heavy heart". | But Mr Thomson and Mr Ross confirmed ahead of the vote that they would now be backing it "with a heavy heart". |
| The deal will be opposed by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and most Labour MPs. | The deal will be opposed by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and most Labour MPs. |
| Many Conservative MPs are also still against the deal - as are the DUP, which props up Mrs May's minority government. | Many Conservative MPs are also still against the deal - as are the DUP, which props up Mrs May's minority government. |
| Mr Thomson is a hardline Brexiteer and a close ally of Boris Johnson - who is widely expected to launch a bid to succeed Mrs May as prime minister following her pledge to stand down if her deal is approved by MPs. | Mr Thomson is a hardline Brexiteer and a close ally of Boris Johnson - who is widely expected to launch a bid to succeed Mrs May as prime minister following her pledge to stand down if her deal is approved by MPs. |
| In a series of Twitter posts on Friday morning, Mr Thomson wrote: "After a lot of thought, wrestling with my conscience and talking to good friends and colleagues, I have reluctantly decided to vote for the deal today." | In a series of Twitter posts on Friday morning, Mr Thomson wrote: "After a lot of thought, wrestling with my conscience and talking to good friends and colleagues, I have reluctantly decided to vote for the deal today." |
| He added: "We will have a new leader and prime minister who will have the confidence, nerve and political will to ensure that if we ever did find ourselves in the backstop then there is no way that they will allow the EU to keep a sovereign UK in the backstop against its will. | He added: "We will have a new leader and prime minister who will have the confidence, nerve and political will to ensure that if we ever did find ourselves in the backstop then there is no way that they will allow the EU to keep a sovereign UK in the backstop against its will. |
| "Politics is the 'art of the possible'. Sometimes decisions aren't about what is right or what is best but about what you can actually get done. | "Politics is the 'art of the possible'. Sometimes decisions aren't about what is right or what is best but about what you can actually get done. |
| "That is why I have reluctantly concluded that, with a heavy heart, I have to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement today". | "That is why I have reluctantly concluded that, with a heavy heart, I have to vote for the Withdrawal Agreement today". |
| In a post on his website, Mr Ross said he would be joining Mr Thomson in voting for the prime minister's deal because "parliament is in a mess and the public want us to sort this out. | In a post on his website, Mr Ross said he would be joining Mr Thomson in voting for the prime minister's deal because "parliament is in a mess and the public want us to sort this out. |
| "They want clarity and certainty and now that can only be delivered by supporting this deal." | "They want clarity and certainty and now that can only be delivered by supporting this deal." |
| He added: "Representing Moray, which was so evenly split in the referendum, means that I will never be able to vote in a way which pleases all of my constituents but the over-riding message I'm hearing is to get this done." | He added: "Representing Moray, which was so evenly split in the referendum, means that I will never be able to vote in a way which pleases all of my constituents but the over-riding message I'm hearing is to get this done." |
| John Lamont, the Conservative MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, voted against the prime minister's deal in the first "meaningful vote" - but changed his mind by the time the second one was held and will again vote in favour on Friday afternoon. | John Lamont, the Conservative MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, voted against the prime minister's deal in the first "meaningful vote" - but changed his mind by the time the second one was held and will again vote in favour on Friday afternoon. |
| MPs will be asked to approve only part of the PM's Brexit deal - the withdrawal agreement, which covers the terms of exit - and not the political declaration on post Brexit EU-UK relations. | MPs will be asked to approve only part of the PM's Brexit deal - the withdrawal agreement, which covers the terms of exit - and not the political declaration on post Brexit EU-UK relations. |
| The withdrawal agreement includes | The withdrawal agreement includes |
| Ahead of the vote, Mrs May said it was a "deep personal regret" that the country was not leaving the EU today, as it had been due to do. | |
| She said the vote was the last opportunity to guarantee Brexit, and added: "By voting for this motion today we can send a message to the public and European Union that Britain stands by its word and that we'll leave the European Union on 22 May." | |
| MPs were also warned by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox that they face their "last opportunity" to bring certainty to people and businesses by ensuring the Brexit process is extended to 22 May. | |
| Mr Cox said any further extension past 12 April would be "subject to the veto" of 27 EU leaders. | Mr Cox said any further extension past 12 April would be "subject to the veto" of 27 EU leaders. |
| Labour has said that said separating the withdrawal agreement from the political declaration would mean voting on a "blindfold Brexit". | Labour has said that said separating the withdrawal agreement from the political declaration would mean voting on a "blindfold Brexit". |
| The party's leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said the prime minister's approach to Brexit has been "nothing short of a shambles" and was based on the interests of the Conservative Party, not the country. | The party's leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said the prime minister's approach to Brexit has been "nothing short of a shambles" and was based on the interests of the Conservative Party, not the country. |
| The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford predicted that backing the deal would "drag" Scotland out of the EU and mean the end of the union of the United Kingdom. | The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford predicted that backing the deal would "drag" Scotland out of the EU and mean the end of the union of the United Kingdom. |
| Mr Blackford said the prime minister was unable to pull her party together and that the rest of the UK would have to "pay a price" for the lack of political consensus. | Mr Blackford said the prime minister was unable to pull her party together and that the rest of the UK would have to "pay a price" for the lack of political consensus. |
| He added: "We will not allow ourselves to be dragged out of the European Union. It will usher in the day that the thing so many members of this House tell us they want to preserve, the union of the United Kingdom, that will be over. | He added: "We will not allow ourselves to be dragged out of the European Union. It will usher in the day that the thing so many members of this House tell us they want to preserve, the union of the United Kingdom, that will be over. |
| "Because Scotland will and Scotland must become an independent member of the European Union." | "Because Scotland will and Scotland must become an independent member of the European Union." |