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Brexit votes: MPs fail to back proposals again Brexit votes: MPs fail to back proposals again
(about 5 hours later)
MPs have again failed to agree on proposals for the next steps in the Brexit process.MPs have again failed to agree on proposals for the next steps in the Brexit process.
The Commons voted on four motions for leaving the EU, including a customs union and a Norway-style arrangement - keeping the UK in the single market - but none gained a majority. The Commons voted on four alternatives to Theresa May's withdrawal deal, but none gained a majority. One Tory MP resigned the whip in frustration.
The votes were not legally binding, so the government would not have been forced to adopt the proposals. Mrs May will now hold a crucial cabinet meeting to decide what to do and whether to put her deal to MPs again.
The plan Theresa May negotiated with the EU has been rejected three times. The UK has until 12 April to either seek a longer extension from the EU or decide to leave without a deal.
Mrs May now has until 12 April to either seek a longer extension from the EU to take a different course or decide to leave the EU without a deal. The so-called indicative votes on Monday night were not legally binding, so the government would not have been forced to adopt the proposals. But they had been billed as the moment when Parliament might finally compromise.
She will meet her cabinet on Tuesday morning to discuss what to do next - as BBC political correspondent Vicky Young says. Mrs May's plan for the UK's departure has been rejected by MPs three times.
The option defeated by the narrowest margin was a proposal for a customs union, losing by only three votes. As a result of that failure, she was forced to ask the EU to agree to postpone Brexit from the original date of 29 March.
That would see the UK remain in the same system of tariffs - taxes - on goods as the rest of the EU - potentially simplifying the issue of the Northern Ireland border, but preventing the UK from striking independent trade deals with other countries. Meanwhile, Parliament took control of the process away from the government in order to hold a series of votes designed to find an alternative way forward.
The motion calling for a confirmatory referendum received the most votes in favour, totalling 280, but still lost by a margin of 12. Last week, eight options were put to MPs, but none were able to command a majority, and on Monday night, a whittled down four were rejected too. They were:
Following the failure of his own motion to stay in the Single Market - known as Common Market 2.0 - Nick Boles resigned from the Conservative Party. Those pushing for a customs union argued that their option was defeated by the narrowest margin, only three votes.
In a point of order following the results, the MP for Grantham and Stamford said he could "no longer sit for this party", adding: "I have done everything I can to find a compromise." It would see the UK remain in the same system of tariffs - taxes - on goods as the rest of the EU - potentially simplifying the issue of the Northern Ireland border, but preventing the UK from striking independent trade deals with other countries.
As he left the Commons, MPs were heard shouting, "don't go Nick", and others applauded him. Those in favour of another EU referendum pointed out that the motion calling for that option received the most votes in favour, totalling 280.
Following the failure of his own motion, Common Market 2.0, Conservative former minister Nick Boles resigned from the party.
The MP for Grantham and Stamford said he could "no longer sit for this party", adding: "I have done everything I can to find a compromise."
As he left the Commons, MPs were heard shouting, "don't go Nick", while some MPs from other parties applauded him.
He later tweeted that he would remain an MP and sit in the Commons as "an Independent Progressive Conservative".He later tweeted that he would remain an MP and sit in the Commons as "an Independent Progressive Conservative".
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the "only option" left was to find a way forward that allows the UK to leave the EU with a deal. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the "only option" left now was to find a way forward that allows the UK to leave the EU with a deal - and the only deal available was the prime minister's.
"The government continues to believe that the best course of action is to do so as soon as possible," he said. If that could be done this week, he added, the UK could avoid having to take part in elections to the European Parliament in May.
"If the House is able to pass a deal this week it may still be possible to avoid holding European elections." Health Secretary Matt Hancock agreed it was time for Mrs May's deal to be passed.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was "disappointing" that none of the proposals secured a majority, but he said he wanted to remind the Commons that Mrs May's deal had been "overwhelmingly rejected". But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that while it was "disappointing" that none of the proposals secured a majority, he said he wanted to remind the Commons that Mrs May's deal had been "overwhelmingly rejected".
He added: "If it is good enough for the prime minister to have three chances at her deal, then I suggest it's possible the House should have a chance to consider again the options we had before us... so the House can succeed where the prime minister has failed - in presenting a credible economic relationship with Europe for the future that prevents us crashing out with no deal." He urged MPs to hold a third round of indicative votes on Wednesday in the hope that a majority could yet be found for a way forward.
The results of the votes were: For months, Parliament has been saying "Let us have a say, let us find the way forward," but in the end they couldn't quite do it. Parliament doesn't know what it wants and we still have lots of different tribes and factions who aren't willing to make peace.
Some MPs have criticised their colleagues for not agreeing on any of the options. That means that by the day, two things are becoming more likely. One, leaving the EU without a deal. And two, a general election, because we're at an impasse.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was time for Mrs May's deal to be passed. One person who doesn't think that would be a good idea is former Foreign Secretary and Brexiteer Boris Johnson.
He told me going to the polls would "solve nothing" and would "just infuriate people". He also said that only somebody who "really believes in Brexit" should be in charge once Theresa May steps down. I wonder who that could be...
Hear more from Laura and the gang in Brexitcast.
Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb told BBC Look East he was "ashamed to be a member of this Parliament" and hit out at MPs in his own party - five of whom voted against a customs union and four of whom voted against Common Market 2.0.Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb told BBC Look East he was "ashamed to be a member of this Parliament" and hit out at MPs in his own party - five of whom voted against a customs union and four of whom voted against Common Market 2.0.
He said the Commons was "playing with fire and will unleash dark forces unless we learn to compromise".He said the Commons was "playing with fire and will unleash dark forces unless we learn to compromise".
But prominent Brexiteer Steve Baker told the BBC he was "glad the House of Commons has concluded nothing". But prominent Brexiteer Steve Baker said he was "glad the House of Commons has concluded nothing".
He said the prime minister must now go back to the EU and persuade them to rewrite the withdrawal deal - something they have so far refused to do - otherwise the choice was between no deal or no Brexit.He said the prime minister must now go back to the EU and persuade them to rewrite the withdrawal deal - something they have so far refused to do - otherwise the choice was between no deal or no Brexit.
Senior figures in the EU also showed their frustration at the results in Westminster. 'Disbelief'
European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted that by voting down the options, a "hard Brexit becomes nearly inevitable". Senior figures in the EU, though, showed their frustration at the latest moves in Westminster.
European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted that by voting down all the options, a "hard Brexit becomes nearly inevitable".
BBC Europe editor Kayta Adler said the mood in Brussels was one of disbelief - that the UK still does not seem to know what it wants.
She said EU leaders were also questioning the logic of arguing over things like a customs union or Common Market option at this stage, because right now, the UK has only three options as they see it - no deal, no Brexit or Theresa May's deal - and anything else is a matter for future talks once the UK has actually left.
What next?