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| Saturday's Brexit votes in Parliament: What's going on and what time is the vote? | Saturday's Brexit votes in Parliament: What's going on and what time is the vote? |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Parliament is sitting on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years to debate and vote on Boris Johnson's Brexit deal - here is what to expect. | Parliament is sitting on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years to debate and vote on Boris Johnson's Brexit deal - here is what to expect. |
| What is happening? | What is happening? |
| MPs began their special session at just after 09:30 BST. | MPs began their special session at just after 09:30 BST. |
| Peers started their debate at 10:00 and are due to finish at 15:00. | Peers started their debate at 10:00 and are due to finish at 15:00. |
| Commons proceedings got under way with a statement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a response from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. | Commons proceedings got under way with a statement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a response from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. |
| The prime minister took questions on his Brexit deal from MPs for nearly two hours and this was followed by a debate. They have finished the debate and are now voting. | |
| What time will voting get under way? | What time will voting get under way? |
| The voting has now started. | The voting has now started. |
| There could be up to four votes. | There could be up to four votes. |
| Commons Speaker John Bercow has selected two amendments to be voted on by MPs. | Commons Speaker John Bercow has selected two amendments to be voted on by MPs. |
| They are: | They are: |
| The first vote is on the Letwin amendment - it could turn out to be the only vote taken on Saturday. | The first vote is on the Letwin amendment - it could turn out to be the only vote taken on Saturday. |
| It was due to be followed by a vote on the main government motion - whether or not to back the deal. | It was due to be followed by a vote on the main government motion - whether or not to back the deal. |
| But the government does not want this vote to happen if MPs back the Letwin amendment, as it could delay Brexit. | But the government does not want this vote to happen if MPs back the Letwin amendment, as it could delay Brexit. |
| It is not clear at this stage how they would prevent the vote happening - it's possible Tory MPs could decline to take part and will be sent home by party managers. | It is not clear at this stage how they would prevent the vote happening - it's possible Tory MPs could decline to take part and will be sent home by party managers. |
| But the motion has already been tabled and the government can not "pull" the vote on it. | But the motion has already been tabled and the government can not "pull" the vote on it. |
| Downing Street says that even if MPs back the main government motion, with the Letwin amendment, it could not be seen as a vote in favour of a deal, because the amendment says: "This House has considered the matter but withholds approval unless and until implementing legislation is passed." | Downing Street says that even if MPs back the main government motion, with the Letwin amendment, it could not be seen as a vote in favour of a deal, because the amendment says: "This House has considered the matter but withholds approval unless and until implementing legislation is passed." |
| If the vote on the Brexit deal does take place, and MPs reject it, we could then move to votes on a second government motion on whether or not there should be a no-deal Brexit. | If the vote on the Brexit deal does take place, and MPs reject it, we could then move to votes on a second government motion on whether or not there should be a no-deal Brexit. |
| Before a vote takes place on that, MPs could get a chance to vote on the cross-party amendment rejecting a no-deal Brexit and seeking another referendum. | Before a vote takes place on that, MPs could get a chance to vote on the cross-party amendment rejecting a no-deal Brexit and seeking another referendum. |
| MPs would then vote for a fourth time - on the government no-deal motion. We know there is a majority in the Commons against a no-deal Brexit, so this would be unlikely to pass. | MPs would then vote for a fourth time - on the government no-deal motion. We know there is a majority in the Commons against a no-deal Brexit, so this would be unlikely to pass. |
| What happens if the Letwin amendment passes? | What happens if the Letwin amendment passes? |
| It means a deal will not have been approved by 2300 so, under the terms of the Benn Act, the prime minister must send a letter to Brussels requesting a three month Brexit delay. | It means a deal will not have been approved by 2300 so, under the terms of the Benn Act, the prime minister must send a letter to Brussels requesting a three month Brexit delay. |
| But regardless of what happens on Saturday, the government has said it plans to push ahead with the legislation enacting the treaty agreed by Boris Johnson in Brussels - the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. | But regardless of what happens on Saturday, the government has said it plans to push ahead with the legislation enacting the treaty agreed by Boris Johnson in Brussels - the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. |
| They plan to hold the second reading of that bill on Tuesday, which would give MPs a chance to register their support - or not - for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal. | They plan to hold the second reading of that bill on Tuesday, which would give MPs a chance to register their support - or not - for Boris Johnson's Brexit deal. |
| What happens if MPs vote for the deal? | What happens if MPs vote for the deal? |
| If the government motion is passed by MPs without being amended, it will just be the first stage of getting the deal into law. | If the government motion is passed by MPs without being amended, it will just be the first stage of getting the deal into law. |
| The government is likely to want to move quickly so it can meet Boris Johnson's 31 October deadline. | The government is likely to want to move quickly so it can meet Boris Johnson's 31 October deadline. |
| The Withdrawal Amendment Bill, which implements the legally-binding treaty, will be presented to Parliament early next week - something the government now plans to do whatever happens in Parliament on Saturday. | The Withdrawal Amendment Bill, which implements the legally-binding treaty, will be presented to Parliament early next week - something the government now plans to do whatever happens in Parliament on Saturday. |
| How can you follow the debate? | How can you follow the debate? |
| You can find out the latest developments on the BBC News website and app, where we'll have live coverage in text and video, and analysis from our experts. | You can find out the latest developments on the BBC News website and app, where we'll have live coverage in text and video, and analysis from our experts. |
| There will also be coverage on BBC Two from 13:15 to 16:30, and continuous coverage on the BBC News Channel. | There will also be coverage on BBC Two from 13:15 to 16:30, and continuous coverage on the BBC News Channel. |
| There will also be extended editions of BBC News at Six and News at Ten, as well as a special edition of BBC Newsnight. | There will also be extended editions of BBC News at Six and News at Ten, as well as a special edition of BBC Newsnight. |
| Why is the Letwin amendment significant? | Why is the Letwin amendment significant? |
| By the BBC's Parliamentary Correspondent Mark D'Arcy | By the BBC's Parliamentary Correspondent Mark D'Arcy |
| The government seems to be all but conceding that the Letwin amendment will pass, and is making its dispositions accordingly - announcing plans to hold a "meaningful vote" on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on Tuesday. | The government seems to be all but conceding that the Letwin amendment will pass, and is making its dispositions accordingly - announcing plans to hold a "meaningful vote" on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on Tuesday. |
| This would corner MPs into a Yes/No vote on their deal, and given there are a fair number of Labour rebels, the government could well win. | This would corner MPs into a Yes/No vote on their deal, and given there are a fair number of Labour rebels, the government could well win. |
| Certainly, the vote would put any number of Labour MPs - and MPs for other parties - from Brexit-voting constituencies in a very awkward place. | Certainly, the vote would put any number of Labour MPs - and MPs for other parties - from Brexit-voting constituencies in a very awkward place. |
| Watch out for an attempt to attach a second referendum to the deal in some way. | Watch out for an attempt to attach a second referendum to the deal in some way. |
| But the success of that effort would require full-throated support (and whipping of their MPs) from the Labour Party. They are not there yet, and they may never be. | But the success of that effort would require full-throated support (and whipping of their MPs) from the Labour Party. They are not there yet, and they may never be. |
| If the government wins a "meaningful vote" on Tuesday, the legislation to underpin the new deal would then go forward - and that would provide further opportunities to attempt amendments. | If the government wins a "meaningful vote" on Tuesday, the legislation to underpin the new deal would then go forward - and that would provide further opportunities to attempt amendments. |
| Winning the next meaningful vote is only the beginning of a new phase of Brexit; it's not even the beginning of the end. | Winning the next meaningful vote is only the beginning of a new phase of Brexit; it's not even the beginning of the end. |
| Read Mark's full blog | Read Mark's full blog |