Brexit: Johnson to push for 'yes or no' vote on deal as Labour woos rebel Tories – live news

Rishi Sunak, the chief secretary to the Treasury, spoke to the BBC’s Today programme earlier this morning. He said that any attempt by MPs to add a customs union to the government’s Brexit deal would be “procedural tricks” intended to frustrate departure.

Sunak said the Speaker, John Bercow, should grant the government a second Commons vote on its deal on Monday, and that it would be “slightly odd” if he did not.

“People who are wanting to amend legislation are ultimately wanting to frustrate, delay or cancel Brexit altogether, and we should be clear about that,” he said.

“We have a deal that has been negotiated with the EU, that they themselves are happy with, and now want to get on with. I think everyone will look at that and think, this isn’t the time for more games in parliament, more amendments, more procedural tricks, which are just covers for trying to frustrate Brexit altogether.”

Here’s our story –

This from the Guardian’s Brussels Bureau Chief on Jim Shannon’s earlier statement on a customs union.

Here’s a useful flow chart explaining what could happen this afternoon and beyond. Regardless of the possible meaningful vote this afternoon, the withdrawal agreement bill (“WAB”) is being introduced in the commons today. A vote on second reading could come as soon as tomorrow.

Here’s a useful explainer from our deputy political editor Rowena Mason.

The DUP’s Jim Shannon has told Sky his party would not support an amendment that would keep the UK in a customs union with the EU.

Labour’s Hilary Benn told BBC Breakfast there would likely be an amendment “seeking to put this whole deal back to the British people”, and another saying “we should remain in the customs union”.

A customs union amendment was thought to have a chance of succeeding – more of a chance than a second referendum amendment – but it would probably require support from the DUP.

The DUP rejected Johnson’s deal because it would require a border in the Irish Sea – a UK-wide customs union could solve that problem.

Lord Pannick QC, who led the successful challenge to the legality of the prorogation of parliament, has been speaking to the BBC’s Today programme.

Asked about Boris Johnson’s move to send a letter to the EU requesting an extension – as required under the Benn act – but declining to sign it, Pannick said he thought that “on this occasion” the prime minister was on the right side of the law.

The Benn act required him to send a letter to the president of the European council seeking an extension and that’s what he’s done. The act doesn’t requite that he sign the letter. The purpose of the act is to ensure that the EU can now make us an offer for an extension. If they do, the Benn act requires that the government accept it, so the Benn act has achieved its purpose. The act doesn’t require the prime minister to abandon his political objectives and beliefs that we should leave on the 31st. I don’t think that he’s acted unlawfully.

Pannick said he was bound by the Benn act to accept an extension unless he gets legislation through parliament by the 31st and gets approval for his deal. “And I very much hope that is achieved,” he said.

The European Research Group chairman, Steve Baker, spoke to the Today programme a little earlier. He did not explicitly rule out backing the deal if it is amended to include a customs union arrangement but said he would reconsider his support.

“The advice I gave to my Eurosceptic colleagues is we should, number one, back the deal,” he said. “Number two, vote for the legislation all the way through unless, it has to be said, it was wrecked by opponents, in which case we would have to take a view.

Baker called on the DUP to “choke down extremely difficult compromises” and back the PM’s Brexit deal. “For people like me, for vast areas of that withdrawal agreement are unchanged, and we are going to have to choke down our pride and vote in the national interest to get Brexit done,” he said.

I’m not going to deny there are still problems with that withdrawal agreement, which I’ve long complained about. We’re going to compromise in the national interest to get us out of the European Union on time and I’m afraid I’m asking the DUP, just as we’re having to choke down extremely difficult compromises to get out in the national interest … I would ask the DUP to accept this compromise.

Today’s Commons order paper has events kicking off in parliament with defence questions at 2.30pm, which will wrap up around 3.30pm. The following “meaningful vote” motion could then be put to MPs:

That this house approves for the purposes of section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 the following documents laid before the House on 19 October 2019:

(1) the negotiated withdrawal agreement titled Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community;

(2) the framework for the future relationship titled Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom;

(3) the unilateral declaration by the UK titled Declaration by Her Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the operation of the Democratic consent in Northern Ireland provision of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

A note on the order paper reads: “The Speaker plans to make a statement on proceedings on this motion immediately after defence questions.”

Here’s an interesting Twitter thread from Hannah White, the deputy director of the Institute for Government. She says she would be very surprised if Bercow were to allow another “meaningful vote” motion.

Good morning and welcome to Politics Live on what promises to be another jaw-dropping day in Westminster. I’m Frances Perraudin and will be taking you through all this morning’s developments before handing over to my colleague Ben Quinn this afternoon.

Boris Johnson is going to make another attempt at getting his Brexit deal past MPs today after he failed to do so on Saturday. In a special sitting of parliament this weekend, Oliver Letwin, the former Tory minister, managed to amend the motion so that parliament withheld its support until MPs were able to pass the full Brexit legislation and properly scrutinise the deal. The amendment forced Johnson to send a letter to the EU requesting a three-month extension to article 50, which Brussels is considering.

Undeterred, Johnson will have another go at winning parliamentary backing for his Brexit deal in a straight yes or no vote this afternoon. This would be a move to show support for his EU withdrawal agreement before MPs have the chance to scrutinise the full legislation and attach amendments.

The Speaker, John Bercow, could block Johnson holding another “meaningful vote” on the deal today, because the prime minister tried and failed to do so on Saturday, meaning parliament would be considering the same matter twice.

The Labour party said last night that it would seek the backing of rebel Tories and the DUP for amendments that would force him to drop the deal – or accept a softer Brexit. You can read our full story here:

According to an analysis of likely voting intentions by the Guardian’s political team, support for Johnson’s deal is still on a knife-edge, despite senior ministers claiming he has the numbers to get it through.

Johnson appears to have got all of his 287 voting MPs on board with his plan, including his brother, Jo Johnson, who backed a second referendum but voted with the government on Saturday.

He also has about 20 former Conservatives who left the party or had the whip suspended, plus likely votes from about eight Labour MPs.

Another three independent MPs – former Labour ministers Ian Austin and Frank Field, plus former Liberal Democrat Stephen Lloyd – are all expected to back him.

You can contact me on Twitter on @fperraudin and leave comments below the line.