LONDON: British lawmakers will vote on Thursday on a government proposal setting out what Prime Minister Theresa May says are the options on how long to delay Brexit.Lawmakers will be asked to approve a statement setting out the option to have a short delay by agreeing to a Brexit deal by March 20 or a longer delay if no deal can be agreed in time.Parliament is not voting at this stage to choose which option Britain should take.The vote comes a day after parliament rejected Britain leaving the EU without a deal after chaotic scenes when May's government struggled to exert any authority over her divided Conservative Party.Voting is due to begin at 1700 GMT and parliament will try again to wrest control of Brexit from the government by submitting alternative proposals, known as amendments, to the government's statement which will be voted on.The speaker has selected four main amendments to be voted on. If any pass, they will either alter the wording of the government statement or replace it entirely. If all the amendments fail, the government proposal will be voted upon last.Below are the details of the government motion and the key amendments proposed by lawmakers. The governing Conservative Party has reportedly told its lawmakers oppose all the amendments.This will form the basis of the debate and says three things:1) Notes parliament has rejected May's deal and a no-deal scenario, and agrees the government will seek an extension to the Brexit negotiating period, which currently ends on March 29.2) Parliament agrees that if lawmakers approve a divorce deal by March 20, the government will seek to agree "a one-off extension" until June 30 to pass legislation needed to smooth Britain's departure from the EU.3) Parliament notes if it has not approved a divorce deal by March 20, then it is "highly likely that the European Council at its meeting the following day would require a clear purpose for any extension, not least to determine its length, and that any extension beyond 30 June 2019 would require the United Kingdom to hold European Parliament elections in May 2019".Led by Independent Group lawmaker Sarah Wollaston, and with support from members of several different parties have submitted an amendment which, if passed, would instruct the government to request a delay to Brexit to allow time to hold a second referendum.Led by lawmaker Hilary Benn, a cross-party group have put forward a proposal which would take control of the parliamentary agenda on March 20 with the aim of forcing a discussion of Brexit options at a later date.This process, which would overturn the usual rule that the government controls what is discussed in parliament, is aimed at trying to find a majority for an alternative Brexit path that would break the parliamentary deadlock.Jeremy Corbyn's opposition Labour Party has submitted an amendment calling for May to use a Brexit delay to give parliament time "to find a majority for a different approach".This amendment, submitted by Labour lawmaker Chris Bryant, seeks to prohibit the government from asking parliament to vote on May's exit deal for a third time, citing parliamentary convention that the same question should not be asked of lawmakers more than once. </s> British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered an early defeat to her Brexit plans on Wednesday when members of parliament demanded the government come up with a plan B.

The parliament demanded the alternative plan should be submitted within days if she loses a vote on her deal to leave the EU.

It is less than three months before Britain is due to leave the EU.

The parliament began a five-day battle over May’s Brexit plan with a show of force – undermining her preferred timetable if MPs vote down her deal on Tuesday.

May has refused to retreat from her unpopular deal, which envisages close trading ties with the EU after leaving in March.

She also prefer to press ahead with the vote that she looks set to lose after failing to win over her nominal Northern Irish allies.

Losing the vote would deepen the uncertainty over the future of Brexit, Britain’s biggest shift in foreign and trade policy for more than 40 years.

The possible loss could open the way for several different outcomes, ranging from a disorderly exit to another referendum.

MPs voted 308-297 in favour of demanding the government come up with an alternative plan within three working days after Tuesday’s vote, rather than a planned 21-day limit.

It was a largely symbolic vote aimed at putting pressure on the government.

There were turbulent scenes in parliament when some in May’s Conservative Party accused the speaker of bias.

May’s spokesman said the government’s advice was that parliament could not change its so-called business motion.

The motion sets out the procedure for the Brexit vote, but played down the impact of the vote for its overall plans.

“We are doing everything we can to win the meaningful vote that happens on Tuesday,” the spokesman said.

“But it is also the intention, if that were not to take place that we respond quickly to provide certainty on the way forward following that vote.”

Combined with a vote late on Tuesday when the government lost on the finance bill, the defeats underline May’s precarious position in parliament and the difficult she will have in winning approval for her Brexit deal.

The opposition Labour Party has said that it will immediately table a vote of no confidence in the government if May loses the vote.

With the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit rising, the EU is looking at how Brexit might be postponed.

Pro-EU campaigners are testing ways Britain could hold another referendum after voters narrowly backed leaving in 2016.

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, at 2300 GMT.

The government needs 318 votes to get a deal through the 650-seat House of Commons, as seven members of Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein do not sit, four speakers and deputy speakers do not vote and the four tellers are not counted. </s> MPs have again rejected a series of alternatives to Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

A call for a customs union after Brexit was defeated by just three votes, a referendum on any deal was rejected by 12 votes, the Common Market 2.0 plan lost by 21 votes and cancelling Brexit to prevent a no-deal scenario was defeated by 101.

So what happens next?

– Tuesday April 2



 Theresa May has scheduled a five-hour Cabinet meeting instead of the usual 90 minutes. The first three hours will be a political Cabinet in the absence of civil servants – fuelling speculation the senior Tories will consider the prospect of a snap election, the timing of the Prime Minister’s departure or the potential for ministerial resignations if there is a change in Brexit strategy.

Backbench MPs will again take charge of the Commons timetable to consider Brexit plans under Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin’s scheme to break the Parliamentary deadlock.

After the latest round of indicative votes failed to produce a clear winner, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said: “If the House were to agree a deal this week it may still be possible to avoid holding European parliamentary elections.”

That could be an indication the Prime Minister might risk a fourth showdown on her Withdrawal Agreement in the hope that more Tory Eurosceptics will accept the choice is between her plan and a softer Brexit.

– Wednesday April 10



 An emergency summit of European Union leaders will consider any request by the UK for a longer delay to Brexit. To be granted a further postponement the Government will have to set out what purpose it would achieve and it will almost certainly involve taking part in the European elections.

The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on April 12 after MPs rejected the Prime Minister’s deal last week.

If Europe’s leaders have agreed an extension to the Article 50 process, the UK will elect MEPs to the European Parliament.

The breakaway Independent Group of MPs has announced it intends to set up a fully fledged political party – Change UK – to fight the elections on a pro-EU platform.

Nigel Farage will seek to continue as an MEP, this time for the newly formed Brexit Party.

Mrs May warned MPs before they rejected her deal that a long extension would “at least delay and could destroy Brexit”.

Three years after the referendum, it is possible the UK will still be in the European Union, have newly elected MEPs and will be contributing to the Brussels budget.

The current make-up of the House of Commons has so far proved unable to agree on any Brexit plan so the Prime Minister could be tempted to call a snap election to break the deadlock.

But having promised not to lead the Tories into the scheduled 2022 election and then said she would quit before the next phase of the Brexit process, would her MPs allow her to fight another contest as leader?

And would a new election produce a decisive result to give whoever occupies Number 10 a majority to steer such a divisive issue through Parliament?

The call for another referendum was defeated by just 12 votes and campaigners seized on the fact it had more MPs voting in favour than any other option.

The narrow defeat for a customs union will increase pressure on Mrs May to move in favour of the measure.

But that would tear the Tory party apart and would be likely to result in Cabinet resignations as critics of the customs union believe it robs the UK of one of the major Brexit prizes – the ability to strike trade deals with countries such as the US. </s> • Theresa May has set out her Brexit plan B to parliament after suffering a historic House of Commons defeat on her deal.
• MPs from across the house have brought forward a series of amendments to May’s plan which seek to seize control of the process.
• Among the amendments which could be selected for a vote by the Commons speaker John Bercow are plans to delay Brexit, hold a second referendum, or give MPs control of the entire process.
• The amendments will be put to a vote on January 29.

LONDON – After her Brexit deal was defeated by a crushing 230-vote margin last week, Prime Minister Theresa May outlined her Brexit “plan B” on Monday, which turns out to be rather similar to her “plan A.”

She plans to return to Brussels where she will once again ask for concessions from the EU before putting her plans back before the House of Commons next week.

The UK parliament has different ideas however. MPs from across the House have brought forward a series of amendments to May’s plan which, if passed, could fundamentally reshape the course of Brexit, wrestling much of the prime minister’s control away from her and blocking a no-deal Brexit.

So what are the amendments, what do they mean, and how likely are they to pass? Here are the most important ones explained.

The UK is currently set to leave the EU on March 29 2019 whether it has secured an exit deal or not and May has also insisted that Britain will leave by that date with or without a deal. However, an amendment brought by Labour MP Yvette Cooper is designed to prevent this.

Cooper’s amendment would allow parliamentary time for a bill – also tabled by Yvette Cooper – which would allow MPs to vote on delaying Brexit if parliament has not approved a deal by the last week of February.

The bill would not automatically require the government to seek an Article 50 extension. Instead, it would give the government until February 26 to secure a deal which is accepted by parliament.

Here’s the key section of the bill:

If, before 26 February 2019, the House of Commons has not passed a resolution approving the negotiated withdrawal agreement and the framework for the future relationship for the purposes of section 13(1)(b) of the European Union 5 (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“the 2018 Act”), the Prime Minister must, not later than 26 February, move a motion in the House of Commons in the form set out in subsection (2).

That means that MPs could vote on an extension of the two-year Article 50 process should the bill pass. But the bill would itself be difficult to bring into law, because legislation has to pass between the House of Lords and House of Commons several times before it enters statute books and there is not much time for this to happen.

However, the proposed bill has the backing of high-profile Conservative and Labour Remainers. Nick Boles, Nicky Morgan, Stephen Kinnock, and Hillary Benn have all put their name to the Cooper amendment which will be voted on on Tuesday January 29.

Whether the amendment passes is likely to depend on whether the Labour frontbench supports it. Cooper appears confident that they will, and shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman said this week it is “absolutely something we’ll seriously consider.”

Even more radical than Cooper’s amendment is one tabled by Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general.

The amendment would allow MPs to seize control of the Commons timetable if just 300 MPs – not even a majority of the 650 MPs – voted for it.

Usually the government controls the agenda in the Commons, which prevents backbenchers from tabling bills then trying to force them through parliament.

But Grieve’s plan would allow formal business proposed by at least 300 MPs – from at least 5 parties and including 10 Tories – to be debated as the first item of Commons business the next day.

Grieve said it would allow MPs to vote on alternatives to May’s defeated deal.

Even if selected by the House of Commons speaker for a vote, Grieve’s amendment would struggle to be accepted because Labour is unlikely to back such a radical plan. The leadership reportedly fears that it could hamstring a future Labour government.

Give MPs a vote on a new deal or a referendum

Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench has brought forward a less radical amendment which states parliament should have a vote on all possible Brexit options, including a second referendum.

At the top of the list of options would be Labour’s own Brexit policy – permanent membership of the customs union. The Labour leadership believes the amendment is in line with the party’s conference motion, which called for Labour to keep all options, including a second referendum, on the table.

However, the plan is not backed by Tory Remainers, who are unlikely to hand an easy victory to Corbyn in any circumstances. Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, who backs a ‘People’s Vote’, told Business Insider: “The Labour amendment is not a People’s Vote amendment. The front bench is continuing to use creative language to duck the decision about backing a people’s vote.”

An amendment brought forward by Labour MPs Stella Creasy, Lisa Nandy and others would force the government to delay Brexit pending the creation of a new “citizens assembly,” who would decide what to do next. The assembly would consist of “250 members comprising a representative sample of the population to consider the process in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, to make recommendations and to report to the House of Commons.”

This is an interesting idea. However, if 650 experienced legislators in the House of Commons can’t agree a way forward, it’s difficult to see why 250 randomly selected members of the public would fare better. </s> British Prime Minister Theresa May's government remained defiant after Parliament took partial control of the stalled process of leaving the European Union, arguing Tuesday that the maneuvering simply underscores the need for lawmakers to approve her twice-defeated deal.

The House of Commons voted late Monday to wrest the parliamentary timetable away from the government temporarily so that lawmakers can vote on alternatives to the withdrawal agreement May negotiated with the

The government, which usually controls the scheduling of votes in Parliament, said the lawmakers' move "upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future."

 

 But Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC that the government won't "pre-commit" to accepting the option backed by lawmakers because they may come up with a plan that is impractical.

"If the Commons voted for the sun to rise in the west, the government would not be able to implement that," he said.

"The best way through this impasse is the one deal that has been negotiated with the that can be delivered quickly now," Hancock said, referring to the prime minister's agreement.

May's authority is hanging by a thread after 30 members of her defied her instructions and voted for Parliament to take control of the process. Three government ministers resigned rather than vote with the government.

Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air.

Last week the granted Britain a delay to the scheduled March 29 exit date, saying that if Parliament approved the proposed divorce deal, the UK would leave the EU on May 22.

If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or chart a path to a new option.

May is continuing to push for approval of her deal with the EU even though the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected it during votes in January and March.

She has warned pro-Brexit legislators that continuing to reject the deal could lead to a "slow Brexit" that postpones the country's departure indefinitely.

Richard Harrington, who resigned as a business minister to vote in favor of Monday's motion, accused the government of "playing roulette" with people and businesses lives by failing to resolve Britain's Brexit impasse.

Lawmakers who backed Monday's motion, which passed 329-302, hope to find an alternative that can command a majority in Parliament by holding a series of "indicative votes" on other options.

Those alternatives could include a "soft Brexit" that maintains close economic ties with the EU or scrapping Brexit entirely.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading pro-Brexit Conservative, acknowledged that "the choice seems to be Mrs. May's deal or no Brexit."



"I have always thought that 'no deal' is better than May's deal, but May's deal is better than not leaving at all," he said on the Conservative Home podcast.

Cabinet ministers gathering Tuesday for their regular meeting were expected to demand that lawmakers be allowed to follow their consciences, rather than vote the party line, during the debate Wednesday on alternatives to the prime minister's deal.

"Parliament should seek urgently to resolve the situation by considering alternatives freely, without the instruction of party whips, and government should adopt any feasible outcome as its own in order to progress matters," said Alistair Burt, who quit his role in the Foreign Office after defying May on Monday.

"I did not believe the government was prepared to do that, so had to vote to ensure this happens. </s> LONDON (Reuters) - Lawmakers (MPs) will on Tuesday debate and vote on British Prime Minister Theresa May’s response to the overwhelming rejection of her Brexit plan earlier this month.

The vote is not a rerun of the Jan. 15 vote on whether to approve the exit deal she had negotiated with the European Union, which she lost by 432 to 202.

Instead, Tuesday is a chance to discover what sort of changes to her strategy would be required to win the support of parliament, so May can try to renegotiate the deal in Brussels and then ask MPs to approve it.

May has said she wants to secure concessions relating to the border with Northern Ireland in order to win the support of pro-Brexit MPs in her own party and the small Northern Irish party which props up her government, who voted against her deal.

Some MPs want to shift control of the process away from government and give parliament the chance to define Brexit. If successful, this could have a profound effect, giving MPs who want to block, delay or renegotiate Brexit a possible legal route to do so.

Other MPs have proposed alternatives to May’s deal in order to gauge support for them and persuade the prime minister to change course by seeking closer EU ties or holding a second referendum on leaving.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

MPs are officially discussing a bland statement saying they have debated May’s next steps. But, using a parliamentary device known as an amendment, some hope to turn it into something that will persuade or force May into taking a different path.

So far 14 amendments have been put forward. The Speaker, John Bercow, will announce at around 1300 GMT on Tuesday which of these have been selected for debate and a vote.

Voting on these amendments will take place one by one from 1900 GMT. Each vote takes around 15 minutes and the result is read out in parliament.

Once voting on all amendments has taken place, a vote is held to give final approval to the wording of the statement. This final statement does not automatically dictate government policy.

This seeks to shift control of Brexit from May’s government to parliament by demanding that on Feb. 5, the rule that government business takes precedence in parliament is overturned.

Providing it has the support of 10 MPs from at least four political parties, it makes time for a piece of legislation giving May until Feb. 26 to get a deal approved by parliament.

If not, parliament would be given a vote on asking the EU for a postponement of the Article 50 deadline to prevent Britain leaving without a deal on March 29. It proposes a nine-month extension to Dec. 31.

Put forward by Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper, this plan has a strong chance of succeeding as the opposition Labour Party has said it is likely to back it and it is supported by several of May’s Conservatives.

Supported by Graham Brady, chairman of the influential 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs, it calls for the backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border in Ireland and says parliament would support May’s Brexit deal if this change were made.

This amendment is potentially useful to the government if passed because it would show the EU there is popular support in parliament for her attempt to renegotiate.

This has been proposed by Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve and has a chance of succeeding as it is supported by MPs from several parties.

It demands that, one day a week in February and March, the rule that government business takes precedence in parliament is overturned, giving MPs the opportunity to propose their own debates on Brexit. Any proposals approved by parliament on those days would not be binding on the government but would be politically difficult to ignore.

Proposed by opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, it calls for parliament to consider alternative options to prevent Britain leaving without a deal, including seeking a permanent customs union with the EU and holding a second referendum.

This is unlikely to be approved as pro-EU MPs in May’s Conservative Party have indicated they will not rebel against their leader by supporting it.

Several Labour MPs and the pro-EU Liberal Democrats have proposed changes to this amendment so that it would call only for parliament to vote on holding a second referendum and that remaining in the EU should be an option in that referendum.

OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT COULD BE VOTED UPON:

Proposed by Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable and his MPs, it calls on the government to rule out a no-deal exit and prepare for a second referendum in which the option to remain in the EU would be on the ballot paper.

Proposed by Liberal Democrat lawmaker Tom Brake, it demands that a committee of no more than 17 MPs from across political parties be created and given control of the parliamentary Brexit process.

Proposed by Conservative lawmaker Andrew Murrison and supported by many Conservatives, it calls for Britain’s exit deal with Brussels to be changed to add an expiry date to the Northern Irish backstop of Dec. 31, 2021.

This has been put forward by Labour lawmaker Hilary Benn, who chairs parliament’s Brexit select committee. It calls on the government to hold indicative votes on the following options:

1) Holding another vote in parliament on May’s deal

2) Leaving with no deal on March 29

3) Calling on the government to renegotiate May’s deal

Put forward by a group of Labour MPs, this calls on the government to request an extension to the Article 50 deadline so that a ‘Citizen’s Assembly’ of 250 people can be created to consider the way forward and make recommendations to parliament within 10 weeks of being set up.

Put forward by Conservative lawmaker Caroline Spelman and supported by MPs from most political parties, it seeks to rule out a no-deal Brexit.

Proposed by MPs from Labour, May’s Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, this calls on the government to request an extension to the Article 50 deadline if a deal has not been approved by Feb. 26.

This amendment, put forward by Conservative lawmaker John Baron, calls on parliament to reject any Brexit deal which includes a Northern Ireland backstop.

Also proposed by Baron, it states that parliament will not approve a Brexit deal which includes a Northern Ireland backstop lasting any longer than six months.

Also put forward by Baron, it calls for parliament to reject any Brexit deal that does not give Britain a unilateral right to terminate the Northern Ireland backstop. </s> The most important House of Commons vote in decades is being held on Tuesday 15 January.

MPs are deciding whether to accept or reject the 585-page Brexit deal the UK has signed with Brussels.

It's widely expected the deal will be voted down, which raises the question of what happens next.

Despite Westminster war-gaming obsessively for months, no one really knows how it will pan out.

However, there are some things we know will happen, some that could well happen, and some outside choices.

Here's what we know.

When is the Brexit vote?

MPs are holding a 'meaningful vote' on the Brexit deal from 7pm on Tuesday 15 January in the House of Commons.

It comes after five days of debate, closed by a speech from Theresa May herself.

The vote will be after 7pm, and could be some hours later, because amendments have to be voted on first.

What does the Brexit meaningful vote mean?

MPs are deciding whether to approve a Brexit 'withdrawal agreement' between the UK and the EU.

The deal ensures there is no cliff-edge on March 29 by carrying on EU rules in a "transition period" to December 2020.

It also commits the UK to paying a £39billion divorce bill in return for guaranteeing we won't be locked out of EU arrangements.

However, there is still no solution to avoid customs checks between Northern Ireland (in the UK) and the Republic (in the EU) after 2020.

So the deal includes a 'backstop' clause that, if there's still no solution by 2021, will trap the UK under EU customs rules. This will stop us signing trade deals with the rest of the world.

Will Theresa May win the Brexit vote?

More than 100 Tory MPs, and the Tories' 10 DUP allies, said before Christmas they would vote against the deal.

Because of this, the deal was delayed in order to win more concessions from the EU.

But most MPs refused to change their mind because the EU refused to reopen the actual deal. Instead Brussels only gave "assurances" around the deal that critics said weren't enough.

What happens next if Theresa May loses the Brexit vote?

Some or all of these options will happen if Theresa May loses the Brexit vote.

No Deal planning will be ramped up - and ministers will quit

Billions of pounds have already been spent on No Deal planning - and you can expect billions more.

This includes turning the M20 motorway into a lorry park and spending £100million to boost ferry capacity across the Channel.

A chunk of Acts of Parliament, plus more than 500 'secondary' emergency laws, will need to be rushed through Parliament.

Thousands of extra border officers and Home Office officials are being hired to deal with extra paperwork.

Several Tory ministers are expected to quit the government if No Deal Brexit starts looking inevitable.

Theresa May will be forced to reveal her Plan B

The Prime Minister is expected to make a statement on the night if she loses the vote.

Her spokesman insisted she would move "quickly and provide certainty on the way forward" if the vote is lost.

By law she will be forced to come back to Parliament with a formal Plan B within three sitting days - so on Monday 21 January.

She must make a statement on the government's next steps.

After another seven sitting days - so by Thursday 31 January - MPs get a vote on those next steps. However, the vote may not actually have any legal effect.

She might force MPs to vote "again and again"

Theresa May previously refused to rule out holding the vote on her Brexit deal "again and again and again" if she loses.

She even refused to rule out holding the vote 30 times.

That is despite her warning a second referendum on Brexit would damage trust in democracy.

Technically there is nothing in law to stop her putting similar questions to Parliament to get the right answer. But MPs warned it would be a breach of vital parliamentary convention.

Labour is set to trigger a no confidence vote

Labour says it will force a no confidence vote in the government at some point after a defeat on January 15.

Shadow Cabinet ministers said it would come "immediately", but sources close to Jeremy Corbyn were more coy about the timing.

There is a huge hurdle to Labour winning a no confidence vote.

The DUP - whose 10 MPs are crucial to victory for both sides - has said it won't back a no-confidence vote unless the Brexit deal passes. But Labour are intending a no confidence vote if it fails.

So the best Labour can hope for might be for the DUP to abstain - in other words, not to back either side.

If Labour does win a no confidence vote, it triggers a 14-day countdown clock.

And if no one can command a Commons majority within 14 days...

We could have a snap general election

A general election is triggered automatically if no party can win the Commons' confidence within two weeks.

That could throw us into a campaign and vote on March 7 at the earliest - just weeks before we leave the EU.

A new government would open up a whole new flowchart of possibilities, which we won't get into properly here.

But it could well involve delaying Brexit and trying to renegotiate, especially if Labour takes power.

Remain MPs will push for a second EU referendum

Remain-backers have already been pushing for a second EU referendum, and those calls will only grow.

There is no majority for it in the House of Commons yet.

But Jeremy Corbyn is facing pressure to back it from more of his members in the Labour Party.

He has promised to leave it as an "option on the table" - in his view, a last resort - if the deal is voted down.

However, the exact path to a second referendum still isn't clear. And most say it couldn't be arranged in time before March 29.

The date of Brexit could be delayed - or cancelled

Britain could extend the 29 March date of Brexit - if the EU agrees to as well.

There would need to be a concrete reason to do this, and it'd probably be a short extension.

Also, the EU is holding its Parliamentary elections at the end of May, which would get in the way - badly.

Alternatively, Brexit can be cancelled without the EU's permission by revoking our notification to leave under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

But while this is legally possible, don't expect it to happen under a Tory government any time soon.

MPs will try to block a No Deal Brexit

Pretty much the only thing MPs agree on is they don't want a No Deal Brexit.

So expect them to pull out every trick (and amendment) in the book to try and block it in Parliament.

Government minister Chris Heaton-Harris insisted there isn't a way to block No Deal. And that's true in the sense that No Deal is the default option, written into law.

But MPs won an amendment that will force the government to seek approval for No Deal spending. In theory, MPs could try and use this to block it from happening.

Theresa May could resign - and force a Tory leadership race

Theresa May could, in theory, be forced to quit by the "men in grey suits" of her Cabinet.

In this case, a new leader would take perhaps a month or two to choose.

First MPs would narrow the candidates down to two; then the 100,000 or so Tory members would vote between the final picks.

The winner would become Prime Minister, without needing to call a general election, and could take Brexit in a dramatically different direction.

Cabinet ministers could force Britain to choose another option

If Theresa May faces undeniable pressure from within, or there's a new leader, there could be a new option for Brexit.

Ones that have been mentioned include the much-discussed Norway option, staying in the European Economic Area.

Remainers are largely in favour but Brexiteers say it would tie our hands and keep us bound to the EU.

And if none of that comes to anything?

We leave on 29 March 2019 with no deal. </s> These are external links and will open in a new window

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence after the crushing defeat of Theresa May's Brexit deal by MPs. What does this mean?

What is a no confidence motion?

A vote of no confidence lets MPs decide on whether they want the government to continue - and has the power to trigger a general election. The motion's wording is: "That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty's Government."

When is the confidence vote in the Commons?

Jeremy Corbyn tabled the motion after Theresa May's Brexit deal was rejected by MPs on Tuesday evening. It is backed by MPs from the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Green Party.

Prime Minister's Questions go ahead as usual at 12:00 GMT on Wednesday. Following a brief debate on banning low level letterboxes, MPs should start debating the motion at about 13:00 GMT.

The confidence vote is expected at about 19:00 GMT.

What happens if Mrs May's government loses?

A 14-day countdown is started if a majority of MPs vote for the motion - and a general election will be called if, during that period, the government or any other alternative government cannot win a new vote of confidence.

These 14 days are calendar days and not the days in which Parliament is sitting - so the deadline would be Wednesday 30 January.

If there is to then be an election, the earliest it could happen would be 25 working days.

Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011, UK general elections are only supposed to happen every five years. At the moment, the next one is due in 2022.

Mrs May has already said that she will not be leading the Conservatives into the 2022 general election.

What happens if Mrs May's government wins?

This is the outcome that is widely expected.

Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell has told the BBC that they are expected to lose the vote and the DUP - the party that props up Mrs May's government - has said it will vote in favour of the government.

Following the vote, Mrs May will have to go back to focusing on getting some form of Brexit deal through Parliament.

She offered cross-party talks to determine a way forward in the aftermath of her plan's rejection in the Commons.

Mrs May is expected to begin a series of meetings with "senior Parliamentarians" on Thursday.

She also told MPs she will return to the Commons with an alternative plan next week, provided she survives the confidence vote. </s> Image copyright HOC Image caption The government lost by 11 votes

Rebel Conservative MPs have joined forces with Labour to inflict a fresh blow on Theresa May's government in a Commons Brexit vote.

It means the government will have to come up with revised plans within three days if Mrs May's EU withdrawal deal is rejected by MPs next week.

It could also open the door to alternatives, such as a referendum.

No 10 said Mrs May's deal was in the national interest but if MPs disagreed, the government would "respond quickly".

The setback for the PM came as MPs started five days of debate on the withdrawal agreement with the EU, and the framework for future relations, ahead of the meaningful vote next Tuesday.

The government was expecting to have 21 days to come up with a "plan B" for Brexit if, as widely expected, Mrs May's deal is voted down.

But MPs backed calls for it to respond within three working Parliamentary days, a deadline likely to fall on Monday 21 January.

Theresa May lost by 11 votes, with 297 MPs siding with the government and 308 against.

Among those voting against were 17 Conservatives, including former ministers Justine Greening, Sam Gyimah and Jo Johnson who want to see another referendum to decide whether the UK should leave or not.

See how your MP voted by searching below.

Please upgrade your browser to view this interactive Did my MP vote For or Against Dominic Grieve's amendment? Enter a postcode, or the name or constituency of your MP

If you can't see the look-up click here.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve, the Conservative MP who led the rebellion, said he hoped for a "serious dialogue" between government and Parliament on alternatives to Mrs May's deal to avert a possible crisis.

He told ITV's Peston that it would be up to Mrs May to decide what she wanted to do if her deal was rejected, but MPs would be able to vote on any motion she put forward within seven days.

While the PM would have the right to say she wanted the Commons to re-consider her deal, he said MPs could amend the motion, telling her in effect "we want you to do something else".

Fellow rebel Sarah Wollaston said she and other MPs opposed to a no-deal exit were engaged in a "guerrilla campaign" to show that it would never get the consent of Parliament.

'Huge implications for Brexit'

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Bercow: "Anti-Brexit sticker belongs to my wife"

By BBC Parliamentary Correspondent Mark D'Arcy

The new Grieve amendment, now passed by MPs, means that in the event the PM loses next week, the Commons will then have a chance to vote on alternative policies - everything from a "managed no-deal" to a further referendum, via a "Norway option" or a reheated version of the current deal, could be on the table.

If a majority could be found for anything, it would not have the force of law - but it would at least indicate a policy which had the support of MPs.

This is, in short, a massive ruling by the Speaker, made, apparently, against the advice of the Commons Clerk, Sir David Natzler.

I don't want to delve too deeply into the arcana of Business of the House motions only amendable by ministers of the Crown, but this drove a coach and horses through accepted normal practice, and will have huge implications for the course of Brexit.

Read Mark's full blog

But Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who favours leaving without a withdrawal agreement, said it would not stop the UK exiting on 29 March.

"It merely requires a motion to be tabled not even debated," he said.

And prisons minister Rory Stewart, who backs the PM's deal, said requiring Mrs May to restart complex negotiations with the EU and come back with changes in three days, was "unreasonable".

He said Mr Grieve was "trying to provide more support for what he wants, which is a second referendum".

Downing Street said it would consider the repercussions of Wednesday's defeat but its intention had always been to "provide certainty" as soon as possible.

Labour has said it will table a motion of no confidence in the government if Mrs May's deal is voted down.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said Parliament had to "take control of what happens next" and suggested delaying the date of the UK's exit beyond 29 March might be "inevitable".

He warned the UK's options were narrowing given the need to avoid, at all costs, a no-deal exit which he claimed was "simply not viable for practical reasons".

Commons Speaker John Bercow faced an angry backlash from some Conservative MPs over his decision to allow MPs to vote on the issue.

Quick guide: What is a no-deal Brexit? A "no-deal" Brexit is where the UK would cut ties with the European Union overnight without a transition period. Theresa May's government, and many others, believe this would be hugely damaging and want a more gradual withdrawal. But if Parliament can't agree on that, and nothing else takes its place, the UK could still leave without a deal. This would mean the UK would not have to obey EU rules. Instead, it would need to follow World Trade Organization terms on trade. Many businesses would see new taxes on imports, exports and services, which are likely to increase their operating costs. That means the prices of some goods in UK shops could go up. The UK would also lose the trade agreements it had with other countries as a member of the EU, all of which would need to be renegotiated alongside the new agreement with the EU itself. Manufacturers in the UK expect to face delays in components coming across the border. The UK would be free to set its own immigration controls. However some UK professionals working in the EU and UK expats could face uncertainty. Some countries, such as Spain, Germany and the Netherlands, have given temporary guarantees about residency status and rights, but there is not yet an agreed policy for UK citizens across the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The situation for holidays and business trips is a little clearer, as the European Commission has said that even in a no-deal scenario, UK travellers won't need a visa for short visits of up to 90 days. The border between Northern Ireland and the Irish republic would become an external frontier for the EU with customs and immigration controls, though how and where any checks would be made is not clear. Some Leave supporters think that leaving without a deal would be positive if the right preparations were made. They say criticism is scaremongering and any short term pain would be for long term gain. But critics - including both Brexit supporters and opponents - say that leaving without a deal would be a disaster for the UK: driving up food prices, leading to shortages of goods and gridlock on some roads in the South East resulting from extra border checks.

The MPs claim Mr Bercow broke Commons rules and ignored the advice of his own clerks.

Commons leader Andrea Leadsom was among MPs to challenge his ruling in a series of points of order after Prime Minister's Questions.

They argued that the business motion, tabled by the government, was not amendable and said the Speaker was breaking with precedent.

Mr Bercow said he had made an "honest judgement" after consulting his clerks but rejected calls from Ms Leadsom to publish the advice he had received.

He insisted he was "not setting himself up against the government but championing the rights of the House of Commons", adding that if people wanted to vote against the amendment they could.

But a number of Tory MPs said the decision cast doubt on Mr Bercow's impartiality, with Crispin Blunt questioning whether he remained a "neutral referee of our affairs".

The Commons defeat was the second in the space of 24 hours for the government on Brexit.

On Tuesday, MPs, headed by former Tory ministers Mr Grieve and Oliver Letwin, defied the government on an amendment aimed at making it more difficult to leave the EU without a deal.

The clashes in the Commons came as the PM, who cancelled a vote on her deal last month at the last minute to avoid a humiliating defeat, launched a fresh push to convince MPs.

She is hoping new proposals on Northern Ireland will change enough MPs' minds to save the deal.

Under the plans, the Northern Ireland Assembly would have a say on new EU rules if the backstop plan to prevent physical checks on the Irish border comes into force after Brexit.

But the Democratic Unionist Party, on whom Theresa May relies for her Commons majority, have already rejected the so-called "Stormont lock" plans as "cosmetic" and "meaningless".

Ministers have also accepted calls for MPs to be able to vote next year on alternatives to activating the backstop, such as extending the proposed 21-month transition period.

Need some guidance?

If you feel like you ought to know more about Brexit...
After a vote by MPs in the House of Commons, the government is required to table an alternative Brexit plan within 3 days of the vote, if it fails to pass a majority on January 15.