Thread by @ParlyApp

The Commons will vote on 11th December on the PM’s withdrawal agreement and future relationship framework.

After that, House is due to sit on the 12th, 13th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th - six sitting days until Christmas recess.

The Commons returns on 7th January.

According to @commonslibrary if the PM’s Brexit motion is voted down, the government is required to make a statement about it’s intentions within 21 days.

There will only be six sitting days left to do that. January will be too late.

And within seven sitting days, Parliament has to vote on a motion based on the government’s stated intentions.

In other words, if the deal is rejected by the Commons, the government will need to move pretty fast to achieve those outcomes before recess.

If the government wants to change the recess dates, that requires the approval of the House.

The government has to make a statement of its intention “in writing” but that’s not the same as a written ministerial statement. So they could do so in recess. #complicated

However, there will be political pressure on the government to declare its intentions before MPs leave for recess.

Thank you to @woodstockjag and @commonslibrary for guidance on this hellishly complex process.

In reality we can expect the government to move quickly. There’s PMQs on the 12th, European Council on 13th/14th - MPs and EU leaders will want answers on what happens next.

Read @commonslibrary brief by @woodstockjag for more details on what could happen next. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and…

This is unlikely to happen but FYI.

If the government lost a vote on changing recess dates, it is still open to ministers to recall parliament, if the Speaker “is satisfied that the public interest does so require”.

Here is the standing order 👇🏼