Thread by @JohnRentoul

Letwin-Cooper "Business of the House" 3-page motion to be debated after about 2pm publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cm…

It provides for bill – to require Brexit delay if no deal – to pass tonight (main votes 7pm & 10pm) & further votes after Lords

There are 3 amendments:
b) Mark Harper, to do the bill tomorrow instead
c) Robert Syms, to require a ⅔ majority for the bill
a) Hilary Benn, to take control of business on Monday

Alt-PM @oletwinofficial opens the debate on the bill, accepts Benn's amdt, which now becomes part of his business motion

Alt PM Letwin tells Charlie Elphicke bill still needed even though PM has already said she'll seek a short extension

Mark Harper notes many supporters of a new referendum realise "Remain vs govt's deal" is tilted in Remain's favour because many Leavers think the deal isn't leaving – so a ref is a way of stopping Brexit

MPs now voting on Hilary Benn amendment to take control of business on Monday

Reason for the delay in announcing this vote

https://twitter.com/MaryCreaghMP/status/1113476310775554049

Last tie was 1993, Maastricht, but that was a mistake and was changed later. Previously 1980 on televising the Commons

Speaker besieged by MPs and officials advising him

Picture

Hilary Benn amendment to take control of business on Monday for more indicative votes: vote tied on 310

Speaker casts his vote with the Noes, on the principle that a decision not be taken except by a majority, so Benn loses

Next vote, on whether to go ahead with the @oletwinofficial bill to require govt to seek A50 extension if no deal, is going to be close

Mike Gapes, Ind Group MP, was there in 1993 when Speaker Boothroyd cast her vote with govt but next day found govt had won by 1 anyway

Last genuine tie in Jan 1980 on televising Commons, Speaker cast vote against, and TV coverage didn't start until 1989

MPs now voting on @oletwinofficial business motion to provide for a bill to try to block no-deal Brexit

If it's the same result, there will be no bill, and no further backbench days

.. At least until there is a govt motion that could be amended to take back control of the parliamentary timetable

So far, @oletwinofficial &co had been chaining their parliamentary days, booking a new one at the start of each one

Doubt if the result will be the same, because there are 18 eligible MPs who didn't vote last time

Division lists for the tie: 14 Tory MPs voted for Benn amdt; 9 Lab against commonsvotes.digiminster.com/Divisions/Deta…

Letwin bill gets go-ahead by one vote, 312 to 311

Now @oletwinofficial will try to rush all stages of bill through, with key votes at 7pm & 10pm – all votes could be as close as this

MPs now voting on 2nd reading of Letwin-Cooper bill. If they lose the bill falls

If they win, further votes after 10pm on amendments and 3rd reading

For the completeness of this thread, Cooper-Letwin bill to block a no-deal Brexit passed 2nd reading 315 votes to 310

14 Cons MPs in favour; 7 Lab MPs against

MPs now voting on George Eustice's amdt 21: I don't know what it is about, but govt supports it and @YvetteCooperMP opposes

Amendment defeated by 313 to 304, majority 9

MPs now voting on govt amendment 22, opposed by @YvetteCooperMP

Amendment defeated by 400 to 220

MPs now voting on amendment 1, moved by Anne Main, Con

This is a fairly pointless hard-Brexit amendment, wasting the House's time

Amendment defeated by by 488 to 123

Deputy Speaker Lindsey Hoyle moving on, ignoring shouts of No to rule that the Ayes have it, until we get to Bill Cash's new clause 4: MPs now voting

The end is in sight: may be only three more votes after this (unless I've miscounted)

Bill Cash's new clause defeated by 509 to 105

And that's the committee stage over. Now going directly to 3rd reading (there were other new clauses, but they seem to have been dropped)

MPs now voting in the last division tonight. The bill should pass with a small majority

Lindsay Hoyle: I apologise to him

Letwin-Cooper bill passes by just one vote, 313 to 312

Yvette Cooper gives a graceful victory speech, thanking Letwin and Boles and offering to co-operate with the govt

Just finally for tonight: 14 Tories voted for the bill on 3rd reading; 9 Lab (and 3 ex-Lab) voted against

6 Tories did not vote, although we cannot be sure why, and 2 Lab (Thornberry had permission)