Letwin amendment passes by 322 votes to 306. Government is now likely to pull the main vote, or nobble it to make it irrelevant. Will Boris Johnson write the infamous letter to the EU? Or will he find a way to weasel out? For now at least, Remain lives on! 👏 #PeoplesVoteMarch
Boris Johnson on his feet for a wiffle waffle.
"The meaningful vote has been voided of meaning."
"I will not negotiate a delay with the EU. And neither does the law compel us to do so." He's really going there! 😬 😱
"I hope that honourable members faced by the choice of our new deal will change their minds, and back this deal."
"No delays."
"No delays."
Corbyn: "The PM must now comply with the law."
"We believe that the people must have the final say on Brexit."
(Doesn't clarify that remark further.)
Ian Blackford asking the Speaker how to compel the PM to obey the law?
John Bercow says he assumes that was rhetorical ie he is not going to rule on the matter on his feet right now.
Letwin makes the point that he and others will now back the deal ie having stopped no deal his part is over.
Government benches empty as Joanna Cherry rises to make a point of order. Seems instigated.
JC reminds the HOC that she's back in court on Monday, if BJ has failed to write the letter by then.
John Bercow says he would sign the letter to the EU if compelled to do so by a court. (In response to a question from JC.)
Caroline Lucas references the "over a million marching outside". #PeoplesVoteMarch
John Bercow says that Parliament will have to wait to see whether Boris Johnson obeys the law or not. It is his understanding (as a non-lawyer) that he must.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has just tried to modify the business statement for Monday. I think he's managed to. Not sure what it means.
Queen's Speech debate and vote seem to have just been shunted off into the never-never. Looks like they're going to try and rerun the Brexit debate instead!
Bercow not remotely happy about it. Makes it clear he's been ambushed by the change, and that it's procedurally very unusual.
Shows the power of being the Government. Even with a minority of -45 they still have total control of the order paper.
Bercow is unable to provide more info because the Government haven't had the courtesy to provide more information.
We're now at the point where Jacob Rees-Mogg is "not disavowing" the notion that the Queen's Speech debate will still happen (when? Bercow doesn't know) MPs complaining that "All we have to go on is JRM's nod of the head." Truly daft politics.
JRM elucidates. Emergency business statement coming on Monday morning. QS debate will continue but not on Monday.
Bercow slaps him down by pointing out that will only be the case if it's deemed "orderly" by him ie the Government can't automatically take it as read.
We're back in Theresa May territory. MPs making points of order to complain that the Govt shouldn't be allowed to bring back the same motion again. (She managed to do so 3 times through various tricks.)
Bercow will try to allow amendments on whatever the Government brings forward (which we still don't know and won't until Monday). He can't say anything for certain but he would try to facilitate it.
Letwin pointing out that what the Government is trying to do seems to go counter to what his amendment requires.
It's all gone terribly procedural. Presumably what the Government intended. Keep opponents wondering rather than plotting.
MPs really angry because JRM just walked out while they were still trying to get more info out of him. It's amazing how disrespectful the rules of the HOC allow MPs to be if they don't care how it looks.
Seems all this chaos is meant to delay the Government revealing the actual legislation for the Withdrawal Bill, presumably so that MPs won't have any time to consider it. Dirty tricks until the end.
We're getting to the crumbs of the points of order now, I think. Mystery won't be resolved before Monday.
Christopher Chope makes a point of order. But it's Christopher Chope, so 🤷🏻♂️
