Brexit bill clears Commons

1. PM's Brexit bill faced final-stage vote in the Commons
2. Bill given approval by 330 votes to 231 - a majority of 99
3. Approved bill to move to House of Lords for further consideration

What is Stormont and why does it matter?

By Jayne McCormack

BBC News NI Political Reporter

Four Labour contenders pass nominations threshold

And following on the heels of that news, Lisa Nandy's team has also confirmed she's received the necessary nominations as well.

"I am so proud to have been nominated by a group of MPs representing different parts of the country and different traditions in our movement," the Wigan MP says.

According to the Labour website, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey has also passed the threshold of 22 MP and MEP nominations as well.

Among the declared runners, that just leaves Clive Lewis and Emily Thornberry looking to secure enough support from colleagues to stand.

Jess Phillips secures colleagues' support for Labour leader bid

Reuters

Jess Phillips has become the second Labour leadership hopeful to secure the 22 MP and MEP nominations required to make it onto the ballot.

The first contender to do so, Sir Keir Starmer, has secured the most nominations so far.

Candidates must also secure nominations from at least 5% of Labour's constituency parties or three affiliated bodies - two of which must be trade unions.

Remain-backing party figures react to vote

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford is quick to react to the result of the vote, which he calls an "historic moment".

He says the SNP "cannot accept what has been done to us," with the UK leaving the EU despite Scotland voting to remain.

Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Alistair Carmichael has put out a statement saying the bill is "damaging" and describing the government as "inhumane and insular".

He says his party will continue to fight the government "to secure the rights that the Tories are determined to erase" as the bill goes through Parliament.

MPs approve Brexit bill

House of Commons

Parliament

By 330 votes to 231, MPs vote to give their final approval the Brexit bill - the legislation required to implement the government's Brexit deal with the EU.

The bill will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny next week.

It will only come back to the Commons for another vote if the Lords decide to amend it.

MPs voting on whether to approve Brexit bill

House of Commons

Parliament

MPs are now voting on whether to pass the bill at third reading, its final Commons stage.

For the past three days MPs have been scrutinising the bill. A number of amendments were suggested, but all of them were either defeated or not put to a vote.

So MPs are voting on the latest version of the bill as drafted by the government after the election, which was unveiled last month.

MPs reject SNP amendment

House of Commons

Parliament

MPs have voted against the SNP's proposal to reject the government's Brexit bill by 329 votes to 62.

MPs voting on SNP amendment to reject Brexit bill

House of Commons

Parliament

The debate on the Brexit bill comes to an end. MPs will shortly vote on whether to approve the bill at third reading, at which point it will go to the House of Lords.

First, though, they are now voting on an SNP amendment to reject the bill entirely.

Airbus 'sees potential to expand' after Brexit

Labour MP: Brexit is 'monumental act of self-harm'

House of Commons

Parliament

HoC

Labour MP Fleur Anderson calls Brexit a “monumental act of self-harm”.

The newly elected MP for Putney, south-west London, says there are NHS workers who are "struggling to cope with work" now some EU staff have left the country.

"We know the risks. We know that Brexit won’t be done for many years to come," she says.

Ms Anderson says there was an increase in reports of racist attacks following the 2016 EU referendum.

"There are high risks that racism and discrimination will be given permission by this bill," she says.

"I've seen it happen, it happened straight after the referendum and it's happened since.

"So it's very important to say here in this place that we may be leaving the EU but we're proud of our place in Europe and the world."

Tory MP warns Lords to 'respect' Brexit vote

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP Owen Paterson warns the Lords not to delay the government's Brexit bill.

The peers will consider the bill next week if, as expected, the Commons approves the legislation today.

Mr Paterson says the Lords "should respect four massive votes by the people".

"I do hope the other place has watched what has happened," he says, referring to the speed at which the bill has travelled through the Commons.

"There is a very clear, determined goal which is to honour those votes, honour the result of the general election and to ensure that we leave the European at 23:00 on the evening of 31 January."

How to win the private members' bill battle

By Mark D'Arcy

Parliamentary correspondent

What's happening with Brexit?

SNP MP: 'Ignoring Scotland's voice undermines union'

House of Commons

Parliament

Referring to the length of the transition period, which finishes at the end of this year, SNP MP Philippa Whitford tells the Commons that 11 months is a "ridiculously short time to negotiate even a basic free trade deal".

After its 31 January exit, the UK will enter into an 11-month transition period in which it will largely follow EU rules but will not have any representation in the bloc's institutions. This period will come to an end on 31 December.

Ms Whitford says the government "sought no common ground whatsoever" from the nations, "despite the fact two of them voted to Remain" in 2016.

She says that last night the Scottish government voted 92 to 29 to withhold legislative consent to this bill.

"Ignoring this voice… will undermine the very union the members opposite protest to hold dear," she adds.

Tory MP: Further hesitation over Brexit 'will ring hollow'

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP Sir John Hayes tells MPs that "any further hesitation" over Brexit "will frankly ring hollow in the ears of those people" that voted Leave.

"This bill is the first step, not on a trip to a different place, but on a return journey - a return journey for this United Kingdom to hope, to patriotism and to greatness."

Labour minister: Child refugee move 'heartless'

House of Commons

Parliament

Labour's shadow Brexit minister Paul Blomfield tells MPs that the decision of the general election "isn’t a mandate to bulldoze through a particular version of Brexit at any cost on all the peoples of the UK, and the next few months need to be approached with sensitivity and caution if we are to stay together as a United Kingdom".

He also calls yesterday's rejection of an attempt by Labour to reinstate child refugee protection rights in the Brexit bill a "heartless move".

MPs begin debate on Brexit bill

House of Commons

Parliament

MPs have now moved on to debating the government’s Brexit withdrawal bill, which will be put to a vote at third reading stage later.

If approved as expected, it will go to the House of Lords next week for further scrutiny.

All amendments tabled so far – including a Labour one on the protection of child refugees – have either been defeated by the government or not pushed to a vote.

The only amendment being debated today is an SNP proposal to reject the bill in its entirety, which stands no chance of being approved because of the government’s 80-seat majority.

Minister: UK support team to meet Australian officials

House of Commons

Parliament

Minister Heather Wheeler says both the prime minister and foreign secretary have expressed a "readiness to help" Australia over the "devastating" crisis.

An expert "support and assessment" team will meet Australian officials within the coming days, she says.

They will examine what support would be of most use to the Australian authorities, she adds.

Minister gives statement on Australia bushfires

AFP

Foreign Office Minister Heather Wheeler has joined MPs to make a statement on the national bushfire crisis in Australia.

The Australian state of Victoria has again declared a state of disaster ahead of forecast "dangerous, dynamic" conditions.

Blazes have already burnt 1.2 million hectares in the state and claimed three lives. Nationally, 27 people have died.

MP to report peer to police over 'homophobic' comments

House of Commons

Parliament

The SNP's Hannah Bardell says she will be reporting Lord Maginnis to the police for "homophobic" comments he made about her in the press.

The Ulster Unionist peer was quoted as calling her "queer" and accusing her of attempting to "settle a score" after she raised claims of abusive behaviour towards parliamentary staff.

"I and others consider this to be a hate crime," she says.

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg describes Lord Maginnis’s comments as “unutterably disgraceful” and calls on him to apologise.