that's not going to say liking, but that's not the right word. is acceptable to them or not. we have got beyond 100 days coming up in a moment, and we will keep the story going for you here on bbc news. you're watching beyond one hundred days. the british prime minister is chairing the most important meeting of her premiership — as she seeks the support of senior ministers for her brexit plan. whether they'll get on board with it is anyone's guess at this stage — the meetings been going on for five hours so far. if — and when— she gets the support of her ministers — then the prime minister has to present that draft text to parliament for it to be voted on — an even bigger hurdle. this is the scene live in downing street — where the prime minister is due to make a statement, whenever it is that that cabinet meeting finally breaks up. meanwhile, it's also a waiting game for eu ambassadors in brussels who want to see the draft deal — but won't be able to until theresa may gives the green light. also on the programme... power play in the white house — first lady melania trump wants one of her husband's security

advisers to be sacked. the california wildfires claim the lives of 50 people — many more are still missing. hello and welcome — i'm christian fraser in westminster and jane 0'brien is in washington. never has there been so much comment on a legal document that few have even seen. but that is about to change. after a five hour meeting this afternoon in which the cabinet has been discussing the draft text of withdrawal agreement, it should be about to be published — and the hare will be running on what promises to be a devilishly difficult few days for the british prime minister. so far there have been no resignations although brexiteers in the cabinet, including the brexit secretary dominic raab, are known to have deep reservations. and in the past hour, a senior conservative has told the bbc that there could be a move to a vote of no confidence in the pm perhaps as soon as tomorrow. with all today's developments so far , here's our political

with all today's developments so far, here's our political editor laura kuenssberg. have you got the cabinet's backing, mrs may? does she have the cabinet's backing? a question that has been asked so many times. do you think they will support you? a question that matters right now. some of the answers about the agreement she has brokered with the eu have emerged. time to fight for her pact. an arrangement with brussels far closer than her brexit rivals had hoped. everybody is present and correct. prime minister... not correct. for some of those alongside her. the prime minister's present for now. i am confident this takes us significantly closer to delivering on what the british people voted for in the referendum. we will take back control of our borders, our laws and our money, leave the common fisheries policy and the common agricultural policy while protecting jobs, security, and the integrity of the united kingdom.

the tory top brass are the only ones who have seen it in full but already there is almost no way that labour would back the plan. from what we know of the government's deal, it is a failure in its own terms. it does not deliver a brexit for the whole country, it breaches the prime minister's own red lines, it does not deliver a strong economic deal that supports jobs and industry, and we know they have not prepared seriously for no deal. brexiteers are not the majority in here. but the prime minister needs them. do you think they sound impressed so far? you are not delivering the brexit people voted for and, today, you will lose the support of many conservative mps and millions of voters across the country. but then it was time for cabinet's verdict. is it going to be a long afternoon?

were they really ready to sign up? could they? would they? are they twisting your arm or pulling your leg? could ministers who campaigned for brexit agree to a tighter partnership than they wanted? penny mourdant, the international development secretary, is understood to be very unhappy. but for theresa may and her supporters, this is the only practical way forward. there is turmoil ahead, even if the cabinet sticks behind her, because the agreement includes the possibility of two different kinds of brexit. northern ireland staying more closely tied to brussels than the rest of the uk, so the prime minister's dup allies whose votes she relies on simply might kill the deal. secondly, it treats northern ireland differently than the rest of the uk

by having us tied now and for read that the eu rule book. if it's different from northern ireland, why not for scotland ? scottish tories are anxious and the snp gives them good reason to feel that way. is ironic that for the last two years the prime minister has told us that no deal is better than a bad deal, and now she's arguing we've got to accept a bad deal for fear of no deal. that is a false choice. fracking protesters surrounded number 10 today, locking down the street. in these difficult days, the brexit agreement could be a trap or an escape for theresa may. a desperate hostage to events, or, if she gets through, an unlikely quiet hero. that cabinet meeting has run over quite but it is now over. what can we

expect? we are expecting the prime minister to come out and make a short statement. everything is ready for her. what she says will be crucial, have the cabinet given their backing this draft agreement? if they have, that will be a huge moment for her. there has been all sorts of speculation about resignations, we will find that out in the next few minutes. a lot of excited, a lot of people sitting in their arch brexiteers who want very much to see the uk we've the eu but the question is what price would they be willing to pay for that? they are unhappy some of them of

their uk being too closely aligned to the eu but we know the message from theresa may will be this is about the national interest. there was a referendum, people voted to leave and she was say she had to compromise with the eu but her argument will be freedom of movement will end, we leave the common agricultural policy. but the question is about the customs arrangement, the backstop which we know has caused so much trouble for the government, trying to avoid border checks between northern ireland and ireland, if there is no trade deal in place to stop that happening. can the uk get out of that? it is all about control, the uk being in control of their destiny. the reason many mps voted for brexit in the first place. we could end up with something which many of them believe will not allow the uk to do that which will have all sorts of ramifications. for example, the fishing policy and what

happens to northern ireland? we know the prime minister... we think it is very imminent, just to tell you we are about one minute away from the prime minister is coming down to tell us about that cabinet ministers doodle meeting. —— cabinet meeting. she allowed all of them to have their estate, with anxiety and calling for reassurance from of them. they wanted to hear legal advice from the attorney general, the most senior lawyer for the government. whether the uk can unilaterally get out of that arrangement so it will be a significant moment for the prime minister. the cabinet have been sitting in there. they were urged by tory sceptics to walk away from this and not worry about being a minister but think about the future of the united kingdom. we will find out if

they decided to do that. there are rumours that some conservative mps have had enough and decided to put letters in to try and trigger a confidence vote in the prime minister and a leadership contest. they have not done it yet but there are rumours they are now deciding the policy is not going to change so they have to change personnel. that will mean changing the prime minister so we will have to see what comes from that while the cabinet are sitting in there. we will keep an eye on that fedora as we talk to. 0bviously those cabinet ministers on the brexit side, under pressure, having to work out whether they can support this text and whether they can get this through the house of commons. if they cannot, why are they supporting it? yes, that is a problem, notjust for the brexiteers but for other people in the cabinet. 0ne senior minister i spoke to said he is convinced that this was not

going to get through the commons. if you think that, you are going to be weighing up what you do about that. what is the point of backing a text which they feel is not going to get through. the reason they are worried about that is partly because of the democratic unionist party were concerned about northern ireland being treated differently than the rest of the uk. they will have to follow rules and regulations unlike the rest of the united kingdom so they will end up with checks and border between them and the rest. that has a knock on effect. for scottish mps. that has a knock on effect. for scottish mp5. the scottish secretary, david mundell, is concerned about safeguarding fishing rights and if northern ireland are treated differently and have a closer relationship with the eu and the single market, then there will be people in scotland seeing quickly, if northern ireland can have it, why can't scotland have it? that was the main debate during the

referendum campaign for some who said that brexit vote could trigger the breaking up of the united kingdom, notjust northern ireland but scotland as well. we know to use the media is going to meet arlene foster after this cabinet meeting so after she has made her statement, she will speak to her. they have been very visited us about what the think is in this document. they feel they cannot support it as they understand it to be. that is a big problem for theresa may because she relies on the dup and their mps to get those through parliament. with problems on your own site as well, that will be tricky. the resignation ofjojohnson, that will be tricky. the resignation ofjo johnson, the brother of that will be tricky. the resignation ofjojohnson, the brother of boris johnson, on the remains side of the argument saying this is the worst of the world and we're better off staying in the eu than this. she is getting it from both sides, from the

euro—sceptics and some on the remain side of the argument to feel they cannot this deal. can she survive any more resignations and a vote of no confidence for that matter?m does obviously depends who it is. but to be rude about some of the morejunior but to be rude about some of the more junior members, but but to be rude about some of the morejunior members, but some of them are lesser known. there is a pecking order in the cabinet. if it is perhaps the international development secretary, penny mordaunt or the work and pensions secretary, then she probably could withstand that. she did lose her foreign secretary and brexit secretary in the middle of the negotiations. she did carry on. if she cannot take some of the more seniorfigures to third, she cannot take some of the more senior figures to third, that would bea senior figures to third, that would be a problem. downing street have been concerned about people like dominic raab, a brexiteer himself. it will be quite crucial to keep him

onside. i think one or two she could possibly withstand. when it comes to the no—confidence vote, that is interesting, if they can trigger this contest, it is not straight to a leadership contest, that has to be a leadership contest, that has to be a vote which all conservative mps can take part in so those who wish to get rid of, have 115 votes. that isa to get rid of, have 115 votes. that is a completely different prospect, to do that at the crucial moment when she says she has managed to get a hard —fought when she says she has managed to get a hard—fought deal when she says she has managed to get a hard —fought deal with when she says she has managed to get a hard—fought deal with the eu, to see at that point, we want to get rid of you and launch into a leadership contest, i think there are many conservative mps who think that that timing would not be the right thing to do. it would look mad to the rest of the country that they are engaging in that sort of internal division at a time when they should be thinking about the national interest so i think that is the argument that has been going on amongst those eurosceptic mps who

have been fed up with herfor a while but that is definitely an argument about the timing and wisdom of launching some kind of confidence vote now. rather than waiting. there will be a question of why bother to put the party through this if the question what she puts before them. if that is an alternative to this, if they do not like it, is there another way forward or have we all run out of time? that is the crucial question. that is exactly the question. that is exactly the question that mps on all sides of the house of commons are going to have to think about. they will have to think, if i vote against the deal, it is not perfect, what will i get? that is a great disagreement about that. great disagreement over

the consequences of that. to use me will frame that as her deal, which she was there is not what everyone wa nted she was there is not what everyone wanted because it is a compromise or it is no deal. that is not any when you speak to who thinks the uk is ready for that no deal scenario at the end of march. it could have been if they started preparation in earnest two years ago, perhaps they would have been in a better place but that did not happen. there has been some last—minute arrangements but they are not ready and even yesterday, borisjohnston when i spoke to him and asked what the alternative was, he said they were not ready and needed a transition period. even to get to a no deal scenario. so that is a problem for many mps and that is a growing number of mps if you the alternative could be a second referendum. that

is interesting because a few months ago if you had asked me, i would've said no prospect of that happening. it is still unlikely but it has gained traction with many mps. it is still unlikely but it has gained traction with many mp5. the resignation ofjo johnson on gained traction with many mp5. the resignation ofjojohnson on friday saying he supported the idea of another referendum, that campaign with hundreds of thousands of people marching through the streets of london a few weeks ago calling for it, that would be something they feel they can get. 0thers talking about being in the european economic area, they do think there are alternatives but it is not clear how those mps could get that to happen. that door is not opening at the moment. we will keep an eye on it. i wa nt to moment. we will keep an eye on it. i want to bring in sammy wilson, brexit spokesman for the dup. we will go back to theresa may if she appears. you have read the text? we have not read the text. i suspect

cabinet ministers who are making this decision have not read the text either. we will not get through 500 pages of legal document in the time they have available. so all of us we re they have available. so all of us were commenting on this or making decisions on this, are relying on briefings which have been giving to the press or summaries given by the prime minister. does it surprise you that the authorities in gibraltar have read it but not you? nothing surprises me about this. one of the reasons why cabinet ministers and ourselves are deliberately being keptin ourselves are deliberately being kept in the dark —— in the dark is because the feminist could not afford for people to know the detail of the agreement because they will be horrified. we know what is in the headlines. —— because the prime minister could not afford for people. toxic remarks are hidden in the middle of these massive

documents. if you look at the headline stuff, that is sufficient to raise alarm for people who want the united kingdom to leave the eu because it is clear we will stay in the customs union and stay under some of the eu regulations. the papers here said the eu has gained back control, putting it well. secondly, it is clear in a letter sent by the prime minister weeks ago that there will be different arrangements for northern ireland, despite the promises she made that northern ireland would not beehive. that way. so when arlene foster goes into downing street later this evening... —— would not be hived off in that way. she is going in after the cabinet meeting, what would she say? i think she will say, prime minister you made certain prop promises to us. let us go through

those promises. he explained to us how those promises have been delivered in this agreement. first of all, is northern ireland going to be treated differently? secondly, will northern ireland be able to decide whether it is aligned to the eu or is that going to be imposed upon us? thirdly, is the backstop arrangement put in place of united kingdom as a wall or northern ireland in particular and is it capable of being ended by a decision of the uk parliament? those are the kinds of questions she will be asking. what role will there be for the northern ireland assembly because you promised it would have the final say on what laws applied in northern ireland. those are the questions. i understand that but i understood —— i read today that and no deal would cause enormous damage to the northern ireland economy. people voted for northern ireland to remain in the european union. if

thatis remain in the european union. if that is this transition, which this could facilitate because it is a withdrawal agreement, we're still in the game and we go onto the next stage which is the deal itself, would it not be better to look at that rather than the chaos which might car? what agreement do we have? we are paying out 39 billion upfront. it is a trade deal agreement. what is the assurance we are going to get a favourable trade deal? nobody would pay for a car and then say to the person, in two yea rs' then say to the person, in two years' time, let us see what kind of version were getting? let us have a look, he visited his knee. let us hear what she has to say. the cabinet hasjust hear what she has to say. the cabinet has just had hear what she has to say. the cabinet hasjust had a long, detailed and impassioned debate on the draft withdrawal agreement and the draft withdrawal agreement and the outline political declaration on out the outline political declaration on our future relationship with the

european union. these documents were the result of thousands of hours of ha rd the result of thousands of hours of hard negotiations by uk officials and many meetings which i and other ministers held without eu counterparts. i firmly believe that the draft withdrawal agreement is the draft withdrawal agreement is the best that can be negotiated. it was for the cabinet to decide whether to move on in the talks. the choices before us were difficult, particularly in relation to northern ireland backstop. the collective decision of the cabinet was that the government should agree the draft withdrawal agreement and the outline political declaration. this is a decisive step which enables us to move on and finalise the deal in the days ahead. these decisions were not taken days ahead. these decisions were not ta ken lightly but days ahead. these decisions were not taken lightly but i believe it is a decision that is firmly in the national interest. when you strip away the detail, the choice for us is clear, this deal which delivers on the vote of the referendum which

brings back control of our money, laws and borders, ends free movement, protects job security and out movement, protects job security and our union or leave with no deal or no brexit at all. i know there will be difficult days ahead. this is a decision which will come under intense scrutiny and that is entirely as it should be and entirely as it should be and entirely understandable. but the choice was, this deal which enables us choice was, this deal which enables us to take back control and to build a brighter future for our country or going back to square one with more division, more uncertainty and a failure to deliver on the referendum. it is myjob as prime minister to explain the decisions the government has taken and i stand ready to do that, beginning tomorrow with the statement in parliament. if i may end byjust saying this, i believe that's what i wrote this country is to take decisions that

are in the national interest. i firmly believe with my head and my heart, that this is a decision which is in the best interests of our entire united kingdom. so there you have theresa may at the end of a five—hour cabinet meeting saying this, in her view, five—hour cabinet meeting saying this, in herview, is five—hour cabinet meeting saying this, in her view, is the best option she can get at this current time within the parameters she has been set. does set the here running on the political process. not only will she go and make a statement tomorrow in the house of commons but tonight we might get a statement from michel barnier, the negotiator in brussels. we also expect a 27 ambassadors in brussels will also get a copy of that text. let us bring in sammy wilson again and crispin blunt who supported brexit. she is confident that deal was the best deal they can get. it is a poor

deal, a bad deal, a deal she said he would accept. i think when it comes to house of commons, she is going to find there are many people who share that view because why would a prime minister bring a deal to the house of commons which keeps us tied to the customs union and eu regulations, which does not allow us to break free of those except by the permission of body the united kingdom? for that we paid £39 billion? i think people will be appalled at this deal. he own words, no deal was better than a bad deal. —— to use her own words. i think the house of commons will give their judgment on it eventually comes to them. one of the visitors to number ten has been the chief whip, we have seen liam brady go into cabinet 0ffice seen liam brady go into cabinet office in the back way, she will

have been kept abreast what is going on across the road. that is report tonight from one source there will bea tonight from one source there will be a vote of no—confidence. —— there isa be a vote of no—confidence. —— there is a report. what would you do in that circumstance? that is all in the hands of liam brady. firstly i wa nt to the hands of liam brady. firstly i want to see what the deal is she has secured. however, all the briefing thatis secured. however, all the briefing that is coming out is suggesting that is coming out is suggesting that this deal has a snowball‘s chance in hell of passing the house of commons and less that is some radical change in the labour party position, i can see the dup accepting it. —— unless there is. i cannot see the european research group of the conservative party accepting it either. then we need to turn about —— to the implication of no deal. 20 months ago we produced a report on the implications of no deal. we said it would be a dereliction of duty of the government had not properly prepared

for it. the truth is, it is not the end of the world. it is entirely manageable. the british position will be immensely stronger in negotiations on the 30th of march. it will be the eu who have put us in this position because of the dreadful wheelie of treated the prime minister in the course of negotiations. —— dreadful we'd be treated. when this goes back to the ambassadors in the european union, presumably some of the sex could be changed. they have not seen the text either. —— some of the text could be changed. we keep stressing, this is not a deal yet but illegal text which could be changed. our european partners need now to wake up and smell the coffee. this negotiation will be conducted by the european can dip —— commission whose interest is to protect the institution of the

european union and punish the united kingdom who said it was no longer in interest to remain in there. try minister has conducted a negotiation with the utmost courtesy. —— the prime minister has. she has bent over backwards to meet the request of the european union and the truth is they have not been representing the real interests of the people of the real interests of the people of the 27th. there has been an extraordinary strategy from the republic of ireland who demanded solidarity over the issue of the northern ireland border in wholly impractical terms but any future protocol on agreement. this artificial fuss has been created which now looks like it will derail the entire process. it is the republic of ireland whose interests are at stake if there is no deal. what is the alternative? a lot of people have said today if you vote

this agreement down is perhaps no deal, this is finally the only chance for those who support brexit... chance for those who support brexit. .. the government is governed by the law. we have passed the law is to leave the european union. there is no other majority for any other option. resolutions in the house of commons do not bind the government. so if parliament rejects the deal and then we are then in a default, no deal position, as william hague said, we need to start preparing for no deal. my committee said this 20 months ago. it was grossly negligent of david cameron to instruct the government before the referendum to do no planning. we said it would be a gross dereliction of duty of this government if it had not done the no deal planning. we know a great deal of no deal planning has gone on, whether it is enough we will have to seek but we

have four months before the end of march. at that point, when we have left, united kingdom is good to be in an immensely powerful position as far as in an immensely powerful position as faras our in an immensely powerful position as far as our european partners are concerned. they need a defence and security contributions. they need a foreign policy cooperation. the european union in terms of trading of goods. they need our money. their budget will have a huge hole smashed in it. it is the responsibility of the european union negotiators who output the european union in this position. thank you both very much. let us return to downing street. you can see pictures at the back as people start to leave the meeting. so, harder one overcome for the prime minister but you have just heard how much more difficult the next process will be. yes but i

think the underestimate if she has managed to get the backing of the cabinet, that is a significant moment. we have seen david mundell come out already. he is deeply concerned about fishing rights and northern ireland being treated differently, leading to problems with scotland and the snp calling for the same. what was interesting is theresa may giving that state m e nts is theresa may giving that statements and immediately saying this is going to be a choice between her deal, no deal or no brexit so thatis her deal, no deal or no brexit so that is going to be the pressure that is going to be the pressure that will be put on those mps, not just the dup but conservative mps and also something labour mps will have to think about as well. it is all about what they think they can achieve if they vote against her deal. do they think they will end up with no deal which hardly any of them in the house of commons would wa nt them in the house of commons would want or do they think they can bring about some other kind of change? there is the health secretary.

probably one of the most loyal mps. david mundell is further down the street talking to reporters and explaining how he has been reassured, presumably, about the worries he had. theresa may except there are difficulties as —— ahead. it isa there are difficulties as —— ahead. it is a difficult conversation, she said, it went on for five hours and they were all asking for reassurance but the focus now turns to house of commons and whether she can simply get enough people to that deal. having the cabinet behind it, we know some of them had deep concerns and if they feel they can hack it, that may sway the opinion of enough conservative mps. 0n that may sway the opinion of enough conservative mps. on paper it looks incredibly difficult to see how she can do it if she does not have the support of the dup. they do not sound convinced that theresa may is

going off to speak to the leader of the dup, arlene foster. just explain some of the calendar of events that will take place from here. it looks as though attention will return to brussels, and there will return to brussels, and there will be a summit on the 25th of november, and somewhere down the line, mid—december, they will be a vote in the house of commons. so she has some time, and in a way it is about stealing the momentum, the brexiteers trying to do that yesterday in central hall, behind me, and you were there talking to jacob rees—mogg and borisjohnson and the like, but now it is really a marketing plan for the prime minister to try to sell what she has to as many people as possible. minister to try to sell what she has to as many people as possiblem is, some would call it spin. given that we haven't seen the document, only cabinet ministers have seen it, this is the moment where theresa may can give us her version, if you like, before people start going through line by line and seeing some of the problems that are in there,

so time is not necessarily on her side, but there is talk of a vote in the house of commons may be on the 10th of december, but you can hear what her message is going to be. it is going to be about doing the right thing in the national interest. she is saying very candidly, this is the best that i could get. we have had a painstaking thousands of hours of negotiations with the eu, but i think she would say to those who feel that if parliament voted down, go back to the eu, they were babies you something better, she will say, they won't, we've tried, and this is where we've got to with this compromise, it's not perfect but people have to accept they were not going to get everything they want. but the framing of that to those who are on the remain side of the argument, to say to them, if you vote this down, we will get no—deal, but is not what we want, and on the other side, you could be risking brexit not happening at all because of the growing momentum there is behind the possibility of another

referendum, and she will ask them to focus their minds on what they generally think the alternative could be. we're hearing that michel barnier, the european commission negotiator, will make a statement in the next half an hour, and we will bring you that live on here on bbc news. if it came to a vote of no—confidence, the prime minister has said before she will stand in that vote of no confidence, and even if she won by one vote, would carry on. is that tenable? are you united, gentlemen? are you behind this agreement? the international trade secretary liam fox, and i think that was the foreign secretary as well, just going out together. they have given their support to the prime minister. i wasjust given their support to the prime minister. i was just saying, given their support to the prime minister. i wasjust saying, if given their support to the prime minister. i was just saying, if it came toa minister. i was just saying, if it came to a vote of no confidence, and she stirred, and even if she won by one vote, she said she would continue, is that tenable the weather house of commons is at the moment, because it is quite febrile

in there? i do think the timing is all—important, and i think this is what those who dislike a premiership have been wrestling with, when is the right time to move against. jacob rees—mogg has been saying it is about the policy is not the person, but if cabinet have now backed that, that is less likely than that any policy shift is going to happen, they may feel the only thing to do is to launch a challenge against her. but it doesn't launch straight into a leadership context. you end up with this vote of confidence, which she only needs to win by one vote. clearly if 100 mps voted against her, that would be a problem. but if she were to get through, lots of tory mps would be thinking, this is the moment to do this. she has worked and got this deal, and the least you do is put it toa deal, and the least you do is put it to a vote in the house of commons, and that is the most democratic thing to do. and what is the alternative? what happens then? who ta kes alternative? what happens then? who takes over? what kind of deal do they think they can get after all

these months and hours of negotiations, can they does come in a last minute and rip it all up and start again, and that seem particularly practical at this time. but you saw their liam fox, someone who has been a brexiteer, fighting for leaving the eu all his life, if he is going along with this, you do wonder whether that can persuade some of those euro—sceptics in the party. not all of them, there will be some who absolutely were really never going to be happy to accept any kind of deal or compromise with the eu, that it is how many of the others they can peel off and persuade de bakker at this time. vicki young, we will come back to you later in the programme. we are hearing from the scottish secretary david mundell that there will be no resignations as far as he is aware at the moment.

this is the moment of maximum danger for the prime minister, but as you have said before, people will be standing with their toes over the edge of the cliff. are they prepared to face the prospect of no deal all the chaos that would happen after it? we have learned two fascinating things from this, theresa may telling us it wasn't easy to sell it to the cabinet, but we have crossed herbal, but we also no clear on the tactic she will use with the country on her own politicians, because she has said it's not a fabulous deal, but it is the best i can get, which she keeps saying it is in the national interest, and consider the alternative, the alternative is either that we don't leave the european union at all or a no—deal brexit. to get your question, will

that work? people around here saying, no way does she have the votes to get this deal through. but i think it depends on this. it depends on whether enough brexiteers think to themselves, i don't like this deal very much but at least we get to leave the european union next march, and whether enough people who are on the remain side of the argument say to themselves, this deal is terrible, we would be much better in the european union, but i don't like the idea of a disorderly brexit. it depends on whether politicians in this country buy into her line, that it is my deal or a real crisis. reading a statement here from guy verhofstadt, the european parliament brexit coordinator, he is on the steering group and can be quite hard line on brexit, that he is saying we welcome the positive progress made in negotiations. he goes onto say that it is encouraging to see that we are moving towards a fair deal, in his view, interesting, and it is up to elected parliamentarians on both sides of the channel to do their

work and scrutinise the deal. i would like you to look into your crystal ball, and i know you have not read the text either, i bet you are itching to get your hands on it. what has theresa may won, first of all. what is a win for her? what she has managed to do, it seems like, is the win is in her cabinet at the moment, we don't know about parliament. she has managed to square parliament. she has managed to square a parliament. she has managed to square a cabinet that it seemed couldn't be squared around the irish backstop on the customs arrangements. that by itself is no mean achievement. i should say that we can't be certain about the cabinet, because if you think back to chequers, the last ever that excited about brexit, it took the foreign secretary 48 hours to realise what he had signed up to and resign over it, so it doesn't necessarily mean all is well in the garden, but so far so good, and verhofstadt's statement is interesting, because it means the

optics change completely. all of a sudden remainermps optics change completely. all of a sudden remainer mps will be seeing the same site, theresa may standing up the same site, theresa may standing up with donald tusk and all the rest say, this is a good deal. and we we re say, this is a good deal. and we were talking about northern ireland existing in a customs union on its own, now we're talking about the uk asa own, now we're talking about the uk as a whole, to varying degrees. ireland slightly deeper in than us, but nevertheless, uk why customs union. a cynic might say that what the eu has done is broken the rules set down at the start. they said we can't say anything about the future in the withdrawal agreement except northern ireland. it sounds now like they have started talking about customs arrangements for the future in that withdrawal agreement as a way of squaring that irish backstop issue. the big question is what she had to give away to secure that uk wide customs union. i would say that all along britain has been on the back foot in its negotiating position with the european union, not necessarily because theresa may

hasn't handled it well but she was just dealt a poor hand. it seems to me that the european union has a lwa ys me that the european union has always been in the stronger negotiating position. what has she had to give away? i suppose she has had to give away? i suppose she has had to give away? i suppose she has had to give away the idea that britain will be staying very closely tied to the european union for longer than i think perhaps she had first let the country know, but the way i put it is this. it seems to be the mistakes she made is that two yea rs the mistakes she made is that two years ago after the brexit vote, shekinah sold the country the idea that she was going to entirely side with a brexiteers, with a 52%, no single market, no customs union, no european court of justice, single market, no customs union, no european court ofjustice, and it seems to me what has happened, and this is why she is in the problem that she has, that over two years, she has fought, the europeans are not going to give us some fantastic deal that achieves all of that, leaving the european union without a deal would cause absolute chaos, and so she has thought, you know what, this is what we have to go with, but i'm not sure that she is entirely

prepared for the brexit wing of her party for that. i will let you both go. and an has had a long night ahead of him, he has to go through 580 pages of text, i'm told. 585, someone is telling me. it is very exciting. i hope you have cleared your diary for tomorrow! thank you both very much indeed. just a little recap, because things are moving very fast. theresa may has announced a draft brexit deal, she said the discussions on the cabinet were impassioned but it was made in a cabinet interest. she also announced she would address parliament tomorrow. let's listen to what the prime minister has just said on the steps of number 10 downing street. the cabinet hasjust had a long, detailed and impassioned debate on the draft withdrawal agreement of the outline political declaration on our future

relationship with the european union. these documents were the result of thousands of hours of hard negotiation by uk officials, and many, negotiation by uk officials, and any negotiation by uk officials, and many, many meetings which i and other ministers held with our eu counterparts. i firmly believe that the draft withdrawal agreement was the draft withdrawal agreement was the best that could be negotiated, and it was for the cabinet to decide whether to move on in the talks. the choices before us were difficult particularly in relation to the northern ireland backstop, but the collective decision of cabinet was that the government should agree the d raft that the government should agree the draft withdrawal agreement of the act of political declaration. this isa act of political declaration. this is a decisive step which enables us to move on and finalise the deal in the days ahead. these decisions were not taken the days ahead. these decisions were not ta ken lightly, the days ahead. these decisions were not taken lightly, but i believe it isa not taken lightly, but i believe it is a decision that is firmly in the national interest. when you strip away the detail, the choice before us is clear. this deal, which delivers on the vote of the referendum, which brings back

control of our money, laws and borders, ends free movement, protects jobs, security and borders, ends free movement, protectsjobs, security and our union, or leave with no deal, or no brexit at all. i know that there will be difficult days ahead. this isa will be difficult days ahead. this is a decision which will come under intense scrutiny, and that is entirely as it should be, and entirely as it should be, and entirely understandable. but the choice was this deal, which enables us to take back control and to build a brighterfuture us to take back control and to build a brighter future of our country, us to take back control and to build a brighterfuture of our country, or going back to square one with more division, more uncertainty and a failure to deliver on the referendum. it's my job failure to deliver on the referendum. it's myjob as prime minister to explain the decisions that the government has taken, and i stand ready to do that, beginning tomorrow with a statement in parliament. but if i may end byjust saying this. i believe that what i go to this country is to take

decisions that are in the national interest, and i firmly decisions that are in the national interest, and ifirmly believe decisions that are in the national interest, and i firmly believe with my head and my heart that this is a decision which is in the best interests of our entire united kingdom. theresa may speaking just a short time ago after almost five and a half hours of a cabinet meeting, it went two hours over the scheduled time it was supposed to last. let's bring in conservative mp grant shapps who voted to remain in the eu because he knew it would be complex to leave. hejoins us because he knew it would be complex to leave. he joins us from hatfield, his constituency. i should ask you first of all since you are the former chair of the conservative party what you make of the reports that there may be a vote of no—confidence brewing? that there may be a vote of no-confidence brewing? you hear those reports all the time, and frankly since the only person who knows the answer to it as the chairman of the 1922 committee, sir graham brady, itake chairman of the 1922 committee, sir graham brady, i take all those reports with a huge pinch of salt. certainly while i was chairman, in

and out of number 10, i never knew quite how many letters were in, and i don't suppose anybody else does, soi i don't suppose anybody else does, so i largely ignore those predictable rumours that will fly around. but you will be aware of the peril that the conservative party is facing at the moment. if the eurosceptics within the party were to vote down a deal and in the chaos that would follow that, you would say certain parts of the country wouldn't forgive them for that, and then certain people would say, are you really going to get rid of the prime minister at the moment of greatest tension and when the chaos could ensue. that could put you between a rock and a hard place as a party. i think that is absolutely right, and now would be the most difficult and problematic and wrong time to get rid of a prime minister. i spoke over a year ago and said, if we're going to change prime minister, change the lead on these negotiations, that would have been the time do it, after we lost the majority at the election, but that wasn't to happen, and so now she has against lex petitions, theresa may has carried on. here is going to be

the interesting thing in the next few days and weeks, possibly until i think the 10th of december when this is likely to come up for the vote in the house of commons. this morning, asi the house of commons. this morning, as i went into prime minister's questions, i bumped intojacob rees—mogg, and i was reflecting with him because he was saying, he is definitely going to vote against this deal, no big surprise there, we all know that. but then over lunch after prime minister's questions, i happened to be sitting with dominic greene, who is on the if you like extreme other end of this argument, the strong remainer, really doesn't wa nt the strong remainer, really doesn't want us out of the eu, and i asked what he was going to do, and he said the chances are i am going to have to vote against this agreement, so now you have both wings saying they think they have to vote against this agreement, it becomes very difficult to see how it must as a parliamentary majority. would you vote against it? i am going to settle down with those 583 pages and give it a very, very good read. i

read every word of the chequers agreement, which, interestingly, the cabinet who are looking at that the time, certainly wouldn't have had the opportunity to do, and i doubt they'd have the time to look at this either, they won't have done in the little time they had to look at it beforehand, so i will read every single word, and what i will be considering is this. are we going to get any of the advantages of actually leaving that have been promised, so that is being able to sign off on free trade agreements and go out and win in the wider world through being competitive, futa cs world through being competitive, futacs and other things, or are we going to get any of the benefits of remaining, that is obviously the idea of staying in the customs union, and actually in the end are we any better off at all? and so thatis we any better off at all? and so that is what will guide my vote, i imagine the second week of december in the house of commons. i can genuinely tell you for me, this is ona genuinely tell you for me, this is on a knife edge, because i want to vote based on whether i think this will be better or not for britain. forget the spin, we haven't read the

document yet. let's see what it actually says in detail. but it does sound as if a lot of your colleagues have already made up their minds. is there anything that the prime minister can do to get them to the table and get them to agree with her, bearing in mind she says it is this or nothing? i think the prime minister has been walking and almost impossible tightrope. 0n minister has been walking and almost impossible tightrope. on one side she came out initially, she said brexit will mean brexit, that is how she got herself elected as the prime minister, as the leader of the party and prime minister after david cameron went, that satisfied the strong brexiteers, but then of course she started to give away ground, but seemingly not enough, people who have said already they are not going to vote for this, like dominic grieve orjustine greening, both of whom are on the extreme remain side, what people unfairly call the remoaners, people who want

a second referendum. if they vote that we thinking they can get a deal, that is a very dangerous position for the prime minister, and thatis position for the prime minister, and that is why in the end it may be the more moderate middle ground people who don't wake up every day thinking about europe, to decide what is the sensible thing to do in the national interest, and i think you can only do by reading the detail of this exit agreement, and of course the promise of the trade that will come afterwards. and we will be waiting to dojust afterwards. and we will be waiting to do just that. grant shapps, thank you very much indeed forjoining us. thank you. christian, can you give mea thank you. christian, can you give me a sense ofjust how significant this is? the fact that theresa may has got this through her cabinet? because we are already talking about the next obstacles she is going to face. i think it is significant when you go back to the summit in salzburg that i was at, where things are really at a low ebb, and i don't think you can underestimate how difficult things were getting at

that point in time. there is a report today in the guardian about sabine weiland, the deputy to michel barnier brussels, who has said that what we need to do is take this away from all the commentators on the site, all the leaders, and go into what they call a tunnel, into the dark, and let's throw around some wacky ideas and some ideas that are highly controversial, and see if we can find highly controversial, and see if we canfind a highly controversial, and see if we can find a way through the impasse, which was this issue of northern ireland, northern ireland existing ina ireland, northern ireland existing in a customs union on its own, and from that point there were some really detailed discussions over the last two weeks. they had arrived at this point with a text which she has been able to get past her cabinet this evening. so i think in the space ofjust over a month, this is quite an achievement for the prime minister and for her team. what we don't know of course is what is going to happen in the coming days with his cabinet ministers have had a chance to pour through the document, 585 pages of it, and we don't know the calculations of the

senior brexiteers in the cabinet are making, because they will know that it is her head that is on the chopping block. it's not them. so if she goes down, they will still be wa nt to she goes down, they will still be want to be there in the process, either picking up the pieces are involved in the trade negotiation later down the line. so there are some political calculation is going on at the moment, and we just need to see and wait to find out where these brexit ministers might go. let's bring in ros atkins who is in brussels for us this morning, because now after this high day of drama in london, the attention shifts to you, and what is going to happen there in brussels in the coming our? what is going to happen is in the european commission building just behind me, is in the european commission buildingjust behind me, christian and jane, michel barnier, the lead negotiator for the european union throughout these negotiations, is going to give a press conference. even an hour, and are half ago, the energy seemed to be ebbing out of the evening here in brussels, we we re the evening here in brussels, we were not sure if anything was going to happen, there were rumours that dominic raab might get on the

eurostar from london to brussels, we we re eurostar from london to brussels, we were told that wouldn't happen, we weren't clear. were told that wouldn't happen, we we ren't clear. but were told that wouldn't happen, we weren't clear. but immediately after that statement from theresa may in downing street, within minutes, the european commission and the european union confirmed that michel barnier would be stepping out. we don't know exactly what he's going to say, but of course he will be relieved that this has got through cabinet, and one of the key shift in the dynamic here, andl one of the key shift in the dynamic here, and i have been talking about this with one of our bbc colleagues, is now we have the big institutions of the european union lining up behind something which theresa may is also supporting, and that is going to make her life easier than when they were on the other side of the table, such as the salzburg summit which you were describing. for hundreds of days we have been hunting the unicorn, something the two sides could agree. let me show you this while we talk you, ros. this is the text, it has just been published by the european commission. this is just published by the european commission. this isjust the published by the european commission. this is just the first two pa g es commission. this is just the first two pages of what is a very dense

document, full of legal analysis, all sorts of rules and regulations that we will be poring over over the next few days. it is not only the mps that will have got a first sight of this, also the 27 eu ambassadors who were there in brussels today, they didn't see it either. no, they brought these 585 page report in boxes for the ambassadors, but the boxes for the ambassadors, but the boxes stayed sealed, because the arrangement the eu had was that until cabinet in downing street had given it the 0k, until cabinet in downing street had given it the ok, this would not be passed individual member states within the european union, so those 27 ambassadors representing the 27 member states of the eu who will remain after brexit, they got a pretty thorough briefing, we understand, what was coming, but didn't actually get their hands on the document to go through it. and i think while we'rejoking the document to go through it. and i think while we're joking about the level of detail that is within this agreement and the fact that it is going to take a all an awfully long time to read, 1.i

going to take a all an awfully long time to read, 1.1 would make, jane and christian, is because of its detail, because it is almost impossible to understand the technical language within it, that gives an opportunity to the eu, to theresa may adds to critics of these proposals, to spend what it represents as they so choose, and while we have summaries of this report also provided, its going to be interesting to see the different sides of this argument take these 585 pages, and distil it into something which they want to put into the public domain. well, your programme, 0utside source is coming up, plenty more throughout the night. a day of high drama here in westminster today, at a moment of maximum danger for the prime minister, but she has at least ove rco m e minister, but she has at least overcome the first hurdle of the process , overcome the first hurdle of the process, and that was getting this document passed cabinet. the meeting went on well over the three hours that it was scheduled four, five and a bit hours in the end, but no resignations so far, and every sign

that this document will now pass to the house of commons, where there will be plenty to come in the next few days. from me and jane, thank you very much for watching. we will see you tomorrow. good evening. for the northern half of the uk, it has been a tale of two halves, wet and windy, but the rain pushed through quite a pace, moving out of northern ireland and much of scotland, and then we saw some sunshine coming through, and that had quite an effect on the temperature. we still have the south—westerly flow driving the mild air right across the country, so with the sunshine and a little more shelter in parts of scotland and northern ireland today, we saw highs of 16 celsius, it is just the autumn that keeps on giving. as we go through the night tonight, we could see the return to some patchy light drizzle with a weak weather front pushing into the extreme north—west, more cloud elsewhere, and we could with some lighter winds see some patchy mist and fog, could be a nuisance first thing, but another

mild night generally, 8—12d, we could see clearer skies and low single figures for the far north—east of england. but it will bea north—east of england. but it will be a murky start but a quiet start, under the influence of this high pressure into the near continent, that will prevent this weatherford from making any significant progress across the uk, bringing outbreaks of rain into the far north—west, the mist and fog could well lift into low cloud, but that should thin and break and allow for some sunshine to come through, and if that happens, then temperatures will respond. another mild day, and if you keep the cloud, temperatures could be a little bit subdued, but generally speaking, central and southern areas could see highs and 16 degrees, 61 fahrenheit. that weatherford pushes through, but weak as it bumps into the high pressure, nothing to worry about by then, and we will start to see a change in wind direction, a su btle see a change in wind direction, a subtle change to begin with, but it will bring a change to the weather as we head into the weekend. friday

we could see a little more in the way of mist and fog, lifting to low cloud, and slightly disappointing affair, the best of the sunshine further north, but the highest value is still at around 11—15 degrees, but the wind will start to push in from an easterly direction, as we head to the weekend, making it feel a bit cooler then we have seen of late. still plenty of dry, sunny weather to look out for, but a noticeable difference in the feel of the weather, and certainly worth bearing in mind that we could see a return to some overnight frost. take care. michelle hello and welcome to this bbc news special with me, christian fraser in westminster and ros atkins in brussels. our top story: in the last hour, theresa may says after a long, detailed and impassioned debate, her ministers have agreed to back the draft brexit agreement. cabinet ministers spent five hours studying the details of the draft agreement, with what was said to be difficult choices.

the choices before us were difficult, particularly in relation to the northern ireland backstop, but the collective decision of cabinet was that the government should agree the draft withdrawal agreement and the outlined political declaration. here in brussels... eu ambassadors earlier were left waiting for hours to get their first