today at 5pm, we're live at westminster, where theresa may has been under relentless attack from mps over her controversial brexit deal. a day after striking the deal in brussels, theresa may went to parliament to warn that rejecting the deal would cause more uncertainty and division. we can back this deal, deliver on the vote of the referendum and move on to building a brighter future of opportunity and prosperity for all our people, or this house can choose to reject this deal and go back to square one. but the prime minister's deal was widely criticised on both sides of the house. this deal does not have the support of either side of this house or the country as a whole. mr speaker, ploughing on is not stoic, it's an act of national self harm. the prime minister and the whole house notes the mathematics. this

will never get through. and even if it did, richard ward, the dup on how we rely for a majority have said they would then review the confidence and supply agreement. pardoned and freed by the united arab emirates, the british academic matthew, who'd been sentenced to life in prison for spying. he's a ph.d. researcher, his collea g u es he's a ph.d. researcher, his colleagues know it and his family now it and hundreds of academics around the world now it and that's all that matters. the most important thing is that now we will have him back home safely. british summers could be five degrees hotter by 2070 if greenhouse gas emissions aren't cut, according to new met office projections. the first spacecraft designed to study the internal structure of mars is set to attempt a difficult landing on the planet tonight. let's go straight to westminster and

join my colleague. the prime minister has been presenting her case to mps for backing the brexit plans that were signed off in brussels over the weekend. mrs may has been on her feet for 90 minutes, and she's faced relentless critricism from all sides as she urged mps to think carefully about the parliamentary vote on december 12th. there's no shortage of conservative mps who are already committed mrs may has been on her feet for 90 minutes, and she's faced labour also rejected the prime minister's argument that the choice was between this or no deal. mrs may warned that rejecting the agreement would provoke even more division and uncertainty throughout the united kingdom. let's have a flavour of the debate so far, starting with the prime minister, theresa may. mike and say to the house with

absolute certainty that there is not absolute certainty that there is not a better deal available and my fellow leaders... my fellow leaders we re very fellow leaders... my fellow leaders were very clear on that themselves yesterday. our duty as a parliament of these coming weeks is to examine this deal in detail, to debate it respectfully, to listen to our constituents and decide what is in oui’ constituents and decide what is in our national interest. there is a choice which this house will have to make. we can back this deal, deliver on the foot of the referendum and move on to building a brighter future of opportunity and prosperity for all our people, or this house can choose to reject the steel and go back to square one. because no one knows what would happen if this deal doesn't pass, it would open the door to more division and uncertainty with all the risks that will entail. there you have the heart of the prime minister's message to mps in the house of commons today, that turn this down would be to sell more uncertainty

and division and indeed lead to far more for the opposition benches, from the party leader of labour, he said it was a botched deal and urged mrs may to start working on what he called a plan b. this deal does not have the support of either side of this house or the country as a whole. mr speaker, ploughing on is not stoic, it's an act of national self harm. instead of threatening this house with a no—deal scenario or a no—brexit scenario, the prime minister needs to prepare a plan b, something her predecessors failed to do. the response on all sides of the house, if you're not watching a while ago, let me just tell you it was pretty universally critical on the labour benches, the scottish national party, the unionists on national party, the unionists on national ireland and also in the

conservative benches. only a couple of benches expressing admiration for what the prime minister has done in terms of her dedication and hard work of recent months but critical indeed of the detail of the deal. borisjohnson, iain indeed of the detail of the deal. boris johnson, iain duncan indeed of the detail of the deal. borisjohnson, iain duncan smith, a lot of prominent brexit supporters, let's listen to them now. it's very ha rd to let's listen to them now. it's very hard to see how this deal can provide certainty to business or anyone else when you have half the cabinet going around a reassuring business that the uk is effectively going to remain in the customs union and the single market and the prime minister herself continuing to say that we are going to take back control of our laws, our tariffs and offer free trade control of our laws, our tariffs and offerfree trade deals. control of our laws, our tariffs and offer free trade deals. they can't both be right. which is it? the prime minister said that we have a legal obligation to pay £99 million.

i wonder she is forgetting a report from the house of lords from march 2017 that said in the event of leaving with a new deal, we all know money at all. therefore, what are we going with £39 million of taxpayers mmoney? the prime minister and the whole house notes the mathematics. this will never get through. and evenif this will never get through. and even if it did, which at once, the dup on whom we rely for a majority have said they will then review the confidence and supply agreement. so it's as dead as a dodo. prime minister, i plead with you, bill house of commons has never surrender to anybody and it won't start now. he was saying the deal in his view was dead as a dodo. howard any more polite form by other people too and the message delivered to the prime minister was pretty consistent. including from the former conservative party, iain duncan smith. hejoins us now. it was

relentless. is there any way to in your view that this deal is going to get through the commons on the 12th of december? i don't do numbers on this but i simply go with what i believe to be the problem. the problem setting like the elephant in all of this is the commitment to a backstop. i asked the prime minister today, given she keeps saying she doesn't want it, the eu doesn't want, the chancellor says is rubbish and even ireland said no matter what they wouldn't have a hard order, why is it very natural fires? and they wouldn't have a hard order, why is it very naturalfires? and isn't the real problem with this that when we get into these negotiations on trade, which are not fit, we will end up petrified we will fall into this terrible thing that takes away oui’ this terrible thing that takes away our ability to leave, all of this, so we our ability to leave, all of this, so we will almost give away anything, and that's exactly where the eu wants us. in many senses, she kind of admits that that's a problem but we still have this sitting in

the legally binding document. that is the real issue that sits at the heart of all of this, which i think is worrying everyone in the house of commons, that we would feed away sovereignty in a way we haven't done before. but is it any surprise, given the commitments that was made in this very area nearly a year ago? no, because i have been going on at the prime ministerfor no, because i have been going on at the prime minister for over a no, because i have been going on at the prime ministerfor over a year, one publicly on the bbc say to her, please do not sign up to this accord in december because it gives 39 billion to the eu and it says that we have to be in this backstop regardless. and we haven't even entered a trade arrangements and still haven't got any kind of idea of what this trade deal will be about, but we will have paid all that money over and we'll lock ourselves in to a backstop which amends to being in the customs union without any let out, actually having northern ireland separated by his and the worst element of this survey

you can stop us living this arrangement when of riches is because we don't have the absolute right to leave. we can't leave nato, the un, we can even leave europe is oui’ the un, we can even leave europe is our sovereign right, but we won't be able to leave the backstop without the permission of the year. that is what everyone on all sides of the house is saying we cannot accept and the government has to tell the user simply unacceptable. the government has to tell the user simply unacce ptablelj the government has to tell the user simply unacceptable. i understand you do want to get into parliamentary numbers but can you tell us what will likely happen, in your view, if this plan of the prime minister's is voted down on the 12th of december? we have always heard of a second vote. my view is that the government, if it is voted down, i believe ironically that it would strengthen the government's hands. the reason is the government goes back to the eu and says, here's the simple truth, we do not like this, the parliament won't pass it, as the heart of its life this incredible

commitment which allows the court of justice to rule on things and trapping us in this never—ending process of servitude or vassalage. we don't want that, nobody wants it, so we don't want that, nobody wants it, so you have to take that out and we have to accept that what we have his a looser arrangement or the uk government says we are preparing for and will leave into a world of wt0 arrangements, which is what the rest of the world works on, including the eu. we would prefer a trade arrangements, to get to that point, but saying to the eu insinuates interest to get this nonsense out of this agreement, and as we say, the parliament won't accept it. i think they have to go back and renegotiate. you wouldn't believe clydejohn kerr when renegotiate. you wouldn't believe clyde john kerr when he renegotiate. you wouldn't believe clydejohn kerr when he said yesterday that there was no room for manoeuvre at all. —— claudejuncker. i don't because i don't believe that is what the eu believes. it became obvious to me when i visited that

they were already making preparations for an alternative to this terrible backstop that we have here which brings us and locks us into the very thing that nobody voted for. we didn't vote to be locked into the customs union, have no say, have ireland semidetached from us. all of that they already know that it is unlikely to get through and therefore, they have to make a change. otherwise they have to a cce pt make a change. otherwise they have to accept as one of the meps said the other day, that the uk leaving the other day, that the uk leaving the eu will be like knowing the small or medium companies leaving, causing mass destruction without a proper deal. i think it's in their interest to have a deal but we need to hit call their bluff and say, i'm sorry, we won't do it and britain will not be in any kind of servile state to the rest of the year. have you any sympathy with the premise to's view when she said several times that turned a stone in a feud makes no cosmos of uncertainty, businesses was like it, it'll cause and even alarm supporters, too? for

and even alarm supporters, too? for a reason alone, it's not the pond, that's basically the message. —— it's worth a punt. don't gamble on the best of endeavours, always go and what is legally written, and thatis and what is legally written, and that is incredibly binding on us and will damage us. of course i have sympathy because she has a very difficultjob and i have said that today, but that notwithstanding, you cannot put your future in trading and your future on what you think might be the best endeavours of the eu. asi might be the best endeavours of the eu. as i always say, you plan for the worst and talk for the best. we are at the moment it appears planning for the best and hoping that at that happened and it doesn't work like that. time and time again, in 26 years here, i have listened to reassu ra nces in 26 years here, i have listened to reassurances from governments of the labour party or the conservatives about things that won't happen, undertakings they have had, the best endeavours of the eu, and every

single time we have ended up getting outvoted, getting changes made, and they are heading to a different destination of a centralised europe and we are simply not in a position to binders us back into that. that's why it is really important we get this legal status completely changed so that we don't end up being bound into this vassalage to the eu, which is what the backstop amounts to. as of the premise refuses us, she has one, what do you say and do?m of the premise refuses us, she has one, what do you say and do? if they lose the votes they have to go back to the eu and say, it ain't going to fly. and tell them that there's no way they're going to get this through. and i come back to the simple point when you look at these things, the best comes out of sometimes the worst. nobody wants a government if you're in that government if you're in that government will lose the reality is that if that's what it takes, the government will have to face up to that afterwards. it means go back and basically say, it doesn't fly, we've got to change it. my view is

the government could do that without the government could do that without the votes, they could do it now, except the fact that eu are barking up except the fact that eu are barking up the wrong tree and we need to say to them, no dice. a blunt question, what happens to the prime minister's authority if she loses this vote on the 12th of december? you as a former leader will think surely that that authority will be shot to pieces. are 30 does depend to a greater or lesser extent on how the party behaves. but it is also slightly different. my view about this process as it is so fraught, it has devoted all parties and the country is not a natural fats, nobody can expect this to be clean and simple and go through. so the reality is that, as we will see, if the vote does not go the way that the vote does not go the way that the government wants on this particular issue, i think it's more of the same to them to say, not good enough, go back and sort this out with the eu. it's also a very big signal to the eu but if you don't

agree to sort this out, then the uk will still be leaving but it will be leaving on a wto terms which will be very damaging to the eu and that is a key point we have to be absolutely clear that we have prepared for that eventuality and to the eu that no other choice is yours. they say they don't want the backstop, here's the irony, we want the uk in it, the irish say they will never have a ha rd irish say they will never have a hard border regardless of whether the backstop exist on us, the chancellor says it's terrible and disastrous for the uk and the prime minister today at the dispatch box said she really doesn't want it at all. she things it will cause problems. if everybody apparently says the same thing, what in hell's name is doing in this legally binding text? the answer is, it serves the purpose of some of those countries to have the uk heading towards this terrible press the place where we will tumble into the backstop so they can negotiate more out of us. thanks very much for

joining us. here with me on the college green, waiting patiently for the end of that interview, the conservative mp vicky ford. iain duncan smith is very clear, we have to go back to the eu and tell them it won't fly. is he being realistic in your view? i think that's an enormously high risk. we are leaving the eu in four months' time. the clock is ticking. this is a deal that reflects the referendum but really importantly, and i've been with business leaders this morning, the mistral agreement gives them the certainty of this transition time so they don't face the cliff edge in four months' time. that is what they have been asking for ever since the referendum vote. it gives them not to do to protect jobs and security. it also protects the livelihoods of the eu citizens that live in my constituency and

british relatives overseas, so we really need to give them that certainty. there are questions about the long—term future but we always knew that a trade deal wasn't going to come until after we left and we a lwa ys to come until after we left and we always knew that all the other countries would want a say. i actually think the outline of what we have one for the weekend was a lots more details than many people had expected. time and again your former party leader came back to the issue of the backstop. that is what he and others have been saying all day and you'll is than anyone, but that alone is the reason the dangers as they see it presented by that alone is a reason to junk this deal. my alone is a reason to junk this deal. my former party leader saying one thing, but the prime minister is seeing another thing. really, thing, but the prime minister is seeing anotherthing. really, really clearly. the backstop cannot become the permanent solution. it cannot stay there for ever. to do that would be legally unstable and installed in the address of the eu

the uk. her statement this afternoon was also very clear that once we've put in place measures to protect northern ireland border, to have that frictionless border, the backstop goes and we can ask for it to go. so that to me is really important. what also, look at the other options. we leave with no deal, that's usually uncertain for business and jobs and i have been with businesses large and small this morning saying they cannot have that and begging us to give them the certainty, and some people are saying they want nor away. that gives you no control over any of your rules, including on the services sector and that's most of our economy. why they say we want some canada deal, which again brings you back to the borders issue. that doesn't work at all in my view. by then we're into a second referendum, andi then we're into a second referendum, and i certainly don't think that would help to bring the country back together. so this is the deal that's

been negotiated. any deal that 27 countries agree and i am listening to those who have livelihoods on the line and will be really impacted if this doesn't go through. how dismayed where you that so many of your colleagues, the vast majority, really had nothing good to say about it? if we want to get a deep trade agreement with the eu, which incidentally was promised to british people before the referendum, they kept being told trade would continue, don't worry, the germans will want to sell us their cars, trade will continue, if they want that then we need to realise it is a negotiation and were much better if we stand united in getting that deal rather than trying to renegotiate out. there isn't a golden ticket or a magic chocolate factory, everything has got issues with it. the prime minister has been clear this isn't perfect but it is the

deepest and most visible trade agreements that the eu has with anyone. i think we should think very ha rd before we anyone. i think we should think very hard before we rejected, really hard, because i think the alternatives are all worse. your message to the people is very clear and you know the hassle, is very well and having listened to that sessions today with the prime minister still answering questions after two hours, you can't have, we thinking there is a realistic prospect of her carrying that of old. stop and look at the withdrawal agreement again, look at what it does, that's the divorce agreement which allows us to have that amicable separation. then we need to go and make sure we secure the trade agreement. it is always clear that we wouldn't get that until after we left of the eu, that has always been the legal position, so we need to focus on, in my view, protecting jobs and livelihoods, protecting our economic stability at this very uncertain time. how prisoners of our lots of your colleagues? i am asking

that because they are opposed to the steel and will not be persuaded otherwise. i sometimes think those of us who are listening rather than those of us who are on the extremes are not being called quite as often as those in the extremes when it comes to this debate. you've certainly had you see here. i'm just wondering again, for the next two weeks, what can viewers expect in terms of the prime minister's on effo rts terms of the prime minister's on efforts to try to carry this vote? there's a huge amount of pressure on mps here but as i said just now, i spent this morning with business organisations from across the country who are meeting in london until i understand are continuing to talk to the government and the vast majority of them really do want this withdrawal agreement to go through because it's that that gives them the stability. it gives them the two—year transition period that means that we can then secure a long—term trade deal. i believe it's in the interests of the eu as well as the uk to try and have that

amicable separation. spell it out for viewers just joining amicable separation. spell it out for viewersjustjoining us, this vote is not carried on the 12th of december, what would be the consequences? i am concerned that at this vote is not carried, we either face a very disorderly brexit, no—deal brexit which we have at the governor of the bank of england said his huge economic consequences, businesses are saying that to me as well, or we get spun into a second referendum which i believe would be hugely divisive. there are huge divisions in the country and i don't think a second referendum helps. or i don't know what happens. this is the withdrawal agreement to buy as the withdrawal agreement to buy as the breathing space to allow us to get that long—term trade agreement andi get that long—term trade agreement and i think we should buy that breathing space. good of you to join us, thank you very much. vicky ford giving us her perspective on saying this without her fellow mps, conservative and otherwise, should be listening very carefully to the prime minister's message and

in her view, really considering what the potential consequences could be of turning down this deal on the 12th of december. i am having a look again inside the house of commons, the prime minister still on herfeet after nearly two hours obsession here. i'm just looking to see there are at least 20 mps waiting to ask questions. why don't we join the commons once again and see what is going on? it is a bad deal, it is bad for my constituents and for the country. so i ask her, and she has not answered this question yet, what is her plan b when this deal inevitably falls? i refer the honourable related to the answer i have given earlier. i want to congratulate my right honourable friend for introducing alternative arrangements to the backstop within the lexicography of our brexit arrangements. that is no mean

achievement and may just about arrangements. that is no mean achievement and mayjust about get it across the line for a number of us. but can she say what would be done to identify those who are going to work up those alternative arrangements, what budget has been set for that work and when the matters will be trialled and piloted? i'm not able to give my honourable friend in rigid answers to all those questions, particularly the questions around trialling and piloting. there are proposals that have been put forward to us and we will be first of all here in the uk looking at those proposals and the extent to which they deliver on what is necessary. and we will be and have spoken with the european commission about the possibility that of being able at an early stage to discuss with them those alternative proposals. the prime minister and at least one of her cabinet ministers have said that if the house rejects the deal, there is

a chance of no brexit at all. i wonder if she could spell out with great clarity how this fear might be realised. all i great clarity how this fear might be realised. alll can great clarity how this fear might be realised. all i can say to the honourable gentleman is that he will have heard a number of individuals around the house today, including some of his colleagues on the labour benches, who clearly have expressed the view they believe remaining in the view they believe remaining in the european union is preferable to leaving the european union. i believe that it is important for us to deliver on the votes that people took asked to deliver brexits. can i congratulate my right honourable friend for a living in the real world and for bringing back a deal which does deliver on the 2016 vote without breaking our economy? isn't ita without breaking our economy? isn't it a case that nobody has put forward a better deal in nearly two hours of debate and dodgy share my

thoughts that isn't it ironic that those who might be scarpering brexit are the ones who wanted it in the first place? i think it is absolutely the case that we have not seen an alternative proposal put forward that meets the needs of the british people in terms of the brexit fought but also do so anyway that protects jobs and are security and are united kingdom. as i have said previously, when it comes to the votes we will all need to deliver on the foot of the british people and deliver brexit. the most amendment honourable member from fossil and myself amongst many other colleagues, we will become an independent coastal state and will be able to take back that control. we will be able to make those discussions and negotiate on our own on behalf of those issues rather than them being done by the european union. there is no ability to turn out this function in the draft withdrawal agreement. the french and

spanish fishermen are already boasting about their continuing ability to fish as they currently do in our waters. can you explain how our fishing sector will enjoy the benefits of an independent coastal states with control, or is this just another guess what they will offer us, so we will have to take it and sell of the fishing industry and for good measure through any 39 billion repayment of the eu as well?m good measure through any 39 billion repayment of the eu as well? it is ina numberof repayment of the eu as well? it is in a number of elements in the political declaration clear that we will be an independent coastal states. what's that means is that we will be able to determine access to our waters but of course, we will not be want to look at the access that they have to our waters but access to other waters. they will be only got gauche asian oh to in access to waters but it will be the uk but negotiating on behalf of the uk but negotiating on behalf of the

uk and that determination. i apologise because i forget which particular piece of text it is but there is a clear commitment that that should be undertaken such that, because the commitment has been made that we will be an independent coastal state on december 2020, although the implementation period will not have finished we will be able to negotiate for 2021, is that is when that will take place, as an independent coastal states. the prime ministers still taking questions in the house of commons with quite a few mps are still awaiting their turn. why don't we catch up with our chief political correspondent, vicky young, who is in the central lobby for us? that's a rare thing, gary streeter, conservative mp, one of the few voices that have been unequivocal on the support of the prime minister, it has been a obsession for her. she is probably most getting used to reid now, standing up in the commons, taking questioned for a

long time and they are not being much support for her. there was some quibbling about the order in which people were being called because it was a loss of brexiteers being called by the speaker. but over the whole session there is no doubt that this is incredibly difficult for the prime minister and what will be most alarming for her team is that at the moment, and the numbers could of course change, but it doesn't even look close. there are so many conservative mps getting up and saying that they don't agree with that of the northern ireland backstop, the idea we could be kept in that against our will, having to do rules was no say over them, but the other issue put forward by sue michael fallon, a former cabinet minister and always very loyal to the prime minister, saying that effectively the uk has paid over £39 billion and we are taking it on trust that the eu will give us a good trade deal at the end of it. i think that is unlikely that i have been hearing from lots of conservative mps who are very

concerned about that. lots of them talking about the chance to have a second vote that may be the first time it gets voted down and she has to go back and say to the eu, this is not going to get through and we have to try and change it. but they are making it very clearly are not open to any kind of renegotiation. soa open to any kind of renegotiation. so a very difficult afternoon for the prime minister and it is looking very difficult for her. i think our tea m very difficult for her. i think our team would admit that. what is the sense you have there of how people think this might go if the vote on the 11th or 12th of december, whichever date it is, if it goes against the prime minister, what are the main options people think are open? in some ways this is the strongest card the prime minister has to play, because the alternatives are very uncertain. mps know that, you speak to them here and they are talking about possible alternatives, even though she is about to go and take her message around the country, trying to get away from here and you can see why,

to speak to people directly. to speak about the pragmatism, as they would put it, about people's jobs. she will explain why she has entered up she will explain why she has entered up with this deal, because she wants to stop freedom of movement, large sums of money going to get you but also make sure that trade is as easy as it can be in order to protect jobs in british industries. that message clearly is not getting through to mps here. there are others looking at alternatives now, some looking at another referendum. it is hard to see how they would get that to happen. others are talking about a norway plus, as they call it, deal where we stay in the european economic area. there are cross— party european economic area. there are cross—party talks about that. a lot of these will hinge on the labour party, eitherjeremy corbyn changing his view, coming behind one of those things or enough labour mps deciding to do it. all of it is very uncertain. at the moment that looks like a strong card for the prime

minister, to say, if you put this down you cannot be sure of what you will get. for different reasons, that could feed into how mps decide to vote. for now thanks very much. any big developments, we will be back to you straightaway. i would like to consider at this moment what the hurdles are left to clear before britain meets the eu next march. that is when it is said to happen. chris morris from the bbc is with me. how do you see it? what we saw yesterday was the other 27 countries endorsing the withdrawal agreement, the political declaration. they will have to officially approve it but that will come at the end of the process. it could be by a qualified majority, 20 out of 27, of the eu countries but this is of such gravity i think it would be extraordinary if it were anything other than a unanimous decision. before that the biggest hurdle, we have been talking about it all afternoon, can it get through this

place? if the deal is not ratified in the house of commons, it cannot become law and we will not leave the european union with the prime minister's deal in place. if it does get ratified here, if the numbers are bound by the whips and the government, the next step in ratification would be the european parliament. i'm told that process would take four to six weeks. i think they're looking at having a vote on ratifying in the european parliament as late as march, just few weeks before we are due to leave. they have concerns about citizens' rights but i think their process will be much less, located than here at westminster. if those steps a re than here at westminster. if those steps are taken, only then do we leave on the 29th of march, next year. then a 21 months or more transition period begins. only after the 29th of march can we begin formal look she asian is on relationship. the one thing mentions time and again is the issue of the so—called backstop. —— formal

discussions. and yet today another kind of difference of opinion on what that represents for mr duncan smith —— for what that represents for mr duncan smith —— foer what that represents for mr duncan smith —— for mr duncan smith it is a trapdoor which britain will fall into. for other conservative mps, thatis into. for other conservative mps, that is not the case. how can they be misunderstanding, if they are, this concept that is now written clearly? i think because the withdrawal agreement, a legal treaty, and there is the potential buried that it could last a very long time, the backstop. because both sides have to agree for it to come to an end. if this single customs territory, a temporary customs territory, a temporary customs union, isn't lamented. and neither side can withdraw from it unilaterally. but an important point is that it is notjust the uk that doesn't like the backstop, the eu really doesn't either. for three reasons, one, it would mean them some contracting control of their borders around northern ireland to a third country, the knighted kingdom.

—— sub contracting. they still think the uk could somehow get some kind of competitive advantage by being half in and half out. thirdly, most importantly, for their future trade relations with countries around the world, the backstop is a disaster because if you have a temporary customs union with the uk, other countries will say, renegotiating with 27 or 28? for how long? if the a nswer with 27 or 28? for how long? if the answer is we don't know, that's not answer is we don't know, that's not a good look for any trading at she asian from other countries. it is certainly true that the eu doesn't like the backstop either. —— trading negotiations. but it's not going to be easy to find this future trade relationships that will solve the irish border problem. the eu continues to insist if you want frictionless trade and open borders, and a lot of brexiteer ‘s dispute this, they say the only way is to stay in the single market and

customs union. that big choice has been the ferret and that's the big argument against still to come. hence the hybrid deal theresa may has come up with. hence the complex. officials have spent months poring over it, to get the legal tax right. the big choice between economic access and sovereignty is still being kicked down the road. —— get the legal writing correct. it's going to be a central argument going forward. thank you. an expert view on what has been going on and what lies ahead in the months to come, with a lot of uncertainty built in. the time is 5:36pm at westminster. we have been covering the prime minister's statement on the deal she has negotiated with the eu. theresa may facing lots of criticism on all sides of the house of commons over that deal. she is still taking questions now. why don't we pause and catch up with all the day's sports news. good evening.

joe root has praised a "complete squad effort" after england completed the series whitewash of sri lanka. it's only the third time in history that england have won all the matches in an away test series, as andy swiss reports. it's all over! the perfect ending to what, on paper, has been a perfect series. but how england had to work for it. sri lanka's target of 327 had looked impossible but no one appeared to have told kusal mendis. suddenly, the hosts had hope, but just when england needed something special, they found it. direct hit! that might be what gets england going! jack leach with the flash of brilliance. mendis gone for 86 along, seemingly, with sri lanka's chances as england's spinners once again turned things their way. soon they needed just one more wicket, with the hosts still needing more than a hundred. surely all over? not quite, as sri lanka's final pair blazed away, but amid the rising tension, leach held his nerve. what do they think this time?

gone! replays confirmed it was hitting the stumps and at last, england could celebrate. their first series whitewash in sri lanka. it was some fight, but some feat. andy swiss, bbc news. and this is how england celebrated that historic series win in the changing room. captain joe root on the guitar, and the rest of the squad singing along. ireland coach joe schmidt will step down after next yea r‘s world cup, and he'll be replaced by andy farrell. farrell has been ireland's defence coach under schmidt, after holding the same position with england up until the 2015 world cup. it'll be his first head coach role, and he'll have big boots to fill. schmidt guided ireland to three six nations grand slams and second in the world rankings. formula 3 driver sophia florsch says she's happy to be on her way home,

after the high—speed crash that left her with a fractured spine. floersch crashed at around 170 miles an hour in the macau grand prix eight days ago, and needed an 11—hour operation to repair her spine. she says the day of the crash was like a "second birthday", and she's looking forward to getting her life back on track. it was my first ever big crash. it took me awhile to get over it but i am over it now and i think a chapter starts. as i say, it was a bad crash. but i had a stable chassis andi crash. but i had a stable chassis and i am walking again and i will be racing soon and chasing my dream. there's a big premier league match tonight for two sides struggling to get going this season as burnley host newcastle. despite winning their last two matches newcastle boss rafa benitez could be forgiven for being a little more nervous than normal heading into this one.

they've lost 11 of their last 12 premier league games that have been played on a monday night. and the international break came just as they were hitting form. i think sometimes it is true that when you are doing well, the international break changes everything, and sometimes when you have injuries it gives you a little more space for players, more time for players to recover. so i think you have to take it like it comes and hopefully we can carry on winning. so always i say, it is a long—distance race and we started walking, and now we are running hopefully we can sprint. that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. thank you. back here at westminster, it is 5:40pm. the session in the house of commons is still going on

with the prime minister still taking questions on the statement she made at 3:30pm today. basically answering at 3:30pm today. basically answering a lot of criticism from her own sites and indeed on the opposition and she's on the brexit il that she has put together. lots of question marks around the dates, the assumption was it would be the 12th of december. but we can clarify now when that parliamentary vote will ta ke when that parliamentary vote will take place. let's join when that parliamentary vote will take place. let'sjoin the key young again. when will it be? tuesday the 11th of december. conservative mps have been looking at their phones, they have been sent an e—mail by the chief whip and in that it confirms that the first day of debate will be on tuesday the 11th of december. the force, the fifth, the sixth, the tenth and 11th, so tuesday the 11th the boat will be that day and mps here say that would be a normal seven o'clock vote. seven o'clock in the evening for that thought. not that long for theresa may to try and

turn around the opinion of so many in her party, as we were hearing earlier in that statement which is going on in the house of commons still. theresa may still on herfeet taking questions, which i think laterally more supportive than they we re laterally more supportive than they were in first hour. but still i don't think anyone in her team would think that was a reassuring afternoon in the house of commons for the prime minister. it really does look like an uphill task for her, albeit she will go around the country and appealing directly to people, i think hoping that constituents might put pressure on their mps to fall in behind her plan. but it's going to be very, very tricky. that's an interesting point, when we had all that talk of a possible leadership challenge last week and the week before, there was quite a lot of talk about constituency parties putting pressure on their mps not to rock the boat. do you think we will see a repeat on this one? i don't think it would be quite as widespread. it's an easier argument to say to your

mp, we don't need a leadership contest now, you can throw her out at this crucial points. on the issue of substance —— subsidies, people feel very strongly. some three mps say they will take guidance from their local party. —— tory mps. they will also be hearing from local businesses. they say they are listening to local businesses who above all want certainty now with not want to go until we leave. they wa nt not want to go until we leave. they want something in place, to be sure they can have this transition period, the implement patient period, the implement patient period, 20 months where nothing much changes. they feel they need that andi changes. they feel they need that and i don't think there are many people here, not many at all who would say the country is ready for a no deal situation. even though there are some mps who think that is desirable. the alternatives are still being looked at as definitely talked about here by all sorts of mps from all parties. many thanks. just inside the houses of parliament

behind me. mentioning that the fact that the prime minister will be travelling around the uk talking to people. probably visiting leeds, which was split down the middle in the referendum two years ago. they voted to remain but by one of the closest margins in the country. what do people there make of the deal? a chilly morning at the market in leeds but a warm response to theresa may's message. people don't want to spend any more time arguing about brexit. we are fed up of arguing. everyone is fed up of parliament a lwa ys everyone is fed up of parliament always arguing about it as well. definitely people will be fed up. i am. it has been ages. being given the option to get on with it isn't a brill option, as is get on without it were nothing else. of course we are arguing because nobody agrees. it's really important. we voted out,

get out! all the people who were whingeing about it, get over it. we voted to get out, just get out! was about businesses? the northern powerhouse partnership says the feeling in this region says that this deal is better than no deal. that is pushing businesses behind this deal. i don't think there is much enthusiasm for it. when you talk to chambers of commerce like here in yorkshire, the consensus is they would prefer that outcome is it would give them more certainty. what does that mean for people here who say they are noticing the price of things going up? will there be prosperity for them? the reality is it isa prosperity for them? the reality is it is a huge distraction —— distraction. new figures show we are

still seeing lower levels of growth than in london. suddenly a lot about closing the gap is suddenly because prosperity is being held back by people being afraid of brexit, despite the fact that cities like this rider are great fundamentals in the economy, people aren't investing as much as they would have if brexit hadn't happened. in this corner which voted remain but onlyjust,. the decision has been made. we don't want another one. we have already had a people's vote. the decision was made. my understanding was we walk away from europe and start again.|j understanding was we walk away from europe and start again. i don't trust any of the mps. ijust don't i just don't know. their mps go along

with that? when you have heard the prime minister's case today, and she says there will be enormous uncertainty and confusion if the vote goes against the deal, what is your answer? it is not so much the prime minister's words but what is written in the political statement on the future i am worried about. it is very thin and uncertain. what i really worry about is the uncertainty that the government have caused by not really saying what are future will be. i think this point

is not the end, unfortunately, of the brexit process, just the beginning of years and years of wrangling. that is why i think we have to look at it and say, is this deal really the way forward? your view is clearly that it is not. know, and my inbox has been flooded with e—mails over the weekend from constituents, all very concerned, many saying there just isn't enough ofa many saying there just isn't enough of a commitment to our economic partnership coming from the prime ministers. they worry about their jobs. boxall motors have announced 240 jobs on friday which will be a big impact on merseyside. —— boxall. people want another way. if the vote goes against, and we know it will be on the 11th of december, what then are the options? realistically, for the prime minister? it's unfortunate but i wouldn't have started from here, i would but i wouldn't have started from

here, iwould have but i wouldn't have started from here, i would have liked the prime minister to have got cross—party support in the first place. but it is too late now, so i think we will run out of options, being in opposition, i would like a general election and the labour government but if that doesn't happen, realistically, what have we got left? i would say to the prime minister, she has confidence in her deal, the only option left is to put it to the public and let them see it and say, do i want this? now i know what brexit is, do i want this or do i prefer my eu membership? what about the option of asking the eu to change the deal? i have advocated that we stay in the single market and customs union, that maintains our economic partnership, even if we have to leave the blues convenient. the tories have —— always taken that of the table. we are running short of the table. we are running short of options now and maybe that the only one left is for the prime minister to put her deal to the public. thank you. alice and the governed error.

asi as i want to touch base with one other story here at westminster today. there are lots of other stories going on in the world. i wa nt to stories going on in the world. i want to talk about matthew hedges, the british academicjailed on spy charges in the united arab emirates. he has been pardoned. he could be home as early as tomorrow. he'd been sentenced to life in prison last week — but the case prompted intense diplomatic efforts by the foreign secretaryjeremy hunt. mr hedges had always protested his innocence — and his wife said he'd been through a ‘nightmare'. our correspondent richard galpin has the latest — there's some flash photography coming up. the 31—year—old phd student matthew hedges should be heading home to britain very soon now. having already been released from prison in the united arab emirates, where his family say he spent six months in solitary confinement. but, despite pardoning him, the uae government today reinforced its message that mr hedges had come to the country in may to spy for mi6. he was part—time phd researcher, part—time businessman,

but he was 100% a full—time secret service operative. during the investigation, mr hedges confessed he was acting as an agent for a foreign intelligence service. he confirmed that he collected sensitive and classified information about the uae. that allegedly included gathering classified information here about the country's military. mr hedges' family deny all this, saying he was researching security and foreign policy issues for his phd. the british government also dismisses the charges of spying that he faced. we have seen no evidence to support these accusations against matthew hedges but today what we want to do is to thank them for the fact that they have reflected on the strong representations we have made. we have made it very clear for a number of months now that we see no basis in these allegations. they have reflected on that,

they have taken the action that they can which means that matthew hedges is going to be reunited with his family. for mr hedges' wife, who had campaigned hard for the foreign office to finally take action, it now seems the ordeal is over. it's taken me by surprise and i'm just so happy and so relieved my my hopes have been shattered on so many occasions that i didn't know whether i should raise them up again. it isjust come whether i should raise them up again. it is just come as a very sudden, very happy surprise. but just not something that i would have expected in such an immediate future. the expectation is that the couple will be reunited tomorrow. richard galpin, bbc news. shana marshall is associate director of the institute for middle east studies at the george washington university — she is also a colleague of matthew hedges and is in our washington studio.

thank you forjoining us. my first question, your reaction at the turn of events of the past 24 hours. we are all very relieved. obviously. and a little surprised. i know a lot of people had expected something like this to eventually play out. after the authorities make their point. it seemed that they were sort of using maps as a symbol to discourage further research into security policies in the emirates. —— using matthew hedges. especially in light of the ongoing war in yemen. there was some sense that's hopefully, once they had demonstrated their points, with his case, that they would release him. but it was very sudden. i think eve ryo ne but it was very sudden. i think everyone is really, really relieved.

but still concerned for the future of academic research in the region. and other graduate students who remain in prison in many countries in the region. could you help viewers with just a few words about the nature of the research? you have kind of alluded to it there but i suppose the kind of research that maybe some people, if they were so minded, could be considering as tantamount to some form of spying, pa rt tantamount to some form of spying, part of the official setup there? there are so many tens of thousands of ph.d. students, faculty, think tank researchers, consultants etc, in the united date and europe that study security policy. they study weapons exports, they study industrial dissipation and technology transfer programmes. all of this is very typical. and

long—standing, of course, in the us and europe. ithink long—standing, of course, in the us and europe. i think because the countries of the arab gulf did not really engage insignificant domestic industrial military development until relatively recently, this wasn't something that most researchers looked into, but now that this is something that's going on, it's increasingly a topic of interest to more students and more researchers. i think that was probably a big part of what went into this. the variety of 30s were not, they had no history of people studying these topics. —— the authorities in the uae. they didn't know what that research might look like or the kind of people that might carry it out. of course most graduate students don't make a lot of money, they probably have a stipend for doing research from the university, that they are likely to work to do projects for consulting firms. add lots of other outside

organisations in order to help them finance their ph.d.. there's nothing in matthew's background that would suggest that he was a spy, itjust suggested to me that he was a graduate student studying security policy. and so was seen as a legitimate and authoritative resource by a lots of companies that would be interested in information he might have. very good to talk to you. thank you very much. in washington there. here at westminster, we are still in the final throes of the session with the prime minister taking questions on the statement she made nearly 2.5 hours ago on her brexit deal. the deal that has been roundly criticised on all sides of the house, with a few exceptions, in the past 2.5 hours. more on that on bbc news at six. in the meantime, let's catch up with the weather. thank

you. today we have had relatively still conditions. we have been in the coup are some temperatures between six and eight celsius. a lot of cloud that some breaks in the west. this was a sunnier moments in the cumbrian lake district. overnight, continuing to feed in showers across eastern areas. just new to the coast but as temperatures fall in scotland, wintriness over the scottish hills in the east. a chilly night with fairly cloudy skies. where the cloud breaks, a frost and maybe a few icy stretches into tuesday. tuesday brings a difference in the weather across western parts. rain moving into northern ireland, wales and south—west england, as the wet weather moves through, the winds will turn to a south—westerly, dragging in my other error. temperatures 11 to 12 degrees. into the chilly air still, seven or eight

typical temperatures. some bright and sunny spells. a few showers affecting easter mary is of scotland. that is your latest weather. —— easter in areas. hotter summers, wetter winters, rising sea levels — the met office issues a stark warning for the future, if greenhouse gases aren't cut. summer temperatures could soar more than five degrees celsius above current levels by 2070, according to their latest projections. there really is no time for delaying action and we need to both reduce emissions and make sure that we can adapt to the fact that the climate is changing. sea levels around the uk could also rise by up to a metre. also on the programme tonight: a presidential pardon — the british academic matthew hedges is released just days after he was jailed for life in dubaiforspying. the prime minister tries to sell her brexit deal to mps — saying it's the best deal possible and rejecting it would take the uk back to square one. an inquest into the death of the welsh politician,