clear that no deal, a no-deal been clear that no deal, a no—deal brexit is not a runner. i have been clear that the house of commons will stop no deal, the fact i think it will stop no deal doesn't mean we shouldn't continue preparations in care, some have pointed out it could happen. i think it would be such a bad outcome i believe the house of commons will assert itself and stop it. so far, though, there is no sign of european leaders giving britain the kind of concessions that might win round the common, no sign of agreeing at the eu summit, the uk could leave eu rules in its own time, on its own terms, in berlin the german leader spoke plainly. we have sno intention of changing the exit agreement angela merkel said. that is the general position of all 27 member states. and so it is unlikely we will leave these debates with any kind of changes. today, mrs may warned any leader would be short of time. the brexit timetable is tight after tomorrow's summit. in the new year, before

january 21st the delayed meaningful vote is due, if the government's defeated it must report back on its planneds for the next steps within 21 days but any deal must be approved by the european parliament before it takes effect. then, at 11pm on march 29th, the uk is due leave the eu. that is if brexit isn't delayed as the prime minister warned it might be, or the deadlock continues, and other outcomes like a softer brexit 01’ other outcomes like a softer brexit ora other outcomes like a softer brexit or a referendum coming to play, who holds the keys to number ten is a lwa ys holds the keys to number ten is always hugely significant, but whether mrs may survives or not, however long her time in downing street turns out to be the biggest question of all, what is britain's future, still hangs in the air. let us find out how this is playing in brussels. at the beginning of the week the thinking was that the prime

minister was so weak that the european union would not offer something new because they were not sure she could get it through the house of commons, make that shift if she were to win the sport of confidence tonight? no. brussels is not focusing on the sport of confidence in theresa may in westminster, they are thinking about the summit of eu leaders that will take place tomorrow, where brexit is on the agenda. theresa may, the working assumption is that she is the prime minister, will be given the opportunity to update the other 27 leaders, and to ask these assurances that she wants about the brexit deal that she can take back to the house of commons to help get that deal through parliament. the focus is on that. you talk to diplomats, they see, there are no legally binding assurances that the eu is prepared to offer because the only legally binding but as the brexit treaty, so you cannot have a

legally binding ads onto something legally binding ads onto something legally binding ads onto something legally binding already. what they are cooking up tonight is a set of inclusions on paper just are cooking up tonight is a set of inclusions on paperjust restating what they have said all along is that the intention is to have a trade relationship between the uk and the eu that is close that means they might not have too use the backstop, which makes the deal so ha rd to backstop, which makes the deal so hard to get through parliament. already it is looking like theresa may might not get exactly what she has been talking about before all this drama happens in westminster about her leadership, but frankly thatis about her leadership, but frankly that is an issue for us to deal with tomorrow. i was talking to some people to day who said that maybe she has short—circuited the problem here, because she did not go through the vote and draw the fire out of the house of commons, there is a certain night of frustration in brussels that there is a plan that could help

on the other side of the boat, but because she pulled it, she has almost gone back to them to early. the frustration in brussels is not because of what has happened this week it is because the deal has still not got through parliament, it is still not resolved. frustration on the one side, on the other side the eu says this is a problem with the eu says this is a problem with the uk timetable. the uk said it must be done at this point, the eu has said, surely you have got longer. the fact is that the eu has been making three points behind the scenes when they talk about it publicly, the only talk about it privately. number one, this is not theresa may's deal, it is the uk government's brexit deal because the cabinet and senior ministers signed up cabinet and senior ministers signed up to this last month. second, there is not some mythical better brexit deal waiting to be done by a mythical better prime minister, this is what is on offer, that is at. thirdly, the problem is not

personnel at the top of the government, it is the fact that the british parliament is massively, hugely split on the kind of brexit it wants. in other words, theresa may is not the problem, it is british politics that is the problem. a point that many have made across the road as well. a very good point made beer, that the deadline that has been set for the deadline that has been set for the vote is not the deadline it is the vote is not the deadline it is the british government's deadline. do you think the strategy the other side of the sport was till big to push this deal, to let time—lapse? the only thing we are now saying is that the prime minister is trying to do what critics were asking for by asking for more from brussels, she has been tried to do that, they have pulled out the rug, but there are things she can do on the side, she might be able to get some statements, agreements from leaders of the eu. she might also get

something legally binding on the side as well, did you with those problems of the backstop. that is watching is still trying to do, she is supposed to be speaking to the irish, the french president and then go to the council meeting at the end of the week. if the vote is not overwhelming tonight that it strengthens the hand of the cabinets? there has been criticism that the cabinet has not been firm enough. the problem is that the cabinet has been divided, it is united at one level but there are different views but what to do if the deal does not get through. that reflects a n the deal does not get through. that reflects an overall position in the commons and we are seeing again as we have for many months, there is not a clear majority for any! path. the prime minister has big deal. that is the only plan on the table. her critics of the law do not have a serious plan. the idea is to go to brussels and see, we do not want the backstop, but brussels is clear

there is only the agreement with the backstop matters not going to change. that keeps in position, it is an president and in that sense. with other prime minister is when they declared the ankle to leave at a set date, power ebbs away, but the crisis is such that she will be able to stay longer. unlike previously does, she has been weeks since that moment that she cold the election over a year ago and came back without a majority and she agreed to stay, that weakness has been her strength, she has been the only balance between the two different wings of the conservative party. thank you. what do people outside westminster think about this, about what is going on, about how politicians are handling the brexit process ? politicians are handling the brexit process? in leicestershire, 51% believe, 49% remain, our correspondent has spent the day beer. in this historic market town

plenty think it is time that things improved in westminster. market harbour also —— almost mirrored the national referendum result, backing leave but not by much. just get it done and get out. this person thinks theresa may has been getting a hard time. whether we like it, you like it, that is the opinion of the country. her colleagues should back up. what do you think of the idea of anotherfull? no. but her colleague disagrees. we should ta ke her colleague disagrees. we should take our deal to the public and say, second referendum, remain, 32016, or theresa may's deal and let the public decide from there, it should not be left to those people at westminster. down the road at the

local conservative club members gathered at their christmas dinner. jim isa gathered at their christmas dinner. jim is a long—term conservative supporter, he voted remain but accepts the referendum result, but not what has happened since. for the last two and a half years they have done nothing but back bite, argue. we are in a shambles now. brexit macro backer thinks the premise has been part of the problem. do you think brexit will still happen? i do not know. this person who has supported the tories for 60 years thinks it is now time —— it is not time for change at the top. all we can do is accept what she has got for us and make the best of it. all these mps, they should rally round her. however you carve it up there is no agreed way forward. brexit is

pulling people, not just politicians, in very different directions. lam directions. iamjoined by directions. i am joined by the secretary for health and social care, matt hancock. i presume that you voted for the prime minister? idid. what prime minister? i did. what was the atmosphere like at her speech? it was emotional. the prime minister made clear that while she would love to fight the next election she knew that she could not. she topped about how, especially after last year, she wa nted especially after last year, she wanted to, but she realised it was not going to happen. why? is that cabinet colleagues telling her that is not possible? i have not made that case. who has? i do not know but that is what she said. then she went through the very strong case for why she is the right person now to continue and complete these

negotiations macon brexit, which she is in the middle of, she was supposed to be in ireland this afternoon —— negotiations on brexit. there were eight series of questions. i very much hope that collea g u es questions. i very much hope that colleagues like me are backing her in numbers. even if she winds tonight there will be concerns in brussels, they are not moving, they can offerfine brussels, they are not moving, they can offer fine words and clarifications but nothing that will solve the problem across the road with regards to the deal she has brought back. what will you do? we need to get the deal over the line. - fbi need to get the deal over the line. — fbi not going to change it? need to get the deal over the line. - fbi not going to change it? this is the nature of the conversations that theresa may is having with other leaders, and further conversations tomorrow, and then the european council. a deal is not a successful deal until it is ratified

by both sides and the europeans are clear that they want a deal so we need to make sure that we can't a deal that gets the support of that building behind us and that is what the prime minister, she was clear, thatis the prime minister, she was clear, that is what her goal is now, hopefully once she has won this vote this evening. not only does she need the support of her own backbenchers, she needs the support of dup, and from what they are saying, they do not support a deal and they will not support her as long as that is the deal. that is another important consideration. when that was raised in discussion as well. the prime minister is clear in wanting to make sure that we bring back a deal that works for the entire country. that is an important point. philip hammond, the chancellor, was saying he was looking forward to this vote

because it would flush out the extremists, will that language bring the party back together? the prime minister was very clear about bringing people together, it was a conciliatory speech and discussion, between of course people who have printed letters for this vote over the last weeks and days, and also those of us who want to get on brexit, so that we can then get on with the big exciting agenda that we have got on the domestic front. i am the health secretary, i want to get on with improving the nhs, making sure it is therefore everybody in the long term. this is a government thatis the long term. this is a government that is full of ideas to improve things for the country and we want to get onto those. that's why we need to get this deal and deliver on the result of the referendum. need to get this deal and deliver on the result of the referendumlj understand your cabinet meeting today was cancelled this afternoon. you work olingo mps, all hands to

the pump, trying to get support for the pump, trying to get support for the prime minister. —— you wear calling mps. of course i was talking to some people stop when you have a vote like this, especially when it is happening that evening, it was cold in that morning, of course you end up in that morning, of course you end up with countless conversations with colleagues. that is how these decisions are taken but i believe strongly that the right result this evening is for the prime minister to get strong support, so of course i was trying to encourage that. there was trying to encourage that. there was speculation the vote was going to be tomorrow, it is tonight, that is super fast. is there thinking big ricoh arena moved the less time for plotters ? ricoh arena moved the less time for plotters? —— is there thinking the quicker this was moved and less time

for plotters? very good of you to talk to us. we will see what the result is in just over one and a half hours' time. after that we will hear from surgery brady. we will have that life on the bbc. let us find out what the city is saying. what has sterling been doing to dave while this has been going on across the road? —— doing today. the pound is usually the canary in the business confidence coal mine. it has been volatile, we saw it fall sharply went to these meat deferred the vote into the new year. one supermarket executive said, that puts us into squeaky bum time, channelling a bit of sir alex ferguson. having said that, having fallen earlier in the week the pound

has had a strong day, markets are taking mps to their word that they will be turned theresa may with the keys of number ten, and even if she loses there was talk this morning from herjustice minister that if she lost you have two daily article 50 and you would defer the exit from the european union. a lot of people think that is delaying the charge towards the cliff edge so sterling has had a good day. what that means is, a trader said, has had a good day. what that means is, a tradersaid, a has had a good day. what that means is, a trader said, a theresa may when is priced in. what that means, if she loses you could see some pretty sharp moves down worse because at the time that result comes out, it is the twilight hours of trading in currency, it does not meet —— does not take many sellers 01’ meet —— does not take many sellers or buyers to move the currency in either direction. once that is over, evenif

either direction. once that is over, even if she winds, i am told by business leaders we are back to where we were before, a deal that no one thinks she can get through parliament. we possibly have a divided cabinet, back to that insecurity and uncertainty. business groups today have topped about this may and a fresh hell of a leadership challenge. how do you possibly plan for things when they are so uncertain? even if she winds i expect the focus of the market to go back to where they think there is a lack of certainty. —— even if she wins. business is doing their best to plan for contingencies, trying to make small certainties and what is a vast vacuum of uncertainty. let us go back across the road and speak to our colleague who has served bernard jenkin with her who said last night he would not reveal

whether he has put in a letter of no confidence but this morning propped told us that he had. i suppose these are fluid situations, people will note the final result at nine o'clock. people have addressed mps. seem to be trying to reassure some, those are happy with their leadership, that she would not beat them into their next general election. were you reassured by anything theresa may said this evening? i am afraid it did not change my mind. i am clear that i am not supporting theresa may this evening. the situation we face is that the conservative party has lost its authority to command the confidence of the house of commons. that is difficult to know how the

government is going to carry on its business without completely threshing its relationship with the dup because we have not got an overall majority at the moment. we rely on the dup from northern ireland to support the conservative government, that they are very angry with trees at me because of the deal that she brought back from the european union —— deal that theresa may brought back. there is no sign that that beach can be repaired. she has gone back to brussels to see what assurances can be given that there is no prospect of any substantial change in that trap agreement. that has been confirmed by the european union council of ministers office. they have again issued a statement saying they are

not prepared to renegotiate. the only way to break this deadlock. a new leader? the new leader would have to say we are not having this agreement. whatever happens, the agreement. whatever happens, the agreement with these arrangements that saw off end the status of northern ireland. indeed, david trimble, one of the architects of the peace process northern ireland said these arrangements are a challenge themselves to the good friday agreement. this cannot go forward in its present form. it has two big change, or we have to be prepared to leave the eu without a withdrawal agreement. if theresa may wins tonight, you have missed time this challenge?