today at 5pm, we're live at westminster, where mps are debating a motion of no confidence in theresa may's government, following that record defeat in the brexit vote last night. the prime minister, who's already working on revising her brexit plan, is adamant that a general election at this time would not be in the national interest. it would deepen division when we need unity, it would bring chaos when we need certainty and it would bring delay when we need to move forward. so, i believe this house should reject this motion. but for labour, jeremy corbyn says the government's authority is now in tatters, and it should not cling to office. the fixed—term parliament act was never intended to prop up a zombie government, and there can be no doubt that this is indeed a zombie government. at westminster, there's a sense of growing uncertainty, as the world's media follows the latest steps in the brexit crisis.

this is the scene live in the commons, with just a couple of hours to the vote of no confidence in the government. and there's been shock in other parts of the eu over the scale of the parliamentary defeat. brussels says it's up to the uk government to clarify how it wants to proceed. it's 5pm. our main story is the deepening political crisis over brexit as theresa may's government faces a vote of no confidence in the house of commons within a couple of hours. labour says it wants a general election to resolve the brexit crisis, but the prime minister said today that an election was "simply not in the national interest". mr corbyn‘s motion is backed

by the snp, the lib dems, plaid cymru and the green party, but it's unlikely to be enough to topple the government. last night, mps rejected theresa may's brexit deal in the biggest commons defeat in history. the withdrawal agreement was defeated by a majority of 230 votes. the commons is now debating that motion of no confidence submitted by labour. mps will vote at 7pm tonight but the government is expected to survive because all conservative mps and their allies in the dup should form a majority. our political correspondent, jonathan blake, has the latest, and his report contains some flash photography. facing a new day and a new fight for her survival. theresa may left downing street on the morning after her nightmare in the house of commons. the noes to the left, 432... last night, mps voted by a much bigger margin than expected

against her brexit deal. the prime minister promised to listen and try to find a way forward. he wants to make the most of this moment. jeremy corbyn called a vote of no confidence in the government, which could trigger a general election. but because no conservative mps want that and the prime minister's allies in the dup have said they will back her, she is expected to win. nevertheless, jeremy corbyn opened the debate and argued that it was time for the government to go. this government cannot govern and cannot command the support of parliament on the most important issue facing our country. every single previous prime minister in this situation would have resigned and called an election. it is the duty of this house to show the lead where this government has failed and pass a motion of no confidence so that the people of this country can decide who their mps are

and who their government is, and who will deal with the crucial issues facing the people of this country. i commend my motion to the house. theresa may acknowledged her defeat yesterday, but was defiant against the challenge to her authority. last night, the house rejected the deal the government has negotiated with the european union. today it has asked a simpler question — should the next step be a general election? i believe that is the worst thing we could do. it would deepen... it would deepen division when we need unity. it would bring chaos when we need certainty. and it would bring delay when we need to move forward. so i believe this house should reject this motion. the man theresa may replaced as prime minister, and who called the eu referendum, offered his thoughts today.

obviously, i regret the difficulties and the problems that we've been having trying to implement the result of that referendum, but i don't think it is going to be helped by me giving a running commentary. i support the prime minister and i support her aim to have a partnership deal with europe, that is what needs to be put in place and she has my support as she tries to do that. so what now? theresa may has said it's time to talk and there is no shortage of ideas around here about the best way forward for brexit. but what is ideal for one group of mps is the worst—case scenario for another. and theresa may's attempt to keep everybody happy has ended up pleasing no—one. so, after the watershed moment in parliament, the different groups who want different things are gathering to get themselves heard. i think the only credible option for the uk now is to put this back to the electorate. the government, parliament, has failed and we can't go on hoping for the unicorn to appear out of nowhere. one cabinet minister suggested the government would look at staying in a customs union with the eu,

a big shift in policy which brexiteers in his party won't like one bit. i think the right answer would be to leave the customs union, but given where we are, we have to be open to proposals that are put forward and make an assessment on those... so it's on the table? well, i'm using my words but you can use your words. i think we should not be... if we're going to engage, we have to engage and we shouldn't be boxing ourselves in. if we go forward and the prime minister breaks a manifesto commitment to deliver a customs union, then i'm afraid i wouldn't like to call how big the split would be in the party. just hours after the vote, the government is clamouring to find common ground. theresa may will have to do more than just listen to mps on all sides if she is to have any hope of finding a clear way through. jonathan blake, bbc news, westminster. less tha n

less than two hours to go before the vote in the commons around 7pm, the motion of no confidence tabled by jeremy corbyn which he announced last night. let's go now to our chief political correspondent, vicki young. your sense of how this debate is going? we will talk about the brexit options in a moment but on the debate itself? most people feel this will be a sure win for the prime minister, we heard brexiteers in the party and the dup all say they would vote with the government so theresa may is secure, but not to say downing street aren't anxious about it. last night they suffered the heaviest defeat ever inflicted on by government and people in the party are angry. today listening to what was said this morning and by theresa may last night, one conservative mp

said he didn't understand, she wouldn't say she would reach out to labour and she had to shift her position, but at this point there is a confidence vote to get through, she is not going to signal that she will talk to other parties before that and she has this dilemma which even opposition mps have some sympathy for, if she slightly changes her position and brings in labourmps, she changes her position and brings in labour mps, she could split the conservative party. i am joined by conservative party. i am joined by conservative mp maria miller. it is a problem for the prime minister, heard deal doesn't have support so how can she get it through? yesterday the house of commons was clear about what they didn't support but not about what they would support and we saw that in the range

ofamendments, support and we saw that in the range of amendments, there was little consistency about what was put forward by both parties, so the next step has to be to assess what clarification would be needed to bring most people on board and that's the next step for her to make. but it will not be simply about the backstop but something more fundamental, possibly as we heard from david gauke, a customs union, and that will upset some of your colleagues but might bring in the labour party. i don't think it's just about what brings in labour or conservative backbenchers but what is negotiable with the eu, so given that they have said the agreement on the table will not be changed, one conversation the prime minister has to have is, is that the same, given the scale of rejection of the

agreement yesterday, will the eu change its stance ? agreement yesterday, will the eu change its stance? i don't think we should underestimate how many people will be persuaded to support the agreement if there was more clarification about the handling of the northern ireland's border band of the backstop and whether it continues in perpetuity. many colleagues on my side were concerned about that and if we can get better legal clarification, that may be enough to keep this agreement on the table. do you think parliament is up to this task? it needs to operate in a nontribal way, it's a fundamental change in the way it works. no, we work across party all the time, i chaira work across party all the time, i chair a select committee that only works because it is cross—party and most of the good decisions like

bringing search education into statute happened because of cross—party working. the problem we have here is that we have a leader of the opposition who doesn't have a clear policy and when i was listening to the debate today on the vote of no confidence, jeremy corbyn is still not able to articulate what he stands for and this causes contradictions and problems to the prime minister engaging with him, but there are other members of the labour party who have clear opinions and represent sizeable proportions of backbenchers and i'm sure the government will engage with those. other suggestions for the way forward a re other suggestions for the way forward are indicative vote to show what parliament might be in favour of, and next week, monday is the deadline for the government to come back with some motion but it is the

amendments that are crucial, people calling for a second referendum, a norway style option, or no deal, so next week there should be more clarification on how parliament finds a way through this. we heard the prime minister talk last night about talking to senior parliamentarians. with me now is sarah wollaston, conservative mp and chair of the liaison committee and health select committee, and hilary benn, labour mp and chair of the committee for exiting the european union. can we take it as read that this vote will go theresa may's way tonight, so for the sake of this discussion let's say the prime minister will still be there and there will not be a general election. what is the most credible way forward? i would like to see her rule i had no deal, we are not prepared to fall off a cliff in 72

days so i would like to see her rule that out but she hasn't. if the commons could agree a way forward we could do that but i don't think that is likely and the clock is ticking, thatis is likely and the clock is ticking, that is why many of us feel it would be right to acknowledge the impasse and take the only negotiated deal directly to the people with the deal, is this the brexit you are confident for us to take forward or should we stay with what we have? before then, is there not a case for canvassing the range of opinion in the commons to see if there is a majority around a way forward? couple of hours ago my committee published a report in response to la st published a report in response to last night's vote and we recommend that the commons votes on a series of options, one for the prime

minister to have another go but we feel that is futile, another is to leave with no deal, i agree with sarah that the prime minister can reassure businesses by saying we will not leave without a deal, and the third option is to try to renegotiate the deal and a fourth option is to go back to the british and we would like the house of commons to vote on those, to give us an indication where the balance of support lies, because the public expect us, having rejected something, what are we fought, and the next step in the process is built to give us control of that process. what is your reading of the way this is going in terms of that series of votes? is this possible in

the next week or so or not? is there any sense, that this will happen?|j don't any sense, that this will happen?” don't think the house will reach a consensus that gives majority support to any of the options. is it worth doing anyway? of course because to move to the next stage of something like a second referendum, we have to be clear that we are at an impasse and isn't an option that parliament can get on and deliver. rolling out no deal, the prime minister has not wanted to rule it out, it has been part of her negotiating stance is so quite which she change her mind?” negotiating stance is so quite which she change her mind? i think it's u nfortu nate, she change her mind? i think it's unfortunate, a huge amount of uncertainty is having a knock—on effects for businesses in my constituency and i do think any responsible government could

knowingly inflict that paint on people and she should be clear about that. i understand quite she has been reluctant up to now but the clock is ticking down and we cannot see this happening by accident, running out of road. i agree with that, businesses have enough to worry about because one reason i voted against the deal last night, oui’ voted against the deal last night, our future is uncertain and businesses have no idea how trade will work in five years, if the prime minister does what we think she should do then at least businesses would think that is one thing we do not have to worry about, uncertainty that the government has been planning for and many mps we talked to say that should not happen. the prime minister has to show leadership and listen but today she said, i will be reaching out but

lam not she said, i will be reaching out but i am not changing my approach, and it will be a short phone call, we might say we would like to be in a customs union and she will say no, so customs union and she will say no, so where will the conversation go from there? if you reach out, you have to listen. david gauke seem to suggest today that after all the debate and noise around customs unions, he said it wouldn't i his but maybe it should be the table. some of your colleagues % angry and people were surprised were angry and people were surprised he threw- in, does that tell us he threw that in, does that tell us something? it tells us that red lines that were put down are now being set aside but the only place there ,:,%f; a ’ ' being set aside but the only place there ,:,%f; a red being set aside but the only place there li; a red line being set aside but the only place there-$5.52;a a red line up there hasn't been a red line up until now is against the edge of the cliff so i would like the prime minister to put it - and remove minister to put it there and remove it from some other places. thank you

both. clarity is in short supply, as we know. let's consider the reaction to last night's vote from other parts of the eu. the german chancellor angela merkel said there was "still time to negotiate" ahead of the uk's scheduled departure on the 29th of march. the eu's chief negotiator, michel barnier, said he profoundly regretted the commons vote, and that it was now up to the british government to say how it intended to proceed. the irish prime minister, leo varadkar, says his government's contingency plans for a no—deal brexit were now being implemented. our europe correspondent, adam fleming, reports from strasbourg. the morning after. and meps gathered at the european parliament to discuss theresa may's big defeat the night before. there was agreement that this isn't europe's problem — it's britain's, and there will be no changes to the divorce deal, which includes the controversial irish backstop. translation: contrary

to what has been said over the last few days or weeks, the agreement that we reached with the british government, that's almost 600 pages long, is a good agreement, actually. it's the result, of course, of a compromise, but it's the best possible compromise. the applause was proof that the eu is sticking by its chief negotiator. and eu leaders are sticking with each other in their coordinated and pre—planned response to the uk. and in order to solve a problem of british interior policy, we won't not defend the interests of the europeans. translation: i very much regret that the british house of commons rejected the brexit deal last night. we believe that it now lies with the british side.

the british prime minister has announced that she will inform us about what happens next. we want to keep the damage, and the exit of britain will be damaging, to a minimum. so we will, of course, continue to try to find a solution for an orderly exit. the ball is very much in westminster‘s court. this problem started in westminster with the brexit referendum, we found a solution, they have rejected that solution. now we need to come up with something that they can get through parliament, but it also has to be something that the european union and ireland can accept. it's no longer a catfight inside the conservative party, it's an existential problem of britain, of britain's future and of britain's souls. here in the european parliament, and across the eu, there is a growing sense they may have to expand the two—year timeframe for the brexit negotiations beyond the 29th of march, and there are more and more calls for the uk to change its mind

that's been interpreted as a thinly—veiled appeal for another referendum. the spanish prime minister addressed meps today. if theresa may visits any time soon, she'll be expected to come with a plan, a plan that will get through her parliament. adam fleming, bbc news, strasbourg. adam there with some of the latest reaction in other parts of europe. lots of debate, even today, is to do with the prospect of a no—deal brexit on the 29th of march if no deal is forthcoming or approved by

parliament, and for some people that is not something we should be too concerned about but for others it would be a very risky course of action, and the terms of trade after that would be according to wto rules. we're nowjoined by pascal lamy, the former european commissioner for trade, and former director—general of the world trade organisation. very good to have you with us on bbc news. just a general perspective from u of where we are in this brexit process? we are in a mess, which was to be expected. given that getting the british egg out of the eu on lott was always to be a very tricky operation, so i'm not surprised we are where we are, that

is basically nowhere. there is no solution on the table. the british parliament has rejected the deal on the table. 0n the other side, nobody wa nts a the table. 0n the other side, nobody wants a no deal. i think this would be extremely risky because it would be extremely risky because it would be very costly, and what is also clear is that there cannot be a border between ulster and ireland. apart from that everything is unclear and my own sense, and i'm not speaking for europe or brussels, but we have to do what we have often been doing in europe in cases of crisis, and stop the clock. let's consider stopping the clock in a second because i want to ask you about the prospect of a no—deal brexit because there are still

parliamentarians here who are saying this is not the disaster some people may get out to be banned because of the rules of trade that could be offered by the wto, this is something the uk could get used to quickly. what is your response? my response has always been the same, they are right, the wto regime, but remember brexit is about exiting paradise in trade terms, which the internal market is, so you have different leagues. the first is the internal market, exiting that is exiting customs, then you can do to that second league which was a balanced fair trade agreement with the eu, nothing like this at the moment so no second league, which

leads you to the third league. if you play football, but to be in the first lead then the second and better the second than the third. the wto regime is the third league, you will have to pay for trade with borders, turrets, differences in relations, whatever political position you have, what cannot be discussed is the fact that it is costly. that is the paradox of brexit. the solution everyone is looking for is how can we, rich, you, rich, exit is not as possible politically and as little as possible economically. exiting politically is nice, exiting

economically is costly, and this situation tells us that this remains the equation and there is no solution, and if there is no solution, and if there is no solution, you go directly to the third league, hence where you have the most friction for trade, which is bad for the uk but also bad for europe. you mention stopping the clock, for how long would it need to beat stopped in order to sort things out? i'm not sure there should be a firm deadline. of course there is a problem that we have elections where members of the european parliament must be elected injune and we would be in must be elected injune and we would beina must be elected injune and we would be in a strange situation if the uk was still in europe but without

members in the european parliament soi members in the european parliament so i would say thejune election, european parliament elections are probably the next one, but given the seriousness of the situation, given that you have tried during two and a half years to find a solution and you haven't yet found it, i'm not sure it can be found in two months, especially if there has to be a second referendum, and let me be clear from where i second referendum, and let me be clearfrom where i am, and i'm independent, i don't report to any authority, this is a british problem. the solution of how you exit politically a bit, or much, with exiting economically a bit, or much, this compromise is within the

system and what we saw yesterday in westminster is pretty clear, you have three thirds in the uk parliament, one accepts the deal on the table and we all know this deal says little on the future and on the terms of trade between the uk and europe in the future if brexit takes place, one third believes this is going too far and one third believes it is not far enough, and you have to find a compromise between these three thirds. this is not brussels or europe, like michel barnier very much and this is not a european problem. you have to find a compromise between the three thirds that have appeared in westminster yesterday. interesting to talk to

you and we are very grateful for your time. thank you, former director—general of the wto, who knows the system inside out and very interesting to get his thoughts around no deal and the process here at westminster and saying it is a british problem, not at european one, that presents challenges for the eu. different perspective is also within the uk, notjust from an english perspective but from the other nations of the uk. in a moment we will get some thoughts from our correspondence in northern ireland and in scotland but before that i would like to go to cardiff to talk to the relatively new first minister for wales, mark drakeford. thank you for wales, mark drakeford. thank you for joining for wales, mark drakeford. thank you forjoining us. i will start by

asking you about your perspective, a your input. how much of an input are your input. how much of an input are you as first minister getting into this process that we are in the middle of, clearly a considerable political crisis? i spoke to the price minister late yesterday evening and emphasised the need for us evening and emphasised the need for us to continue to be in a dialogue together with the scottish first minister, we have the institutional arrangements and joint ministerial committees but this is a critical moment and the voices of directly elected legislators in the uk have to be part of the dialogue, the prime minister assured me those opportunities would exist. and what we do like the prime minister focus and what we do like the prime ministerfocus on as and what we do like the prime minister focus on as she tries to get a majority around may be a new offering? we have set out for the

last two years a form of brexit we think would protect the welsh economy and welsh jobs and be good for the united kingdom. it will require the prime minister to move away from her failed require the prime minister to move away from herfailed policy require the prime minister to move away from her failed policy of red line negotiation. we believe that we need to be part of a customs union, that we need full and unfettered access to the single market, but we need to be able to continue to recruit people to come to wales to fill essential jobs recruit people to come to wales to fill essentialjobs in our businesses and our public services. the prime minister has to focus now on finding the common ground that we think can be found in the house of commons and with the devolved administrations. we leave the eu in administrations. we leave the eu in a political sense, as your last conversation suggested, but that does not mean that we do not have the strongest possible economic ties with our nearest and most important market and to protect the future economic prosperity of the uk in doing so. did you get any sense in

your conversation with the prime minister that she is more ready to consider some of the policy options you have outlined their than she was before, because you mentioned those red lines and she has been pretty forthright in sticking to them in the past few months.” forthright in sticking to them in the past few months. i did not get a clear sense of that, i'm afraid. i got more of a sense of the way the prime minister reacted on the floor of the house of commons, that somehow the dialogue was to be one in which she was to continue to explain the advantage of her deal which has been competitively rejected and hoping to still persuade people of its merits but i'm afraid that's not going to work. the prime minister will have to show a greater degree of flexibility than it has been characteristic of her so far. she has to be prepared not to be to listen to what others are saying but to accommodate her

prospectus to take account of those things and you find a new centre of gravity which i think is there to be found. there is a deal to be done here which the house of commons can support and the eu will be willing to accept. it is not the prime minister's deal, it is a deal that looks a lot more like the things scott and hand wales have been saying to her regularly and routinely since the referendum —— scotla nd routinely since the referendum —— scotland and wales. good to talk to you, thank you for your time. thank you. mark drakeford, the first minister of wales. he spoke to the prime minister last night and i'm sure there will be other conversations in the days ahead. we can get reaction from scotland and ireland. first to dublin and chris page. we heard a short while ago, i mentioned it earlier at the start of the, that the taoiseach had been talking about the no deal planning

that has been going on. tell us about that. yes, if anybody thought that events in london would mean the government here would shift its position on the critical question of the border backstop, leo varadkar made it plain that was not happening and he says that the backstop remains the bottom line for ireland but has led to more questions about what happens if the uk exits the eu without a deal. leo varadkar said the irish government was stepping up its no deal plans, no longer contingency plans he said but plans that were being implemented but when it comes to the question of whether there will be checks on the land border with northern ireland if there is no deal, he says he was not planning any new border checkpoint at the moment but he said he could not guarantee there would not be any checks and there would have to be a political agreement on customs of the movement of goods. he said that agreement is already there in the shape of the current draft brexit deal also be repeated again that that deal is the only deal on the table and it was up to british mps to find a way forward through this

political crisis. across the border, the dup, the party on whom theresa may will rely to win the confidence vote in parliament to much, equally insistent that the agreement does have to be changed, the backstop has to go meanwhile, business organisations in ireland north and south expressing deepening concern at the impasse over brexit, calling for everyone to do whatever they can to sort things out. ultimately, this diplomatic riddle about the future of the irish border remains at the heart of the troubled brexit process and there is no obvious way forward. that is the view from ireland but now we can hear from lorna that is the view from ireland but now we can hearfrom lorna gordon in edinburgh. scotland's brexit minister, mike russell, made a statement to msps in the parliament behind me earlier, saying that the scottish government is now making decisions in matters such as the stockpiling of medicines, both in a consumer and clinical setting, emergency transportation. he said they are in the final stages of

preparing a public information campaign. he also said that the scottish government's preferred option was still to remain in the eu, echoing the position of the first minister, nicola sturgeon. she is in london ahead of that vote of no confidence later on this evening. that is a vote where all 35 snp mps will vote against theresa may's government. nicola sturgeon has had a telephone conversation with the prime minister, theresa may and comments she made afterward suggested she did not think that mrs may was for moving in any significant way and nicola sturgeon called for significant and meaning all and urgent discussions with the devolved administrations. she wants to see an extension to article 50 —— it meaningful. she wants to see a second vote on brexit and, significantly, she said she believes it is becoming increasingly clear that scotland's interest will only

be protected with independence. on that matter this afternoon she said her thoughts on the timing of any possible second independence referendum, she would make clear her thoughts within a matter of weeks. many thanks, lorna gordon and chris page. the time is getting on for 20 minutes to six so we can pause on the brexit coverage and get a quick update on sport with sarah. thank you. britain's dan evans is out of the australian open after losing in round two to roger federer. but he impressed the 20—time grand slam champion so much with his display, federer said it was like playing "himself in the mirror". evans previously missed a year following a drugs ban, but he took the first two sets to a tie break before eventually losing in straight sets. but this was a definite improvement on his prior meetings with the swiss. evans's single—handed backhand has seen his style likened that of federer in the past.

i have high regard. i think he is a good player. i have seen him play some really good matches over the yea rs. some really good matches over the years. i see why he can cause difficulties to players. he has a nice slice, defends the court well, he has the variation which is always a hard thing to play against. and he was feeling it today i thought. it was feeling it today i thought. it was very was feeling it today i thought. it was very cat and mouse a little bit, it was interesting, i liked the match and i thought he was playing well so it was enjoyable. katie boulter is also out, losing in straight sets to the world number 11 aryna sabalenka from belarus. it has, though, been a decent overall performance from boulter, who reached the second round for the first time, but it does meanjohanna konta “is the only brit left in sinnles competition in melbourne.

leeds united manager marcelo bielsa has confirmed that he has had somebody watch all the training sessions of all his side's opponents in the championship this season. a member of leeds' staff was seen acting suspiciously outside derby county's training ground ahead of the meeting between the two sides last friday. police were called but no arrests were made. bielsa admitted that he took full responsibilty and the club didn't know. there is some football to keep you occupied tonight. the third round fa cup replay between southampton and derby county is live on bbc one. frank lampard has already guided his championship side to a premier league scalp this season with victory over manchester united in the league cup. he'll be looking to add another tonight. it's a good game for us, it comes at a time where we have not had many performances this year over 90

minutes. they have been elements of games and we have played most of the top team is now home and away. it is a good reaction game for us to show that what you saw on friday night is not what we have been saying all season. that is up to the players to show that. uncapped connacht trio caolin blade, jack carty and tom farrell have been named in ireland's 38—man squad for this year's six nations. ulster lock iain henderson is also included having made a quick recovery from a thumb injury that was expected to rule him out for most of the tournament. leinster flanker dan leavy though misses out through injury, hang saris-z; gtiquai $71'l'ai' for the six nations. dave cherry and’grantstewarfi flaw lather uncapped players are alsgi the lead after the first round of the abu dhabi championship.

lawry‘s iq—under—par round'inciuded he has a three—shot lead over south africans louis 0osthuizen and richard sterne, plus mike lorenzo—vera and pablo larraza bal. ian poulter, lee westwood and martin kaymer are among a group on six under. that's all the sport for now. thank you. we will see you at the sports centre later. welcome back to westminster where mps are continuing to debate a vote of no confidence in theresa may's government. jeremy corbyn's motion is backed by the snp, the lib dems,

. not long to go really. we can talk now about some of the reaction today. we will be talking about how the markets have reacted and other developments. angela rayner is with me, the shadow education secretary. iam me, the shadow education secretary. i am wondering at this point, if you me, the shadow education secretary. i am wonderii tonight, point, if you lose this vote tonight. wee'there lose this vote tonight. wes'there point to it? |think so lose this vote tonight. wes'there point to it? | think so because saw it was i historic everyone saw it was a historic defeat may everyone saw it was a historic defeat . prime i may [in the im -ortant [in the im-ortant thin the im-ortant thin remember is the im-ortant thin remember is she m-ortant thin remember is she called ant thin remember is she called this hin remember is she called this no . to remember is she called this no knowing she had the confidence knowing she had the supply and demand i the dup. they supply and demand of the dup. they are scared because they don't want a and that is the

labour government and that is the truth. we need a general election and a future plan for britain and they are not delivering about dithering with a lame—duck prime minister and it is disastrous. we talk to hilary benn and his committee has come forward with a report that suggests the house of commons should vote on a range of options i suppose, indicative votes if you like come on what options the house of commons should possibly back as a majority. is that a wise approach? what i think it's frustrating is that theresa may had not reached out to the house of commons, to the select committees and people like hilary benn and certainly not to the opposition. she has left it until the last hour. we will look at any proposal that carbon forward, we have been clear on what we wanted from the start, being a member of the customs union and having close alignment with the eu because we think it is important for our future. eu because we think it is important for ourfuture. she has not done that, she is winding the clock down andi that, she is winding the clock down and i have no confidence that she can reach out now and be able to do that. she should go. do you think a range of votes on options in the commons would be a good way to try to sort it out or not? i think it

could potentially be chaotic. i think what we need to do is get a general election where we can have a new mandate on how to go forward with this country and notjust... new mandate on how to go forward with this country and not just...m you can't have that, i understand you can't have that, i understand you are clear about that and from a labour point to view, one can understand why you would say that but before you get to that point, if you get to that point, asking mps to try to indicate where they might be ina try to indicate where they might be in a majority, if that exists, why do say that would be hectic? would it not be quite useful? because we have very little time left. theresa may has failed to reach out to mps after two years, she has suffered the most catastrophic defeat in history, over 230 majority against her and history, over 230 majority against herandi history, over 230 majority against her and i don't believe she can do that. i don't believe the eu would negotiate with her any more than what she has done. she has set arbitrary red lines which she has failed to come up with anything around a customs union or anything else which were command support in the house i think and i think she

needs to move aside and we need a new government. and i don't think we have got to the end of that process yet. we are at this point where i think people need to have a real choice and i think genuinely that is the real choice for this country because it is bigger thanjust brexit. i do education, we have seen billions of cuts in education, our health service is creaking and it need support and investment. we want to see investment in the economy as well and businesses are fed up because they need security and this is the only way we can take the country forward. just again, if you don't get your way tonight and the numbers don't stack up for you tonight, you are not going to get a general election. if that is not the case, iam general election. if that is not the case, i am wondering where you go from there as an opposition, what you do? we will see what happens tonight but if you remember, theresa may was saying only the day before they called the last general election, there would not be a general election and we had one let's wait and see. you think she could actually resign?” let's wait and see. you think she could actually resign? i think she could actually resign? i think she could go. she is the most unpopular prime minister we have had in

history also she had the biggest defeat in history. even on her own side, they know they don't have confidence in her and i don't believe she will get the consensus she needs in her own party. i think it will split them even further if she tries to find that consensus around the house will stop it is just that there is no other told me that wants to take on that poisoned chalice and they are keeping her in asa lame chalice and they are keeping her in as a lame duck but that is disastrous for the uk. we don't need to limp on any more, we need a bold government with a pleasure in the future of the country with a plan to ta ke future of the country with a plan to take us forward. we will see what happens, thank you very much. angela rayner, the shadow education secretary. i mentioned about the financial markets reacting to the vote. let's cross to our business correspondent jamie robertson who is in the city. tell us more about the thinking in the city. you can look at it from two different directions. from the financial markets, we are hearing

natwest that my career here at the natwest that my career here at the natwest market, there were flashing screens around me showing the pound falling sharply against the dollar falling shargly ggg'gg; gig; ggjjg; then recovering immediately the the bee" the the 1e bee look the the 52:2: point'look ' " ' the the 52:2: point of ok ' " ' at it is on the business point of view, ordinary people, ordinary businesses coming into work every day and the kind of preparations they are having to make ahead i am joint by ross walker who is a uk economist at natwest and also by claire walker, the nonexecutive director at the british chambers of commerce. first of all, how are the markets feeling today? fairly calm. it was calm but it feels it was eelrfi list it’te'ele there it wee eelrfi lest it’teele there is - a lot of superficial, there is still a lot of uncertainty and the markets are “5 different " ' " ' wrestling with the different possible solutions to the brexit process. i would possible solutions to the brexit process. iwould not possible solutions to the brexit process. i would not say there is any strong consensus yet. probably that we muddled through to a softer brexit that may be in playjust a few months ago. there is still a

huge amount of uncertainty. what about the mood in the boardrooms around the country? how are people feeling about the vote last night?” think businesses are small and large are feeling a huge sense of frustration and anger after the vote. there has been such a lack of preparation for those businesses from government. we have been asking the questions they need to get the answers or to plan effectively and many of those remain unanswered. they still don't know whether they can hire, whether they can trade or whether regulations will affect their business so there is a huge level of frustration from businesses big and small. what kind of costs are they backing up because of this? many cost and they are starting to enact contingency plans for the investment they would have put else makes going in the planning, making sure they have enough stock or buying storage for other stock in other areas. a huge amount of investment going in which could be spent on wages or other bits of business. thank you very much. back to you. thank you very much for the

latest views in the city. where do we stand this evening? we are an hour and ten minutes away from the vote of no—confidence vote by labour and unlike last night when the prime minister suffered a catastrophic defeat, the indications so far today are that, if all of the conservative mps are that, if all of the conservative m ps vote are that, if all of the conservative mps vote for the government and the dup, they should survive the vote of no confidence. conservative mp andrew murrison is with me. he is chair of the northern ireland affairs committee. good to have you with us. your sense of how it's going? i think the government will win this evening, little doubt about that, and i expect the prime minister will indeed come as she said she would estimate, consult colleagues across the house to find out what their objection is to her withdrawal agreement before going back to the eu and arguing for more flexibility. i think what is crucial here, and that was the purpose of my amendment

yesterday at which the speaker did not select, was a matter of the backstop and it is potentially being unlimited. indeed, because a lot of the debate around that yesterday was if you start putting dates and time limits on the so—called backstop, it is not a backstop and a lot of people were very confused about the intention behind your amendment and indeed part of the debate. how would you clarify it? my intention was purely to try to unblock this because it seemed to me, having talked to a lot of colleagues in the past several days, that this was what was preventing them from supporting the withdrawal agreement which actually come in its 585 pages, contains a lot of stuff which is unobjectionable and pretty much desired and agreed. do you think the prime minister will be in a petition by next monday, which is very soon, to come back with something meaningful which will be powerful enough to swing opinion and we're talking about more than 200 colleagues? —— in a position. talking about more than 200 colleagues? —— in a positionm talking about more than 200 colleagues? -- in a position. if she

comes back with the withdrawal agreement, she had to focus on the backstop, all the rest is perfectly fine. it is the backstop and making it in fine. it is the backstop and making itina fine. it is the backstop and making it in a way that can be limited in time so the precise date perhaps is not so important. you don't think thatis not so important. you don't think that is a paradox? no, it is the principle of having something within an international agreement that has no end date or from which one party cannot unilaterally withdraw. that would be unprecedented in the history of international treaties relating to trade. what gives you hope or confidence that the eu would actually take a different view to this now to what they took two or three weeks ago? i think they should and the reason for that is they have a lwa ys and the reason for that is they have always said that are not going to enter into any negotiations around to trade before the withdrawal agreement is determined which is understood and i think pretty much accepted, accepting so far that the northern ireland protocol establishes base camp for that future trading arrangement. i think a lot of my colleagues are troubled by that because you can't have it

both ways. let me ask you about the raw politics of this. the eu dealing with theresa may, she survived the vote of confidence in party terms before christmas, but very few of your colleagues would dispute the fa ct your colleagues would dispute the fact that her authority was very badly damaged last night. why would the eu take her more seriously now than before? because we are approaching the 29th of march and the european union and its constituent members want to have a deal, as do we. we are all in it together in a sense and as we get closer and closer to that point in time, then mines will be focused, not least in dublin which is a crucial part of this —— minds will be focused. most of all, the republic of ireland wants a deal. do you think finally we are in a position where we will have to simply accept that there has to be an extension of this process, that article 50 needs to be a little more fluid, to give the prime minister a

little more time? is that inevitable? no, i don't, because if you have ever been involved in a negotiation the worst thing you can do is extend it. we need the deadline of the parties to the negotiations, there minds are really concentrated as we get hard up against it and having been involved inafair against it and having been involved in a fair number of negotiations in my time, i have to say it would be remarkable if we took things off the table or indeed suggested that we are prepared to go on and on and on. that would be the way to not get a deal. interesting to talk to you, thank you so much. andrew murrison, the conservative mp, with some interesting thoughts on how he thinks the process might evolve. mps have been debating jeremy corbyn's no—confidence motion l the vote is expected to be held around seven o'clock this evening. letlsgetalittleilayouc sides have been saying. she has come to the house after

suffering a very large defeat ended with the same lines and she is making the same assertions as she was making before the vote, as if it never happened. she has been criticised for setting and sticking to red lines. do they simply represent the promises that were made prior to the referendum?‘ refusal to even consider changing any of her red lines when the eu and irish government and others have made clear that the deal she got was dependent on those red lines is making this impossible. last night's verdict was emphatic and it does require lessons to be learnt if the prime minister is to secure meaningful changes to the withdrawal agreement and i trust the lessons are being learned and will be

learnt. she should not even bother lifting the telephone to opposition parties unless she is willing to rule out categorically a no—deal brexit and unless she is willing to enter intoa brexit and unless she is willing to enter into a constructive conversation about a people's vote. we have a leader of the opposition who actually cannot work out whether he is in favour of another referendum or not, he's not quite sure which way he would vote if there was one, and he also doesn't know that if there was to be a general election, whether the labour party would take britain out of the eu or keep them in. prime minister, you cannot keep doing the same thing and expect different results also up the prime minister must change course, we must meet this challenge. lama course, we must meet this challenge. i am a conservative first and last. and i know opportunism when i see it. cani and i know opportunism when i see it. can i tell her, when the bells ring from the whole of the erg will walk through the lobbies with her to vote this nonsense down. just a

flavour of some of the exchanges in the house today as mps debated the motion of no confidence. not long to go before that takes place at 7pm. a lot of you have been in touch asking questions, basically saying, what happens next over the brexit withdrawal agreement. the backstop. the future of the irish border. later this evening at 8:30pm we will be putting your questions to be ahead of europe and trade policy at the institute of directors and bbc northern ireland's economics and business editor, john campbell, and they will both be fielding your questions and you can tweet them. you can also e—mail us so get your questions in and they will be standing by to answer them. the bbc news at six is coming up. i will be back here at ten o'clock but first the weather. we end the week on a cold note.

there is this a low pressure pulling out into the near continent and that is opening the floodgates to the arctic and this cold air will be pushing south tonight. also bring some sleet and snow to northern parts of scotland the zfimef scotland. lifi scotland. there of eric scotland. there of raingi scotland. there of rain moving nd. there of rain moving southwards a band of rain moving southwards overnight, could be some sleet in that as well as the air turns much colder. there will be a risk of ice in central and northern areas, watch out for that, temperatures falling close to freezing in towns and cities but even colder in the country. we start tomorrow on a cold and frosty note, watch out for $2,me ice ina $2,me ice in a central and northern and we continue with the and z: :: e cold wind which

bitterly cold northern wind which é bitterly cold northern wind which {£52 showers the as well. perhaps a more prolonged in east anglia bit more prolonged in east anglia a time as that front eventually bit more prolonged in east anglia a taway. that front eventually bit more prolonged in east anglia a taway. elsewhere eventually bit more prolonged in east anglia a taway. elsewhere a entually bit more prolonged in east anglia a taway. elsewhere a lot ually bit more prolonged in east anglia a taway. elsewhere a lot of lly clears away. elsewhere a lot of crisp sunshine to start the day. we hold on to the wintry showers across northern and eastern parts of the country with that strong and bitter winter throughout the afternoon but elsewhere, thanks to that ridge of high pressure, it's actually quite a glorious day with plenty of crisp winter sunshine but colder than we have been used to with temperatures in the low to mid single figures. that ridge of high pressure continues to push eastwards on thursday night into friday so we will have a cold and frosty start to friday but. next feature will friday but this next featureaulll into frigiay but this next featureaulll into the western areas, move into the western areas, bringing in more cloud and outbreaks of rain, sleet and - we think rain? be rain 3 be mainly rain f be mainly over rain 3 be mainly over the the rain will be mainly over the hills but as it meets the cold air on friday, you could start to see some on lower levels in southern scotla nd some on lower levels in southern scotland and perhaps parts of wales and south—west england. another chilly day, not quite as cold as

thursday but largely dry with some sunshine in eastern areas also heading into friday evening and overnight, it looks like that mixture of rain, sleet and snow will push slowly eastward but will fizzle out so it is not looking bad for the weekend, mostly dry, on the chilly side with the best of the sunshine will be on sunday with more cloud on saturday. tonight, the drama continues in westminster — the fate of the government is about to be decided this is a bbc news special. i'm christian fraser live at westminster — where theresa may is back in the house of commons to face a vote of no confidence in her government. after last night's historic defeat on her brexit deal the prime minister faces mps once more — this time to fight for her future. the prime minister has lost control and the government has lost the ability to govern. it would deepen division when we need unity, it would bring chaos when we need certainty and it would bring delay when we need to move forward.

this is the scene inside parliament — mps have been debating for more than five hours and vote in an hour's time. and in europe, shock at the scale of theresa may's parliamentary defeat — brussels says it's up to the uk government to clarify its next steps.