you're watching bbc news at 9 with me annita mcveigh — the headlines... theresa may prepares to return to brussels, after mps in the house of commons last night supported plans to renegotiate her brexit deal with the european union. mps voted in favour of an amendment calling for alternatives to the current plans for the irish border. it is now clear that there is a route to secure a substantial and sustainable... jeering. ..substa ntial and sustainable majority in this house for leaving the eu with a deal. and after mps backed an amendment rejecting a no—deal brexit, labour leaderjeremy corbyn said he was now prepared to talk to the prime minister — we understand those talks will take place today. but the head of the cbi says uk companies are now likely to speed up their no—deal brexit plans, adding further renegotiations with the eu feels like a real throw of the

dice. and this morning the eu's chief brexit negotiator has said brussels' position was "very clear". i'll be here throughout the morning in the run up to prime minister's questions at 12pm. hello, and a very good morning to you once more from westminster as theresa may prepares to seek changes to her brexit deal with brussels after m ps to her brexit deal with brussels after mps last night supported plans for renegotiations to reopen with the european union. however, some eu leaders, including the french president emmanuel macron and the the european council president donald tusk, have said there will be no revisions

to the deal. let's look at the key points from last night. mps voted by a majority of 16 in favour of an amendment calling for alternatives to the border arrangements for northern ireland, after the prime minister promised to seek legally—binding changes to the withdrawal agreement. last night, mps also voted against a no—deal outcome. however, as the vote was not binding, the uk is still set to leave the eu on 29th march. and following that, the labour leaderjeremy corbyn said he would now take part in talks with the prime minister on the way forward — having previously refused to do so until she ruled out a no—deal brexit. well, those talks look likely to start today. our political correspondent norman smith said he understands mrs may hopes to hold talks on wednesday with the labour leader. mr corbyn has yet to respond to the invitation. jonathan blake reports. division! clear the lobby!

vote after vote, but there was one that really mattered, and when it came, it was a win of sorts for theresa may. the ayes to the right, 317. the noes to the left, 301. mps backed a proposal to support the prime minister's brexit deal if she could secure a big change to the controversial plan to avoid a hard border in northern ireland if a trade deal can't be done. it is now clear that there is a route that can secure a substantial and sustainable... jeering ..substa ntial and sustainable majority in this house for leaving the eu with a deal. we will now take this mandate forward and seek to obtain legally binding changes to withdraw. the other big decision saw mps reject a no—deal brexit, but with no plan on how to avoid

that and the result was not binding on the government. until now, he'd refused to meet the prime minister and discuss the best way forward. after last night's votes, the labour leader agreed to sit down and talk. could i say that we are prepared to meet her to put forward... jeering. ..to put forward the points of view from the labour party of the kind of agreement we want with the european union to protect jobs, to protect living standards, and to protect rights and conditions in this country? shoring up support for a new version of her deal wasn't easy for theresa may, but convincing the eu to make the changes parliament demands may be even harder. jonathan blake, bbc news, westminster. with me now is our assistant political editor norman smith. norman, let's take stock. where are we at with this process?

we are grinding slowly onwards to exit day. it seems that within downing street the view is that they got through last night, they will now go back to brussels, i do not think they are under any illusions that brussels are suddenly going to roll over and say, yes, we will give you the concessions that you want. the wheels keep turning. they have broadly got the tory party on board. they have a chunk of labour mps who defied mr corbyn and voted with the government, they saw off attempts to get parliament to take back control. a big turnaround from the big defeat of theresa may's plan two weeks ago. but a vote in favour of something thatis but a vote in favour of something that is potentially very different, some might say fantasy politics?” don't think the government have a clear wish of what they want the eu to give up in terms of the backstop.

it is all aboutjust getting through each day, each vote, one by one. it may be that after mrs may goes back to brussels she comes back with may be not very much. she will probably put that to mps and say i have done my best, we have tried. some mps will come on board, someone. my expectation is that the process will continue and it is the incremental war of attrition that brexit has become. and if you listen to the brexit secretary, steve barclay, i think they were pretty buoyed by last night's result. the vote was last night, the prime minister will be meeting with the leader of the opposition later today. there is an ongoing process, the business secretary is meeting with trade unions, i will be engaging with members of parliament across the house. this is the negotiation we are going through. we

are working hard in the national interest. the prime minister is going to secure a deal. she has a clear mandate from parliament to tell them what the will of the house is and to address the central question with the european union. what is theresa may's strategy? is she thinking if she doesn't get the concessions that she is talking about on the irish border situation, she will say to the mps not co mforta ble she will say to the mps not comfortable with the backstop, i have listened to you, i have tried, i have not got any movement from the eu, the clock is ticking and you now need to back my deal. is that what she's doing? precisely that, it is plan a, with a little variation. the eu might offeran plan a, with a little variation. the eu might offer an addendum to the treaty, there might be something in the future political declaration. but there is not going to

be the rewriting that theresa may suggested she was going to seek. i think she knows that. the strategy is pretty much what it has always been, plan a, my deal, with a little tweak. i will try to get some further concessions and the clock is ticking down. what is striking in parliament from last night, many mps are looking for a way out of this. they really do not want to be in a situation where we are going to leave without an agreement. it was striking to listen to oliver letwin, saying, i just want any deal. i think there is a move among some mps, they want a ladder to climb down so they can support theresa may's deal. there is a hope that the eu might provide her with something. at least dominic raab was saying, you know, last night's boat should give the eu pause for thought to cut mrs may some slack. we always hear in the immediate aftermath from

all of the sticklers, but there are many other voices across the commission, and i think there will be thinking long and hard about this. we are very close to the wire for the eu always takes the negotiations to the 11th hour. parliament has strengthened the prime minister's hand. the ball is now in the eu's court, they have a choice to make and it is a very clear and straightforward choice. we can make the changes and get it through parliament or leave on wto terms at the end of march. jeremy corbyn said he would not talk to theresa may until no—deal was taken off the table. he says they will meet now, even though no deal is still on the table. the majority of mps said they do not want a no—deal position. what can we expect from that meeting? is there any

mileage in it for either of them? not really. mr corbyn has been pretty clear he wants a customs union. mrs may has been pretty clear she doesn't want a customs union. they will describe it as constructive, they each have their different views and they will keep talking. the significant thing about labour is that there is quite a chunk of labour mps who look to be set to back a deal that mrs may comes back with. last night, on the key amendment, the yvette cooper amendment, there were 1a labour mps who voted with mrs may against it, 17 who abstained five shadow ministers. that is a fair tranche of labourmps, and ministers. that is a fair tranche of labour mps, and downing street will be calculating, when they begin to worry, we can be confident we could get 20 or 30 labour mps on board and that will give them growing confidence that they can still get this through. thank you very much. let's go to brussels and get reaction from there. gavin lee is there. is there any sign that any of

there. is there any sign that any of the eu 27 are minded to budge on the backstop and withdrawal agreement?” think that there are two entirely different narratives. it seems with the conservatives rallying around the conservatives rallying around the idea of an alternative to the backstop, it is a henry v moment, once more into the breach, dear friends. the game is afoot. this side of the water, it feels like it would be a fools errand, is what the rhetoric is. every leader around the table has treated or made a statement to the press saying that we will not look for an alternative to the backstop, because we will not open the withdrawal agreement and renegotiated over again. when you think about, i think it was, about 8.50 when it came through that there would be an alternative proposal, six minutes later we had a response from several leaders, including

donald tusk, saying the withdrawal agreement on the backstop, we will not go back on that. you can look at changing the little declaration, the broad scope for the future. he also said if britain wants an extension to the article 50, we can look at that and it has to be decided among the leaders. perhaps pointing that way as well for more time as well. u nless way as well for more time as well. unless she has the persuasion powers of derren brown when she arrives in brussels, asking for changes, it will be very brief coffee and waffles here. i wonderjust on possible alternatives, is there something that can be done with the eu that might be legally binding and set alongside the withdrawal agreement, rather than a

renegotiation of the agreement itself? this is a really good point. i think this is why we are looking a two different worlds. dominic raab was explaining the dynamic has changed. if you ask here in brussels, eu diplomats, it shows that nothing has changed. we are hearing of the malthouse compromise, the idea that you can have an alternative arrangement, in the words of somebody that rarely speaks publicly in the eu, the deputy chief negotiator, she gave a public statement to the press a couple of days ago. she said, we have looked for 18 months at all of the alternative to the backstop, they have been exhausted and this is why we have the insurance policy. she went further, saying that there are those in the uk that seem uninhibited by any knowledge of the withdrawal agreement. 0uch. take that outside of diplomatic terms, many in the uk have not bothered to read it and do not know that it already says in there that we are looking at alternatives but the backstop has to stay until 00:13:55,1000 --> 00:13:56,871 we have found one. the clock is ending

soon, brussels is known to do things last minute. from where i am sitting, doesn't feel like they will move at the moment. with me as james cleverly. you voted on the irish border question. beyond bringing more conservatives together, where does that take you? we know the eu say they will not renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, which the backstop is part? throughout the process, the most natural part of negotiation, if you have said no, no, no, then they have evolved their position over time. of course they have said no

overnight. the prime minister had a big win last night. it is notjust about the conservative party coming together, it is about a parliament would accept to go through as part of the withdrawal agreement. that is what the prime minister is going back to the eu to talk about. i hope they can get the movement that the members of parliament put forward. the negotiation is supposed to have happened, the deputy negotiator for the eu has pointed out in the last couple of days that british negotiators were heavily involved in coming to that. you are moving the goalposts, aren't you? in my memory, there has not been a eu negotiation position that has not gone to the wire. it always happens on the 11th hour. this is very much normal. the prime minister is going back with a strong mandate from parliament. we know what parliament will accept, the parliament live

michael ball his in their court. the prime minister put forward a plan, it was rejected by the house. she has said, you have seen my idea, come to me with yours. i am glad thatjeremy corbyn has been dragged kicking and screaming into the real world and has agreed to meet the prime minister and thrash out what he wants to put forward. 58 days left until march the 29th. do you think that it is now rational that article 50 should be extended to allow this to be developed? first, what we have to do is thrash out a deal that works. we need the prime minister and her team to go to the eu with a powerful and renewed mandate from the country to try and

get something that works for us and the eu. i would like to get your response to the cbi, which i am sure you have heard this morning, saying that the renegotiation that the government is talking about is a huge throughout the dice and gamble. and it is? we always listen to the cbi. but the prime minister has to deal with realities. she brought forward a plan was initially rejected. this has now evolved. it is right that the prime minister goes to the eu to thrash out a deal that works for them and us. let's talk to dominic o'connell, business presenter at bbc radio 4's today programme. the point about the cbi, that is clearly a big concern, not only shared by the cbi but by many others in the business world. the time is

running out for a deal and this is a gamble? exact right. the interview with the cbi, the chief executive, that you talked to earlier, talking to james that you talked to earlier, talking to ja mes cleverly, that you talked to earlier, talking to james cleverly, she made it clear that business priority was to avoid a no—deal. and that when you look at all of last night's about it was an incremental step towards no deal. she said it filled her with dismay. she said it filled her with dismay. she said it filled her with dismay. she said she thought businesses would be accelerating their plans to prepare for no deal. talks of alternative arrangements, changes to the backstop, she described it as a triumph of hope over strategy for interesting to look at what happened to the financial markets. if you look at stirling, good barometer of what is happening in the brexit negotiations, it adept against the dollar when votes to change the backstop came through, but it recovered that ground. the financial marketsjudge the recovered that ground. the financial markets judge the underlying politics, the 50—50 nature of the

negotiations, it has not changed that much at all. what is business saying about learning in this case? there has been a recurrent message from the business world that there isn't enough guidance, there is so much uncertainty. do you have a sense that many businesses are going ahead full tilt with no deal planning, as well as other brexit planning? they certainly are. in northern ireland it is most acute because this is where the border issue comes into play. we have spoken to northern irish business leaders this morning and one of them has said to me that he has been talking to a factory that has to move stuff across the border and it put a quarter of its staff on notice of redundancy. 0ther put a quarter of its staff on notice of redundancy. other people are planning to move stuff across the border to keep continuity in trading. they think the government did make commitments that they would be no hard border in northern

ireland, and they see this as a step towards a ha rd ireland, and they see this as a step towards a hard border, rightly or wrongly. we don't know what the outcome of negotiations would be. the other point that caroline fairburn, the chief executive of the cbi, made to me, one sector that did a lot of preparation for no deal and is ready for it is the city of london. financial services has been planning for no—deal since the referendum and is pretty much there. although you may not see it, people have moved out of the city to places like dublin, luxembourg, paris, frankfurt. the underlying things that you can't see, the assets, the legal contracts, have also moved. a lot of the activity has been going on below the surface and the city has made preparations for no deal. dominic o'connell, there. one of the amendments that got through last night was put forward by conservative mp dame caroline spelman and labour mp jack dromey. that's the amendment to prevent a no—deal. let's speak to them now. thank you for coming

along this morning. united in trying to stop no—deal. what do you think the impact of mp support will be as this pans out, and as theresa may goes back to brussels looking for changes to the backstop which might indicate that no—deal is very much on the cards? parliament has spoken very clearly with a majority of mps who do not want us to crash out on the 29th of march without a deal. it is the second time parliament has shown a majority for that position. while it may not be legally binding, i believe it is morally binding on the government. i think you can use the threat of no—deal brexit as another way, positively, as a carrot. so teresa can go to brussels and says, parliament have said they do not wa nt parliament have said they do not want no—deal. parliament have said they do not want no-deal. yours was not legally

binding, yvette cooper's was, did not get that majority. are you disappointed about that? the clearest possible message was sent. parliament will not allow britain and northern ireland to crash over the cliff on the 29th of march without a deal being done that protects the national interests. that has got to be our focus at this stage. what we welcome is that yesterday our amendment was passed, there was an agreement on the floor of the house of commons between the prime minister and jeremy corbyn. commence negotiations straightaway today. the sooner the better. a deal has to be arrived at. otherwise, the consequences for the land rover workers in caroline's constituency and the jaguar workers in my constituency would be absolutely catastrophic. theresa may and jeremy corbyn meeting later. they are so farapart on corbyn meeting later. they are so far apart on fundamental principles, you have to wonder how they can come together? we were both negotiators

and our former lives, in my case in the trade union movement. the seemingly intractable can ultimately be resolved. if there is a will, there is a way. we need to change there is a way. we need to change the imperative for serious negotiation to commence. can it be done? i live in the real world, negotiation to commence. can it be done? i live in the realworld, i know how difficult it can be. can it be done, put in a british national interests first? yes. you also supported the grady amendment. are these amendments not at odds? no, therein lies the making of a deal. no two no—deal means that we have to have a deal. we need a deal to honour the result of the referendum and there is a majority for that position. clearly, there are great concerns about the irish backstop. she is now focused on the fact there isa she is now focused on the fact there is a majority in parliament. yesterday was a landmark moment and the opposition leader, and therefore

all parties, have agreed to come around the table. i don't think they are so around the table. i don't think they are so farapart around the table. i don't think they are so far apart as some people think. let me put it to you, if theresa may cannot get any movement from the eu on the backstop, effectively her deal remains as it was a couple of weeks ago and it was heavily rejected, would you support that deal, if that is what it comes to, a choice between that and no—deal? to, a choice between that and no-deal? i supported her dealthe first time round. it is not perfect. local businesses around me tell me it is good enough. i would encourage others to support her deal. will conservative colleagues of yours who didn't vote for her be persuaded to come round, if she says, i listened to you, try to get movement, the eu will not budge. will they say, time is running out and we have to back something? i think there was a

movement yesterday. it is cross— party. movement yesterday. it is cross—party. remember, the deal need support of people across the parties to get through parliament. i think she will get some concessions. she has offered jeremy corbyn protection on workers' rights, environmental protection. if theresa may arrives at the table and says, i understand, ifi at the table and says, i understand, if i take that off the table, it will help you as well as me full give me the concessions i need. jack dromey, in terms of protecting the border, avoiding a hard border between northern ireland and the republic of ireland, that is something the labour party absolutely once, how concerned are you about the brady amendment and the government's efforts to try to find alternative arrangements without, it seems, a definite plan yet? i come from an irish background, from the republic. i remember the troubles, when ireland was at warfor 30 remember the troubles, when ireland was at war for 30 years. now we have peace. nothing must be done that puts that at risk. the next stages, the prime minister will go to brussels and i don't believe there

will be movement on the part of the european union. it comes back to what we have both been saying, can we get to an agreement that commands the confidence of the house as a whole, parliament as a whole, and protects the british national interests ? protects the british national interests? no longer individual party interests, but putting the british national interests first. in a line, from both of you, it is not entirely clear how we are going to get to that? with goodwill, you can make that happen. there has not been much of that? i mean, obviously between you. used to say when i was with the union, nothing is impossible. would you accept a delay to article 50 to make that happen? delays cost money and that would meanjobs. delays cost money and that would mean jobs. if it delays cost money and that would meanjobs. if it meant delays cost money and that would mean jobs. if it meant the deal, would you? a short delay, but no more than that. the quicker we meet bear make a deal, the better. in a moment the weather but first let's join victoria derbyshire to find out

what she's got coming up in her programme at ten: in the next half—hour, the supreme court is going to rule on whether people should be obliged to a criminal record to would—be employers. we will talk to three people with convictions who argue that they should not have to declare old convictions and, unsurprisingly, to stopping them getting a job. join us to stopping them getting a job. join us at 10 now it's time for a look at the weather. lovely sunshine at westminster, but i know lots of places had snow overnight. kane we have had a lot of snow showers across the north and west. some of them have been

heavy across merseyside, cheshire, greater manchester and manchester itself. many of those will tend to fade through the day. for a lot of the uk it will be cold, but the risk of ice this morning. there will be a lot of winter sunshine. through this evening and overnight, soon as it gets dark, temperatures will follow quite quickly. looking at widespread frost. where there are damp surfaces the risk of ice again. patchy freezing fog across parts of southern scotland, in through the midlands and eastern parts of england. it is going to be a cold night. those are the temperatures in towns and cities. in rural areas, lower than this. in the highlands, as low as —8. that is how we start the day tomorrow. freezing fog will be slow to clear if it does. a lot of sunshine further north. with strengthening wind, we bring in a band of rain. it will fall readily as snow across parts of the south—west, into southern wales, and eventually across parts of southern england as well. this is bbc news. i'm annita mcveigh at westminster. the headlines at 9:30: theresa may prepares to return to brussels, after mps in the house of commons last night supported plans to renegotiate her brexit deal with the european union.

mps voted in favour of an amendment calling for alternatives to the current plans for the irish border. and after mps backed an amendment rejecting a no—deal brexit, labour leaderjeremy corbyn said he was now prepared to talk to the prime minister. we understand those talks will take place today. but the head of the cbi says uk companies are now likely to speed up their no—deal brexit plans, adding further renegotiations with the eu "feels like a real throw of the dice". theresa may is heading for confrontation with the european union, after mps last night backed her to renegotiate part of the brexit deal. at the heart of the dispute is the future of the irish border. the eu has once again insisted that changing the deal is not an option, but the prime minister says she has a mandate to return to brussels and re—open negotiations.

it is now clear that there is a route to secure a substantial and sustainable... jeering ..substa ntial and sustainable majority in this house for leaving the eu with a deal. we will now take this mandate forward and seek to obtain legally binding changes to the withdrawal agreement that deals with concerns on the backstop, while guaranteeing no return to a hard border between northern ireland and ireland. and last night, the labour leaderjeremy corbyn said he will now meet with the prime minister to discuss the way forward. we are prepared to meet her to put forward... ..to put forward the points of view from the labour party of the kind of agreement we want for the european union to protect jobs, to protect living standards, and to protect the rights and conditions in this country. it is exactly the offer that was made last september, exactly the offer that was made two weeks ago, and i look forward

to meeting the prime minister to set out those views to her on behalf of my party. let's speak to labour mp alison mcgovern, who supports the people's vote campaign. very good to have you with us this morning. are you happy thatjeremy corbyn is going to talk to theresa may? he said he wouldn't talk to her as long as no deal was on the table and it is, in effect, still on the table. well, the one bright spot of last night was the amendment to stop no deal, which was supported by the house of commons, so the house of commons clearly doesn't want no deal but that is obvious because no deal would be a complete disaster, so there are two ways out of this. because to have the ends of no deal, we have to will the means. there are two ways out, either we agree some

sort of deal that can command a majority in the house of commons or theresa may decides to put her deal back to the public in some sort of public vote. i think we have to exhaust all of the opportunities to see if there is a deal that can get support and otherwise, i simply ask myself what other options are there to get ourselves out of this mess and putting it back to the public is the last option varies. do you feel the last option varies. do you feel the momentum behind that idea of another referendum has faded away somewhat? colleagues of yours have openly said that unless jeremy corbyn backs another vote, it won't happen and he is less than enthusiastic about it, isn't he? to be honest, identical anyone is enthusiastic about it. it is way down his list of options. any further vote would have to be very, very different from what happened in 2016. but we have had a general election since the 2016 referendum, and that means we have a hung house of commons and we are in a very

difficult situation, so there will be future democratic events, whether thatis be future democratic events, whether that is a general election or another vote on this. the question is, how do we handle the issue now to make sure we don't crash out without a deal and what are the things the house of commons needs to do to make sure it doesn't happen? either get a deal we can vote for or get a plan to have a vote with the public or the current deal. is theresa may going to brussels and asking for some sort of renegotiation around the irish border arrangements, is that her way to get a deal everyone can vote for? honestly, that is a fix for the tory party. it is not going to happen. theresa may herself was telling people the withdrawal agreement won't be reopened and that is what we have heard. the tory party wanted to bring itself back together and have a moment of unity after the ha rd have a moment of unity after the hard right has been voting against their prime minister and that is what they wanted last night, but this is just what they wanted last night, but this isjust a what they wanted last night, but this is just a way to run the clock

down and i would be very surprised if theresa may manages to do what she herself said was impossible. what would you like to see coming out of the discussions jeremy what would you like to see coming out of the discussionsjeremy corbyn is going to have with theresa may later today? labour's policy, that we agreed in september, was that we wa nt we agreed in september, was that we want permanent customs union and membership of the single market. that is the kind of brexit deal we are putting forward, so i would expectjeremy to put forward our policy. and the prime minister, honestly, she has been talking about workers' rights, she could have repealed the trade union bill, she could have been improving workers' rights this week that she has chosen not to, so my expectations are low. but i'm sure that as frances 0'grady and other trade union leaders did last week, i am surejeremy will put the case that there on what she needs to do if she wants labour voters to support the deal. some labour members did support the brady amendment last night, there are some

who are happy to see a renegotiation of the backstop. many labour mps don't want that. do you think we are still... a very small number. the vast majority of labour mps, as you would expect, backed labour's amendment, which is our policy. that has sort of been lost in all of this. what i wanted to ask you is do you think there is still the possibility of drifting towards a no deal, running out of time to do anything else about it? you are absolutely right, that is the biggest danger now and that is why the prime minister's device to bring her party back together and run down the clock is a very dangerous one andi the clock is a very dangerous one and i would simply say to her that the country needs better than this. she either needs to find a deal that has a commanding majority in the house of commons, which means working with what labour's policy is, or she needs to find another way to get public support for her deal. thank you very much for your time.

well, the eu's chief negotiator michel barnier made a brief statement on his way into a european parliament brexit steering group meeting this morning — let's have a listen. the position of the european union is very clear. it has been expressed yesterday by the president donald tusk and jean—claude juncker will make a statement to the parliament this afternoon. thank you very much. michel barnier and that european parliament session taking part this morning. let's see if any other lines emerge from that. but we have got a fairly clear sense of the mood in the rest of the eu. the eu 27 saying that, you know, they are not up saying that, you know, they are not upfor saying that, you know, they are not up for renegotiating the withdrawal agreement and, of course, part of that withdrawal agreement is the backstop, the plan to avoid a hard border between northern ireland and the republic of ireland. so the vote for the brady amendment last

night, asking for alternative arrangements for the border to be considered, that has brought conservatives together in a way that they haven't been together for quite awhile but, you know, it alienated others. with me are brexit commissioning editor for the telegraph asa bennett and the political correspondent for the guardian jessica elgot. both of you, welcome, thanks for your time this morning. jessica, it has brought the conservatives together, pretty much more together than they have been for a while, but for how long is the question? yes, cabinet minister is pretty cheery in the lobby last night and we haven't seen that for a long time. it was one of those nights where the whipping sort of fell into place for theresa may. there weren't enough tory rebels going over on the amendment for brady, the changes to the backstop, and another labour rebels going the other way to defeat the cooper amendment, which would have paved the way to extend article 50, so the stars aligned for her last night but it remains to be seen

whether it will happen over the next couple of weeks, when it really counts. if there is any mileage in exploring a third —— alternative arrangements, will article 50 need to be extended in any case? theresa may is not going to say that any time soon but later she might issue manages to pass any deal she brings back. after that, she may be able to say with a straight face, brexit is in the bag, i have delivered on that but we need a bit more time to tie up but we need a bit more time to tie up the loose ends. but as you are suggesting, getting that deal passed first is a much harder prospect, given how much her tory brexiteer colleagues are demanding of her. jessica, is she trying to develop a strategy way she will say to those people who are happy to see a renegotiation of the backstop, i have tried to do this, it hasn't quite worked out, maybe she gets some otherform of quite worked out, maybe she gets some other form of words or assurance from the eu 27 and she says now you need to back my deal because time is running out. that is quite a dangerous game to break the prime minister, because last night,

a lot of the tory brexiteers were making it clear that their support for this amendment did not mean they would definitely endorse whatever she brought back and that is something they needed to hear the prime minister save from the dispatch box, jacob rees—mogg and peter bone both ask how that while she was on her feet and she had to basically concede it didn't mean it was an automatic endorsement of whatever she brought back. graham brady went into the erg meeting room, the group of hard brexiteers, last night and also made that point andi last night and also made that point and i think that is why so many swung behind it in the end because they can give their support to this change conditionally. i don't think their support should be granted —— taken for granted. asa, labour last night, either in of labour mps did not back yvette cooper or abstain from backing her amendment, which would have ruled out no deal, would have been a legally binding enforcement, if you like. what is

going to happen with labour, especially with jeremy corbyn going into talks with theresa may today? obviously labour has conceded in their view that no deal has been taken their view that no deal has been ta ke n off their view that no deal has been taken off the table injeremy corbyn's view enough that he feels comfortable to talk about it. the one that parliament did not pass was the yvette cooper, that would have brought bills, legal teeth, around the delaying an abdication of article 50 and instead it was the virtue signalling caroline spelman amendment that says we don't like no—deal brexit but we are not going to do anything about it, we just don't like it. so as a result, it really remains to be seen with these dorks because it jeremy really remains to be seen with these dorks because itjeremy corbyn does try out or party lines, like we want a custom union, theresa may has made it clear it is a red line and let she falls, and the anyway she would would be is ishii exhausts all of the options in her own party and she has to reach across, that is the soft brexit she can hold

over the erg and other benches, then it will not be much of a starter because she is going for party first. jessica, 13th, 14th of february, a meaningful vote two, the potential we are told for mps to vote again in a firm away to rule out the possibility of no deal. how'd you think that will play out? in fact, theresa may has committed to doing anything at all by the 13th or 1ath, only that it she hasn't got a deal from the by the 13th or 1ath, only that it she hasn't got a dealfrom the eu, she hasn't got a dealfrom the eu, she will give another statement and put another motion that can be amendable by that date, so we may see exactly the same thing that we saw play out last night play out again in slightly different versions in two weeks. i think we are all looking forward to spending valentine's day doing that. thank you both very much indeed. guy verhofstadt says there is no room to renegotiate the backstop.” verhofstadt says there is no room to renegotiate the backstop. i don't think there is no room to do that, for the simple reason that the

backstop is absolute and is in the withdrawal agreement, but there is the possibility to discuss the future relationship, so that is what the european parliament and european union has always said. i am pleased that one of the amendments that has been adopted, or maybe the launching platform. cross—party co—operation, that could lead to such a proposal for a more close relationship than what is foreseen today. so the tories still think you will bring on the backstop. i think of the backstop is an insurance and an insurance is needed to be 100% sure there is no border between northern ireland and the irish republic and we don't wa nt and the irish republic and we don't want ourselves that the backstop is used. it is, like i

said, i guarantee, a safeguard. with me is alan wager, a research associate from the uk in a changing europe, which is an independent think—tank. very good to have you with us this morning on bbc news. so we havejust heard from guy verhofstadt saying that no renegotiation to the withdrawal agreement, and no surprise in that because the eu has been consistent in what it is saying, unlike the uk, it is fair to say. so, really, is theresa may on a mission to nothing here? yes and they have use the language nothing has changed a try and get through to the prime minister that there is not any movement here and they have their own politics to worry about in their own politics to worry about in the eu 27, particularly in ireland and they will not be willing to budge for the next couple of weeks. it is unlikely she will get any substantive change to this backstop. if not to the withdrawal agreement, could the eu, but something that sits alongside it that would have some legally binding element? yes, there are precedentss than that, in maastricht, there was an agreement

to the maastricht treaty, ireland got something to the lisbon treaty in 2008. there are creative things you can do on top of the withdrawal agreement, but that is slightly different to reopening and engaging with the core principle of this backstop. i guess the question then would be depending on what that addition would be, would it be enough to gain the support of the most ardent brexiteers, the erg, jacob rees—mogg, the dup, etc. most ardent brexiteers, the erg, jacob rees-mogg, the dup, etc. she has promised these mps something she proverb it can't deliver. it is similarto proverb it can't deliver. it is similar to when she won the confidence vote and said she will definitely leave before the next election, she has won by promising something but it is not clear whether they will be satisfied with what she comes up with. and what we haven't mentioned, there is a majority as of last night for alternative arrangements but we don't actually know what those alternative arrangements are, do we? yes, the majority it rests on with these labour mps, it is quite narrow and quite slim, so they are looking

for some sort of key overwhelming majority to bring back to brussels, thatis majority to bring back to brussels, that is not there. brussels are still slightly wary, given the slimness of the majority and what it is built on, something potentially undeliverable. if we all cast our minds back to the thick of the negotiations, there were talks of technical arrangements, negotiations, there were talks of technicalarrangements, using technology to avoid a hard border on the island of ireland. that was pretty much ruled out. yes, and that was the basis of this agreement made among conservative mps yesterday, some sort of technical solution. but it doesn't even really claim to solve the backstop issue or solve the idea of a hard border, it doesn't do that and it relies on this technology, so it is unlikely that this agreement, this malthouse agreement that this victory was built on yesterday, will last that long on contact with the european union. our lot to do in 58 days. allen, thank you very much. it is time to sport now, let's move away

from politics for a moment. john watson is in the bbc sports centre. good morning. the games are coming thick and fast. the champions manchester city slipped up again in the title race — the champions manchester city beaten 2—1 by newcastle, despite taking the lead after 2a seconds. salomon rondon equalised before matt ritchie grabbed the winner from the penalty spot as rafa benitez did his old club a huge favour. but pep's not panicking just yet. we are injanuary, we have a lot of time but, of course, when you are behind the leader, you don't have to drop point, because you help them and, of course, every game is one game less but we are injanuary and we have a lot of titles and games still to play. it's advantage liverpool, who can move seven points clear if they beat leicester later. it will be a huge boost to jurgen klopp, who said in an interview with our sport editor dan roan that he loves the dayjob, but is getting no enjoyment

from the intestity of the title race. let's enjoy the moment, let's enjoy the ride as much as possible and let's go for everything. we don't set limits. you able to enjoy it? never. i don't really enjoy it, it's just the work i do. i enjoy the work with the boys but not the situation that you can go for this or that. football is not the most important thing in the world but, in these moments, for us, of course, it feels like that. i love what i do, but the situation, yeah, it is intense as well. and city's slip well documented on the back pages today. "agent rafa" the headline in the sun, as benitez helps out his old club. the face of city's kevin de bruyne says it all in the times. and on the back page of the mirror, pictures of the tributes to emiliano sala in what was cardiff city's first game since his disappearance.

flowers laid on the pitch at the emirates. and the tributes didn't end there. this one was shared on social media last night as emiliano sala was named in the matchday programme at arsenal in what should have been his first appearance for the club. a really lovely touch by the club. if last night's action is anything to go by, you wont want to miss tonight's. there are four more premier league matches, liverpool's clash with leicester at anfield the featured match on bbc radio 5live. they will also have updates from around the grounds including tottenham hotspur against watford. then you can catch all the highlights and talking points on match of the day on bbc one from 22:45pm in england, scotland and wales, and the slightly

later time of 23:25 in northern ireland. centre ben te'o has been ruled out of england's opening six nations match with ireland on saturday with a side strain. the worcester player picked up the injury this week. and the man in line to replace him manu tuliangi doesnt, manu tuliangi, doesn't want tojinx his return having not started for his country in six years. if your minds positive, you know, you've got to go forward from there. like i say, you know, i'm fit and healthy, touch wood, as always, and just enjoying being back with the boys, you know, with the best players in the country. boxer nicola adams has been speaking of her delight at getting to follow in the footsteps of her hero muhammad ali. when she fights arley mucino for her first porfessional world

for her first professional world ttle in march, it will be at the royal albert hall, where ali boxed twice in the seventies. this is the reason why i turned professional. i've achieved everything there is to achieve as an amateur and i wanted to go on and get the world title as a professional boxer, just like my hero muhammad ali. and to think that he has boxed in the same arena that i'm going to be boxing in is, you know, it is unbelievable for me. and a huge week of sport we have ahead. so much excitement there is ahead of the super bowl. it's spreading because back by popular demand is kitten bowl.. ahead of the patriots against the rams, rescued kittens from across the us, will play in their own super bowl before the main event on sunday, with the idea to have found new homes for all the

felines on show by the time super bowl is over. if that doesn't make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, i don't know what well. that is all from the bbc sports centre va now, more sport and possibly kittens to come at 11:15 a:m.. we need some warm and fuzzy feelings here at westminster, i think. some warm and fuzzy feelings here at westminster, ithink. well, last night, the president of the european council donald tusk said the withdrawal agreement was the best and only way for the uk to have an orderly excerpt from the eu and we arejust orderly excerpt from the eu and we are just hearing orderly excerpt from the eu and we arejust hearing in orderly excerpt from the eu and we are just hearing in the last few minutes that donald tusk and theresa may will be having a phone call later on today. with me is a system political editor norman smith. how is that going to go?” political editor norman smith. how is that going to go? i think it will bea

is that going to go? i think it will be a pretty brief phone call because we are clear on what mr tusk‘s view is on reopening the withdrawal agreement, he has already said it is not happening, as has emmanuel macron and any other eu politician who has been asked about it. the hope remains in downing street that they will be able to get something because they calculate that mrs may has shown she can get a parliamentary majority if there is some movement on the backstop. the hope, too, is that within eu capitals, there will be growing alarm that we are heading towards no deal and no deal is bad for us but it is not so great for the eu either and there is hope that sort of diverging views have been emerging in other eu capitals. so if it is not so great for the eu either and the rest of the eu think it is better for us that the uk does leave the eu in an orderly fashion, what can they do, then, to work with those who want the backstop to change? bluntly, i think those who want the backstop to

change? bluntly, ithink we those who want the backstop to change? bluntly, i think we are in figleaf country. they will offer something mrs makin wave around in the commons as a significant concession. it may be, i don't know, an addendum to the withdrawal treaty, some sort of legal code is still, maybe a language in the future relationship agreement, anything that will enable mrs may to come back here and say, i have got movement, now back my deal. what can you get that is going to satisfied the erg conservatives, the dup, that will work for them? i think if you are waiting for movement on the withdrawal agreement, it is not going to happen. but my senses the erg, many of them, are in the market to get on board with the deal. we saw that earlier in the week when they were all huffing and puffing and saying they weren't going to support mrs may and then they did support mrs may and then they did support mrs may and then they did support mrs may. and there are some hardliners who will fight to the

last, but many of them, they want to get out and get out on the right date and anything else which puts a deal at risk could potentially scupper brexit, in their view. so if mrs may could give them a ladder to climb down, i suspect many of them will climb down and i think that is precisely the calculation in downing street. you keep going, nip and tuck here, little bit of a figleaf it, people will come on board. that will ta ke people will come on board. that will take some clever diplomacy and clever wording. just a final thought on labour, jeremy corbyn talking to theresa may later that they are so farapart on so theresa may later that they are so far apart on so many things. is anything useful going to come out in terms of the wider progress? only in terms of the wider progress? only in terms of the wider progress? only in terms of choreography, it looks good for team made to talk to opposition leaders. she talked about further meetings with trade union leaders, proposals to give parliament a bigger say in discussing the future trading relationship, so that is all mood music and choreography to show we are being terribly consensual and

bringing everyone into the big tent. the sharp end is to get something, asi the sharp end is to get something, as i say, anything, from the eu that enables mrs may to say aye fought the good fight, made some progress, ta ke the good fight, made some progress, take another look at my deal. so lots of business to be done at westminster today, lots of discussions to take place between westminster and brussels. we are going to keep you right up to date on all about and in amongst all of the extraordinary events here, we have a regular fixture of prime minister's questions at 12pm. time now for a look at the weather forecast with simon. thank you. it looks cold but sunny in westminster and for many of us through this morning, it has been a sunny start but cold and frosty, and an icy start for many others. some lovely sunshine, snow on the ground in north wales but we have had fresh snow this morning across parts of north wales, parts of north—west england, render manchester and merseyside area, quite significant

snowfall and very icy conditions. those showers are easing away but still if you around wales, towards shropshire, derbyshire and still some snow showers across the north—west of scotland. for most of us, it is dry, it is sunny and maximum temperatures getting up to 3-6 maximum temperatures getting up to 3—6 degrees. through this evening and tonight, through the clear skies, it will turn quite cold quite quickly, the risk of summer ice again, especially where you have that showers today. some patchy freezing fog developing across central areas but a widespread and ha rd central areas but a widespread and hard fast, temperatures down to possibly minus six degrees, it could be the coldest night of the year, potentially —14 in aberdeenshire. 0ut potentially —14 in aberdeenshire. out in the atlantic, cold firmly across the united kingdom —— cold air. this area of low pressure, as it moves across on thursday, it will bump into the cold air and we could see significant snow. for much of thursday across

england, northern ireland and scotland, dry and sunny after a cold start. temperatures struggling to get above freezing. further south, the cloud increasing with rain starting to move in, turning to snow over the higher ground. temperatures 2—5dc across england and wales. let's focus in on the rain moving in, turning to snow. quite significant snowfall potentially across the south—west of england by the evening rush hour, that will edge further north and eastwards a cross that will edge further north and eastwards across much of wales and the south midlands and into the south—east of england so even around the greater london area thursday night into friday morning, there could be a good covering of snow. widespread snow, potentialfor widespread disruption thursday night and into friday morning, well worth staying tuned to the forecast. that weatherford will pivot and turn away as we go through friday but worth bearing in mind that if you are travelling over the next 2a hours, we have potential snow, more ice to come, very cold conditions. your

local radio will keep you up—to—date, as will our website. bye— bye. hello, it's wednesday, it's 10 o'clock, i'm victoria derbyshire. the highest court in the land is expected to rule in the next few minutes on whether you shld have to declare certain criminal convictions to would—be employers. we'll bring you the ruling and talk to these three people with convictions for attempted armed robbery, battery and fraud who argue that they shouldn't have to declare old convictions and unsurpsisingly it's stopping them getting a job. it's colder in the american mid—west than in the antarctic. the people in the midwest are a hardy bunch. they are used to cold weather — but nothing like this. —45 celsius windchills here in chicago. we'll talk live to people living in chicago. after those votes in the commons last night — the prime minister will now head back to brussels to try and renegotiate a key part of her brexit agreement — even though brussels have already

poured cold water on any chance of changing the deal they spent two years working on.