today at five, we're live at westminster where mps are preparing to vote for their preferred brexit option. this is the scene in the house of commons where eight different options for brexit are being debated, including plans for a plans for a customs union, another referendum, and a no—deal brexit. at the same time, the prime minister is meeting conservative mps to try once again to win them over to her deal. mrs may will address members of the backbench commitee in the next few minutes, but the speaker has again warned there must be changes to her deal if it's to be put to another vote. i wish to make clear that i expect the government to meet the test of change. they should not seek, they should not seek to circumvent my ruling by means of tabling either a

notwithstanding motion or a paving motion. the president of the european council urges meps not to ignore remain voters. you cannot betray that 16 million people who signed a petition to provoke article 50 —— 6 million people. all the i provoke article 50 —— 6 million people. all thei million people who marched for a people's vote. it's five o'clock. plenty of campaigners here again today. they are engaged in the process of exploring alternative options to brexit. as the house starts the process,

the prime minister is addressing a meeting of conservative mps, hoping to convince them, once again, that her withdrawal agreement is the best way forward , though there's still no suggestion that a majority of mps are prepared to back it. and the speaker has warned again today that mrs may can't bring back her agreement if it's essentially the same. mps are preparing what are known as indicative votes, in other words, folks to indicate their brexit preferences. they will then be a debate on each of those options to see if there is a majority support for a new way forward. i mention the speaker there because earlier on he was presiding in the house of commons, talking about the order of events. then the possibility of the prime minister wanting to bring back her deal before the house of commons. this is what he said. her deal before the house of commons. this is what he saidlj understand commons. this is what he said.|j understand that the government may be thinking of bringing meaningful vote three before the house either tomorrow or even on friday, if the house opts to sit that day. therefore, in order that there should be no misunderstanding, i wish to make clear that i do expect

the government to meet the test of change. they should not seek, they should not seek to circumvent my ruling by means of tabling either a notwithstanding motion or a paving motion. the table office has been instructed that no such motions will be accepted. i very much look forward , be accepted. i very much look forward, colleagues, to delay‘s debate and votes which give the house the chance to start the process of positively indicating what it wants. that was mr speaker just a short while ago in the house of commons. two things therefore for us of commons. two things therefore for us to talk about, initially, with big young our chief political correspond it. we will come to these indicative votes in a moment, let's talk first of all about the prospects for the prime minister to bring back her deal, possibly before the end of the week, given what the speaker has just said. the end of the week, given what the speaker has just saidlj the end of the week, given what the speaker hasjust said. i think it is interesting, it feels that things are moving, we have had some significant shifting from some conservatives. jacob rees—mogg suggesting he would back the deal

because he fears the alternative is no brexit at all. people like conor burns, very close to the former foreign secretary borisjohnson saying that he will back the deal now. lots of rumours that there may be an upcoming over. the irony is that even if she does get to that point, it would be difficult to get that third meaningful vote. i have just been to a former cabinet minister who said that he thinks the speaker has completely overstepped the mark and i consider brexiteers here who hate theresa may's deal here, they hate this even more, they think it is completely out of order. former cabinet ministers are said to me that there is a way round this. they could bring back the withdrawal bill, the first clause of that bill could be read to say this counts as the meaningful vote. they feel that the meaningful vote. they feel that the speaker in the end cannot stop legislation getting through, he couldn't stop it happening. in that sense, it could happen, and we note the brexit secretary saying they are trying to push and change, put down a motion to say that the house can sit on friday. at the moment it is not supposed to be sitting just in

case they might need to bring that forward. how confident are they that, given the scale of the defeat in the past, how confident are they even today, given there is lots of uncertainty still about the way the dup may vote in this process, how confident are the government that they might get through this?” they might get through this?|j wouldn't they might get through this?” wouldn't say they are confident but they have always said they wouldn't bring this forward unless they thought they had a chance of winning, and it feels that they are moving towards that. the other thing which is crucially important in all of this is the meeting going on right now, the prime minister in a committee room just up the stairs over there, she is meeting her backbench mps. those going into that meeting, they want to hear her say that she will not be in charge of the next stage of brexit negotiations. the crucially important negotiations, of course, but our future relationship with the eu. it may not be a date, some would say it doesn't have to be a date, they want her to say clearly that if her bill gets through, her deal gets through, and the legislation gets through, and the legislation gets through, that that would be the

moment when she would say, "look, as prime minister i delivered what i promised the british people," and that could be the moment for her to go. all eyes are on the meeting and that could persuade enough of them, may be, to get behind the deal. we will keep our eyes on that. what can viewers expect from this process going on in the commons? how soon would people get to hear what kind of preferences mps might coalesce around? it will be quite a long process , we around? it will be quite a long process, we have eight different motions down with a whole range, the speaker has selected those to have the range of options from those who wa nt the range of options from those who want a no—deal brexit, to those who wa nt want a no—deal brexit, to those who want another referendum, to those who want to revoke, that is a stop, brexit if we are heading towards no deal. that is a debate that will go on until 7pm. incredibly unusually, because this is backbenchers seizing control of what is going on today, it hasn't happened for hundreds of yea rs. it hasn't happened for hundreds of years. then mps will have a bit of green paper with all the options on them and they can say yes or no to as many as they like. then the plan

is to come next week, do this again, the government is not in control of this, backbench mps in control of this, backbench mps in control of this, and try and whittle down some of the most popular ones until they get to the point where there is a majority, a majority of mps behind one option. it is incredibly difficult to keep that going, it is not binding on the government, some people feel that if theresa may's deal has failed to get through by then, it may be the only option. will be back to you later, thank you very much. the keeper inside the palace of westminster. the debate in the commons well under way, there have been several key contributions so farfrom have been several key contributions so far from those putting forward their own options. before we progress here, let's just listen to some of the contribute and made so far. mr speaker, this really is a five minutes to midnight for this parliament, for this government, and for our country. we desperately need to find a way out of this mess. our country has spent two years tied up in knots by the prime minister's

incompatible red lines which offered such a narrow interpretation of the referendum result. a50 2—48 vote was certainly not an instruction for a disastrous no deal or a hard canada style job destroying brexit. in a divided country and a divided parliament, finding and sustaining a compromise that most people can support is a noble endeavour. after years of paralysing conflict, we have a moral duty to open our minds this afternoon and reach for a compromise that will allow us to put the interminable brexit row behind us. the interminable brexit row behind us. the great strength of the common market 2.0 proposal relative to all other brexit compromises is that it offers something important and valuable to everyone and every party in this house. green that he is making a very powerful case for this being the least damaging form of brexit. the trouble is that it will end up pleasing no one, neither the

remainers who voted to remain, and the very significant number of those colleagues who voted to leave. wouldn't it be best, if he doesn't have the consent of this house, to at least check it has the consent of the people? would he agree to link it toa the people? would he agree to link it to a public vote so that we can check that it really is the will of the people? at last we are seeing as we go along that the house is moving into a mood where it is going to be possible to end the catastrophic shambles of the last six months, we are beginning to talk about actually being able to take decisions founded on some sort of cross party consensus and some search for a majority that can be sustained. through the difficult and long negotiations that would it would require to reach an agreement on our final relations with the european union. kenneth clarke the conservative mps and father of the house of commons, the former chancellor, former home secretary speaking just a short while ago, as

you can imagine, event at westminster being watched across the english channel because at the european parliament this morning there was a sense of some confusion, exasperation in some areas, at the events in westminster over the past few days. the president of the european commission, jean—claude juncker, said he was finding it almost impossible to read what was going on. donald tusk, the president of the european council urged meps to keep an open mind, as he called it, giving the uk a long brexit extension. he told meps not to ignore what the he said, was a majority of british people. what would you like british mps to do today? we'll see. in this parliament, they'd like the other parliament to make a decision... presidentjuncker, what should british mps do today? hi! ..to end the guessing game about which direction they're going in. translation: if you compared great britain to a sphinx,

the sphinx would be an open book by comparison. let's see how that book speaks over the next week or so. the man who chairs the summits of eu leaders pushed the idea of the uk staying in. he was speaking directly to meps, but indirectly to mp5. you cannot betray the 6 million people who signed the petition to revoke article 50... applause. ..thei million people who marched for a people's vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the european union. applause. they may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by their uk parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber — because they are europeans. thank you. donald tusk‘s comments have gone down well here

at the european parliament, but they will be very controversial in the uk because there are questions about how many people went on that march for another referendum, the opinion polls aren't decisive, and the government has rejected the petition calling for brexit to be cancelled. for the few supporters of brexit here, they fear their dream of leaving the eu is withering, not blooming. i would say to you, to all of you and national leaders, reject the british extension beyond 12th april. get britain out and then we can alljust get on with the rest of our lives. applause. the eu thinks today's votes should have happened at the start of this process, not at the point where the british try to grab one last selfie before they go. our europe correspondent, damian grammaticas, joins us from brussels.

just to add to the sense of some people saying exasperation, some frustration, what did you make of donald tusk‘s attempt to reach out to meps to say, "look, we shouldn't forget that there are millions of people who actually are still in a position where they are very much wa nt position where they are very much want this brexit process not to happen?" i think you have to see it in the light of donald tusk‘s own character, he is a politician who wears his heart on his sleeve. he says what is in his mind, and he doesn't mind stirring things up a bit if he does that. he has done that all the way through the whole brexit process, he is a committed european, he fought for democratic rights in his own poland at the beginning of his political career, he still is a bit of a sort of street fighting politician. he doesn't mind getting involved in a bit of a scrap. it also chimes with

his beliefs. he has always said he thinks the uk is better off in. i thinks the uk is better off in. i think once he saw that march in the uk at the weekend, he saw that online petition, he is quite happy to stand there in front of the european parliament and found those fla mes european parliament and found those flames a bit, if you like. because that chimes with the way he feels deeply about things. therefore, he would go out and say that publicly. thank you very much. damian grammaticas there with more thoughts for us from brussels. let's have a look at what is going on in the house of commons because the movers are still speaking for top labour's yvette cooper, one of those who have been leading this process to rest parliamentary control to mps from the government's cans, she is speaking. former leader ed miliband behind her. hilary bennjust on speaking. former leader ed miliband behind her. hilary benn just on the right listening to the speech. we hope to speak to mr benn in just a few minutes' time when he leave the

chamber. what i would like to do is ta ke chamber. what i would like to do is take a closer look at some of those indicative votes, as they are called, which were selected by the speaker earlier this afternoon. the voting on them will take place at around 7pm. to explain a little more, our reality check corresponded chris morris with me once again stop chris, just to start with the options, what are they actually talking about? we started today with 16 potential options, the speaker has whittled them down to eight. it is that quite a lot of them are about where we might end up in the future, the future economic relationship, not about, future, the future economic relationship, notabout, of future, the future economic relationship, not about, of course, the withdrawal agreement itself which will have to be passed anyway if many of these potential options come to pass. one of the ones we are going to look at here is what is called common market 2.0. it is a group of mps from across the aisle, it will basically keep the uk in the single market and a customs arrangement, a bit like a customs union, but it would also have to mean that the uk would allow free movement of people. obviously a

clear red line for theresa may and for the government. the argument of those who put this forward is that it would allow frictionless trade, it would allow frictionless trade, it would allow frictionless trade, it would solve the problems on the irish border, but it is the solution, if you like, those who wa nt to solution, if you like, those who want to keep the uk as closely economically linked to the eu as possible. the idea of a second referendum, a people's vote as some would call it, where is that in this mix? that is one of the things that they will vote on this evening. don't forget, you have x—rayed already but mps will get the boats on these options yes or no. it means i would be another vote, a repeat, if you like, of 2016. what we don't know is exactly what question would be asked. would it be, "we want to remain? " we want to remain with mrs may's deal? or could be one of the solutions that could be this afternoon? some people think, "yes, we need to go back to the people," some people think that we have already decided to so we should act

on that. like the country, parliament is really divided on that. if you're one of the mps that very committed to the brexit process , very committed to the brexit process, where is your pencil going to be hovering on this list? there is one option that has been put forward by brexiteers which, essentially, wants to end up with a loosely styled free trade agreement with the eu. it is something along the lines of the relationship we have with canada. that would mean they hope, that you have a standby arrangement that would mean you and have no trade tariffs with the eu while that agreement was being negotiated. the problem with it, evenif negotiated. the problem with it, even if you get there, it doesn't solve the northern ireland border issue. the bigger problem is it has also been ruled out as an option by the eu. we shouldn't forget that, yes, we need to get agreement on a way forward in the house of commons, but eventually, that future relationship has to be negotiated with the eu as well. we also shouldn't forget that there is a body of mps very firmly of the view that no deal is notjust something that no deal is notjust something that we shouldn't fear, but something that is desirable.

absolutely, the shortest option being looked at this afternoon being put forward by the conservative mp john baron says that this house believes we should leave with no deal on the 12th of april. it would mean, yes, respect the result of the referendum, but it is this fear of the economic impact of no deal. we have heard from the government, we have heard from the government, we have certainly heard from many parts of business, they say potentially it could be catastrophic. we know brexiteers say, "come on, you need to have the courage of our conviction, this form a clean break." but conviction, this form a clean break. " but many conviction, this form a clean break." but many people are against this and we have already seen the house of commons vote against the idea of no deal. there are other options this afternoon which are being looked at, notably, that if no deal is the last thing standing, that the option then should be taken to revoke article 50, take it off the table, no brexit at all. thanks for taking us through the options. chris morris from the bbc‘s reality check team. we saw hilary benn in

the house of commons and he has very kindly, to talk to us in the central lobby of the house of commons. thank you very much. where do you think we stand now that this process is under way? it is a historic day, and i think we have seen a very mature, sober debate in the house of commons. because unlike the normal cut and thrust between the parties across the centre of the chamber, members who have got propositions have stood up, argued the case for them, because they are trying to persuade colleagues to vote for them. and this is something that we should have done a very long time ago, but i welcome the fact that it is taking place today. in about an hour and is taking place today. in about an hourand a is taking place today. in about an hour and a half's time, just over, mps will start to vote on the different propositions, at around 9pm, 9:15pm, depending on how quickly the clerks can count the ballot papers, we will get the first indication of where mps might be

prepared to go in order to find a way through the deadlock that currently faces the house of commons. but of course affect the country with 16 days to go before the 12th of april. where do you stand, mr benn, on the fact that this process is under way, we have a lead of the commons, the prime minister, both of them going out of their way to say, "look, we are not going to be bound by this, not necessarily, anyway." going to be bound by this, not necessarily, anyway. " so going to be bound by this, not necessarily, anyway." so raising doubts about the validity of the process. look, mps are doing their job because the government's deal has been copperhead to be rejected twice. we have had to take responsibly to, the government could have done something that they have failed to do so and voted against it happening. we leave that on one side. the crucial question is the one that you asked. if mps are able to rally around an alternative way forward , to rally around an alternative way forward, then is the prime minister, is the government prepared to move? are they prepared to compromise? we

have heard repeatedly in the chamber this afternoon, "i am voting for things which are not my first option, i have reservations about this. .." option, i have reservations about this..." but i and others have been encouraging colleagues to vote for all of the things that you could live with. but the government, the prime minster, thus far, and two and three quarters years have said that it is my deal or no deal, we are not shifting an inch. we are never going to get out of this if the government continues to hold to that view. i hope the prime minister will reflect on the results when we see them this evening. the house will then come back on monday, we will have to decide out of those that have received the most support, how are we then whittle that down. we will do ourjob, we hope the parameter will be willing to comply. you have any sense or hunch right now about where you think those options might come down to? you have taken soundings amongst your own collea g u es soundings amongst your own colleagues and other party members of well, surely, do you have a sense that you could give viewers at this

time where you think the consensus might be? i think it will be in the direction of a soft brexit, but the honest truth is we don't know how this is going to go. this is not a prearranged vote where everyone has got a pre—established position. mps are listening to the debate in the chamber. they are weighing up what they are going to do. because when they are going to do. because when they walk into those booths just after 7pm and they are handed the ballot paper, mps will have to make their own individual decisions. it is when all of those votes are added up is when all of those votes are added up that we will know the answer. i think there will be a lot of support for customs union. i look forward to seeing how much support there is for the idea of a confirmatory referendum which i am backing which would say, "whatever deal the house of commons and the government eventually agrees and negotiates with the eu, we should put it back

to the british people to decide." because in the speech i made, i spoke about lots of people changing their minds, about willing to support the government's deal, about exit day, and it really strikes me, listening to that, of course people are entitled to change their mind, but why do you exclude the british people from that process? they may wa nt to people from that process? they may want to change their minds about the decision they made in 2016 now they know what the real choices are. the trade—offs, the compromises, they might not want to change their mind, i think the right thing to do is to ask them. because that would, in the end, provide a resolution to this, especially if the house of commons remains deadlocked. mr ben, good to talk to you again, thank you very much forjoining us. hilary benn there from the brexit select committee. it is 23 minutes past five, outside the palace of westminster we are taking a look at the procedure and the technicalities behind this vote. nikki da costa, former director of legislative affairs at number ten and a senior

counsellor. good to have you back with us. you was trying to make sense of what is going on today, it is unusual, the form is unusual, the way mps will vote is unusual, so what can we expect by 9:15pm tonight? if goes well and the clerks have said they are fairly confident they can do it within an hour to 90 minutes. what we will have is basically numbers against each of those options. i don't think we should be expecting a majority, more a guidance as to what things are starting to get the support of mps. you look for maybe something 50 short of a majority, a hundred. what is the bottom of the pile? that is robbery what you will get from today. i'm just robbery what you will get from today. i'mjust getting news robbery what you will get from today. i'm just getting news that at the 1922 committee, just to let the viewers know this, it is good you are with us because you work at number ten, are with us because you work at numberten, mrs are with us because you work at number ten, mrs may telling the conservative backbenches that she wa nts to conservative backbenches that she wants to get through the brexit process , wants to get through the brexit process, and then what was the latest after that? she suggested she

might be in a position then to leave office after the deal is in place. we are looking at the committee room windows here at the palace of westminster, that is where the 1922 backbench conservative committee is meeting. this is the crucial meeting being addressed by the prime minister right now. as we understand it, this is reuters reporting this at the moment, the prime minister suggesting that she is very determined to get the deal through and get brexit through, then some suggestions you might be in a position to move on or move out of office after that. i would like to get a little more on that before we cement that into place. nikki is still with us, would that surprise you? there has been a lot of pressure for her to announce that she is going. to try and bring on the hard levers that would like a chance of someone else to take over. i think it has not gone as far as

that. that'll be quite wise. until she knows the deeply are in place, -- until she knows the deeply are in place, —— until she knows the dup are in place, she should... this is from the meeting of the 1922 committee, the meeting of the 1922 committee, the prime minister telling her own mps that she will not remain in post for the next phase of the negotiations. if that is the crucial distinct and, yes? what do you make of that? she has in that case. ignore what i have just said, she has done quite strong on that. that is the last card to play, let's see what happens over the next 2a hours. the aim is that she would then hope that that is enough to bring lots over the doubters on board. plus what we are seeing playing out tonight, the threat of some of these things are starting to gain momentum. people are seeing right now the government has lost control of the commons, the speaker, some extraordinary events this afternoon. we are running out of time if they even think that the deal is worth it. when we look at these options, because clearly there is a range of

options across the spectrum, hilary benn suggesting that there might be some kind of consensus around a softer form of brexit. some kind of consensus around a softerform of brexit. if some kind of consensus around a softer form of brexit. if it comes to that, let's say that is where the potential consensus is, would the prime minister then have to respond to that or not? if it isjust a resolution, as it would be tonight, no, it is possible the parliament could holder in contempt. what that means is, essentially, there is a humiliation of it, for a second time. ministers may be suspended. that is probably the extent of it. you want to compel the government, you need to pass educational is hard to do. but it can be done. we have heard signals from oliver letwin that they want that. i think it is a last resort. as a manoeuvre, it has been around for months. nikki, good to talk to you again. thanks for responding to the breaking news there. nikki da costa, former director of legislative affairs at number ten. coming from the 1922 committee meeting, rather significant, mrs may's message.

vickijung is significant, mrs may's message. vicki jung is in significant, mrs may's message. vickijung is in the palace of westminster, what can you tell us? there are hundreds ofjournalists outside and we are getting reports from those now who are leaving the meeting, the initial view was that theresa may had said that she would stand down once brexit was delivered. now, obviously that sounds quite vague. speaking to people who are going to the meeting, they wanted more than that. then on they wanted more than that. then on the record, james cartlidge conservative mp actually said that the prime minister had told them that she won't remain in post for the next phase of negotiations. rememberthe the next phase of negotiations. remember the withdrawal agreement is the divorce settlement, that is the first phase, the second and some would say much more important phase is about our future relationship. and she has, according to at least one conservative mp, said that she will not be around to do that. so that would be a departure in the next few months. she has apparently said, "back the deal, and i will gof' said, "back the deal, and i will go." that is what another mp has told my colleague. a hugely

significant moment, once we get this confirmed again, but certainly several mps are saying that this is what has happened. theresa may obviously hoping that by announcing herdeparture, obviously hoping that by announcing her departure, that will bring a enough mps to back her deal. the dup clearly pivotal in all of this, they would need to be persuaded as well. we haven't heard from them at all today. we need to wait and see whether what she has said to that packed a few yards away up on the committee corridor, whether that would be enough to persuade mps to get behind her deal. stay with us, let'sjust take get behind her deal. stay with us, let's just take a look inside the house of commons. just to remind viewers that the debate is still going on to explore these options in the brexit process. two things happening, the significant development with the prime minister in the committee, here in the house of commons, mps now starting the process of exploring new options on the brexit process. this, of course,

is part of the pressure on the prime minister and on conservative mps. this has to be seen in that crucial context. you arejoining us at westminster on a significant day in the brexit process, the prime minister signalling she will leave office at a certain stage if she gets her deal through parliament, telling mps, look, if you back me, this is what i plan to do, and that's happening on the one hand and on the other, we have mps in the house of commons, exerting maximum pressure by taking control of this pa rt pressure by taking control of this part of the parliamentary timetable and exploring their own options on brexit. now, the prime minister, as isaid brexit. now, the prime minister, as i said addressing the meeting of conservative mp, she is hoping to conthem again her withdrawal agreement is the best way forward. let's go back to vicky young. how significant will the meeting be?

what you are talking about the two things are related. we have these strands and they are all related so the fact that mps have taken control of the house of commons effectively and are dictating what the business is, that has put massive pressure on brexiteers in the conservative party, who some i am being told in that meeting, were saying that they now feel that brexit is volatile, it might not happen at all so they would reconsider and may well support what the prime minister, her deal. she has apparently said to mps, we have spoken to a couple who have left the meeting, they are saying her main message if you back the deal i will stand down, and also saying that she won't be around for the second part of negotiations, so that was the problem that some mps had on the way in. they said something vague ant leaving once brexit is delivered would not be enough for them. they want it to be clear she would not lead the next round of negotiations because a lots of them are critical of the way she handled that, and you can see from her point of view, how this might

make sense because she can say, she came in, and that after that referendum she promised to deliver brexit, if the deal was to go through, she can say that she delivered on her promise to the british people, to deliver brexit. will it be enough? what is your hundred snch will it be enough to bring all of these people who have been very sceptical about the deal in the conservative party, will this be enough to bring them onboard? her problem is as you know she doesn't have a majority, she needs the democratic unionist party and she also needs of course to carry on governing, whoever the leader of the conservative party is as prime minister, they need the dup, so that is still pretty crucial and people like jacob rees—mogg said he is willing to back her deal if the dup back it too. so they are absolutely central to all of this and we haven't heard from them today, whether this will make a difference to them is another matter they are worried about other thing, northern ireland being treated differently from the rest of country, but i think it will change the minds of a

large number of conservative party mp, we have heard from people like connor burn, who is very close to borisjohnson connor burn, who is very close to boris johnson and he, connor burn, who is very close to borisjohnson and he, yesterday, sounding as if he might get behind the prime minister's deal, particularly of course, those who have leadership ambitions in the conservative party, they want theresa may out of the way, and suddenly you might see them putting aside their huge negatives about her deal if she is no longer in position. thank you vicky young. i'm joined by two senior parliamentarians, the former conservative foreign secretary, sir malcolm rifkind, and in the houses of parliament is the labour mp, dame margaret your response, which is that she won't lead the uk into the next phase of negotiation, in other words saying back my deal and i will clear off. if that is her view i think one can say if she goes she goes with honour, this is part of an understanding that the deal goes through, and very few people would

have given much good odds that she was ever going to get that deal through, lazarus only came back from the dead once, she is now on the edge of delivering, so, one must assume either that the deal will go there the next day or so, even if it doesn't, the gap will have been so narrow to such a relatively tiny figure a few days later we will indeed have brexit confirmed and the withdrawal agreement. that will depend on the parliamentary partners of the conservative, the dup, who today are still very opposed. they will be under pressure from jacob rees—mogg, whose only support is linked to that, and we understand the dup themselves might be divided, but remember, there is another unknown, and that is the number of labour mps who unknown, and that is the number of labourmps who might unknown, and that is the number of labour mps who might support this matter, we have three labour mps, the last time, and one is led to understand there could be as many as 20 or 25 who might be prepared to support it. it is a big gap to close. a huge gap. in normal

circumstances you would say it is undeliverable. when you have a gap of 149 that 75 mp, 60 are erg. ten are irish. it looks as if we will get all, there will be a dozen or so die—hard conservatives get all, there will be a dozen or so die—ha rd conservatives i get all, there will be a dozen or so die—hard conservatives i suspect. a dodds on the 20 who will possibly abstain and that helps, but i think it is going to need labour mps to deliver the final result. either tomorrow or in a few days' time. you think it is going to get there?” wouldn't have said, i wouldn't have wa nted wouldn't have said, i wouldn't have wanted to sound positive a few days ago or even 48—hours ago. the combination of jacob rees—mogg ago or even 48—hours ago. the combination ofjacob rees—mogg has said, what boris johnson combination ofjacob rees—mogg has said, what borisjohnson has implied. iain duncan smith, david davis all going in that way, but combined what is reported to be the prime minister's position, that she doesn't anticipate being in charge of the second stage of the negotiation, now that means that she is likely to be prime ministerfor the next two or three months but it also means if there is to be a new

leader, potentially a new prime minister it is not going to happen in the middle of a crisis, quite the opposite. it will happen in a slightly more proper and responsible way. what do you think lots of members of the public will make of those former collea g u es the public will make of those former colleagues of yourers in the commons who have been very critical, they have said it's a disaster for this country. they have said it's the wrong deal and now they will say ok we will vote for it. what will the public make of that my criticism is the fact it has taken them so long to reach this stage, because it was obvious two months ago, there was not a majority in parliament for no—deal and any alternative to the prime minister's deal was from their point of view was going to be worse. tha nkfully point of view was going to be worse. thankfully they have come to realise that and acknowledge it. all credit to parliament. if the prime minister gets this deal through, the people she most has to thank are her own conservative backbenchers who defied the three line whip and forced upon not just the

the three line whip and forced upon notjust the government, but on the jacob rees—mogg and borisjohnson, the realisation they could never win a vote in parliament, that might not have happened if we hadn't had the government being defeated on more than one occasion. given what is happening on that account, how releva nt happening on that account, how relevant is the process in the house of commons now today, to explore these other options? it is part of that process, we are not there yet, and if, if you will have to wait and see, if the first round of voting on this suppose called indicative vote, if it it shows there is close to 50% of mps who want a customs union or something of that kind, then that itself gives added pressure on the die hard on the ultras to sayers, look, you can go to the stake if you like, but do remember that will be a. soar brexit than you say you want. i am being told that the prime minister was telling the 22 she wa nts minister was telling the 22 she wants the hand over, if you like, to the successor to be as elegant and

as orderly as possible. what should we read into that? exactly what i hoped would be happening, if these reports were correct, namely that by the time she stands down, which i presume would be in a couple of months' time, it won't be 24 hours after the vote goes through, she will want to see as leaving the eu, which should now hopefully be within a month or so at the most, and then, after a few weeks she will step down, she, what she said she doesn't wa nt to down, she, what she said she doesn't want to preside over the next stage of the negotiations on the long—term trading relationship, now, these will not substantively start at ministerial level for a month or so any way, that works well. it means that the members of parliament can choose the two of however many candidates there are who they would most prefer and the part party membership will address matters in a less frenetic and dreadful atmosphere than would have happened, if we had been plunged into o a leadership election today or at this

stage of the proceedings. good to talk to you time is 5.38, so the news at westminster is that the prime minister has addressed the meeting of the conservative backbench1922 committee and telling them if her deal goes through, if her withdrawal agreement is passed by the house of commons, that will be the point at which she would leave office, and there would be a new conservative leader and a new prime minister to leader and a new prime minister to lead into the next phase of negotiation, unless of course there is some general election in the meantime, and there is a change of government, that is a different matter all together. i am assuming my next guest, another very experienced parliamentary, dame margaret beckett will have a view on that, good of you tojoin me, i am wondering what you make of first of all the prime minister's own statement to her colleagues today, signalling she is prepared to leave office if they back her deal. if”

we re office if they back her deal. if” were them i would want it in blood. i have lost track how many times she said she wouldn't lead them into the next election but it has turned out she might after all. do you think it will change the dynamics of the debate? it is possible. it is possible. certainly it might change the dynamics of late everything in, there is one thing she has proved, it is she is not a good nairld negotiator, so i am relived she has accepted she won't be conducting the next phase but on the other hand as isaid,i next phase but on the other hand as i said, i will wait and see who happens. i am wondering, is it your reading, given how well you know the house of commons, that this offer she has made could bring enough of her colleagues onboard, to push this deal through after all, after all the criticism that they have made of the criticism that they have made of the deal, do you think it might be enough to swing things in a different direction?”

enough to swing things in a different direction? i think it is really ha rd to different direction? i think it is really hard tojudge, different direction? i think it is really hard to judge, because the fa ct really hard to judge, because the fact is, as you say, they have been i think rightly very critical of her deal, and her deal isn't changing, so in one sense, it is hard to see why her not being there personally makes a difference, because the price of her going apparently is that she will continue to ram through the dial they hate so much, so it is hard, i genuinely don't know how that might reflect on the numbers. —— deal. numbers. -- deal. let us help viewers with the process in parliament today and you have been taking part in that, taking a leading part in that, what are you asking the house of commons to do? put whatever we decide back to do? put whatever we decide back to the british people. one thing i think is critical —— crystal clear, whatever the outcome of the discussion today or everyone if we end upsetting for mrs may's deal it is not what people were told they we re is not what people were told they were voting for in 2016, and to my

mind the only way to resolve that, peacefully, and in a way that can bring people together, is to give them a chance to say, is this what you thought your voting for? or not? repeatedly, those who oppose your views say there is no majority in the house of commons for that kind of democratic exercise because it was had back in 2016, that is what they say, you know it better than me, so why do you think the case that you are making will be more popular now than it was a few weeks ago? i genuinely don't know what the outcome will be. all i would say is that you know, we have had the march last weekend, we are all getting a lot of information and pressure and so on, and itjust seems to me, that it is lewd do you say nothing has changed, mine, a lot has changed. what people are being offered is not what they were told they would get in 2016. so the alternative is for

us in 2016. so the alternative is for us in parliament to decide, and just say to the people, we are really not interested in your point of view, thanks, you had your chance three yea rs thanks, you had your chance three years ago, now shut up and go away. i think we should be saying to them, this is the best we have been able to do between us all, is that good enough for you and if it is, fine. so be it. that will be the end of the matter. but if it is not, then people should have the chance to say that it people should have the chance to say thatitis people should have the chance to say that it is not. otherwise, as a very real risk that we make a decision to ta ke real risk that we make a decision to take the british people out of the european union, against their will. that would be utterly undemocratic, if it is still their will, give them the chance to say so. dame margaret beckett good to talk to you again, thank you for talking to us. the labourmp thank you for talking to us. the labour mp margaret beckett who has been one of the leading campaigners in the house of commons for a second referendum, thanks to her it is 5.43, what does this represent in

terms of parliamentary precedent and tradition? how unusual is this process. no—one better to ask than the cross—party peer and the distinguished constitutional expert lord hennessey. nice to see you. what do you make of today? what does it represent? it is unprecedented. i was thinking something the queen said about 30er yearses ago, she said about 30er yearses ago, she said the british constitution as been puzzling and always has been. when you think about it we have been living in a strange country called brexit land for nearly three year, and one after the other, with increasing rapidty there has been a bonfire of convention, now we are moving into a circumstances with tonight's vote what an expert called insta ntly tonight's vote what an expert called instantly invented precedents and shows the flexibility of the british constitution but it is rattling never, all the long time we have known each other, we have been reporting elections since the early

90s we would never have contemplated being here in a spot like this, with noise like that discussing events like those. when we look at the mechanism, a ballot papers with mps will mark their options, what kind of, how robust is that process? how are people meant to make sense of it in terms of the kind of way we normally legislate? the best way is it isa normally legislate? the best way is it is a way of letting the individual mps express their individual mps express their individual preference, the cabinet can't because they have been ordered to abstain, if you want to get the flee over of what people think, the question if we get as far as monday, if mrs may doesn't get her deal on friday, we go through to monday for the next phase, how will they make it work in terms of the way the indicative vote in the the house of lords didn't in 2003. will they have to have single transferable votes, because westminster will have turned to proportional representation at least on this narrow front. we have

never seen least on this narrow front. we have never seen anything like it. the compasses are broken. it isjust happening. years ago i rememberjohn griffith saying to me at the time of westla nd, griffith saying to me at the time of westland, the british constitution is what happens and which are in one of modes moments huw.” is what happens and which are in one of modes moments huw. i want to ask you about the prime minister's position in a moment. do you mind hang fong foreign second. what i wa nt to hang fong foreign second. what i want to —— hanging on for a second. i want to go back to parliament because vicki is there with one of the ebbs in in committee meeting. we have been sent the speech that theresa may has just given to her collea g u es theresa may has just given to her colleagues in what i was told was a hot room. cabinet ministers not allowed to go in there. she is saying i have heard clearly the mood of the parliamentary party, i know there is a desire for a new approach, and new leadership, in the second phase of the brexit negotiation and i won't stand in the way of that. that. she says they need to get the deal through, and deliver brexit, and she says i am

prepared to leave this job earlier than i intended in order do what is right for our country and party. let us right for our country and party. let us speak to simon hart who was in that meeting. first of all, it is vague in those terms but people said after when she was asked questions she made it very clear she would not be there to lead the second phase of brexit. yes, i think that is us was right. that came across in the speech, it was as you said it was hot and steamy in there, there was a lot of motion, the pm pretty frank and it was met with quiet respect by 300 o odd people in the room. and it was met with quiet respect by 300 0 odd people in the room. you say emotional, were there any tears? not on my part or the chief whips or on her, it was honest and it was, she set out that she was determined to get brexit over the line, she was determined to keep the party together, determined to keep the government as the government and determined to keep jeremy government as the government and determined to keepjeremy corbyn out of number ten, those were the four things she set out clearly and that

was met with warmth, in by her fiercest critic, they realised she was genuine in that. some of your collea g u es was genuine in that. some of your colleagues said we would back her deal if she was clear about going, do you think this will be enough for them, do you think she is being definite enough about that? do you think it would change minds? that and other thing, i think the indicative vote, the complicated parliamentary moment this evening, which could throw up all sorts of strange alternative tots what is on offer, one of these things are combining to make a lot of people think, actually my options are running out. my time is running out. alternative dream is somewhere over the horizon and therefore, all of these things combined, yes, it means i will have to hold my nose and support this deal. that is, and what there were two or three speeches from backbenchers in the room, saying i voted against you last time prime minister, but i am going to support the deal. are you, you were a remainor but you have been basically saying you would back the deal you have backed the deal and

you are urging colleagues to get behind her, you feel that brexit has to be delivered, do you think there isa to be delivered, do you think there is a genuine prospect? yes, i do. i think we are getting edging closer, it was always going to go to the the, it would be tense, it is always going to be an imperfect outcome, i am never going to be the person who says this is a fantastic deal, what don't you see in that? i know it has huge flaws, but given the circumstances we are in, the majority we have, the alternatives that are on offer, it does seem to me to be crazy to beerying snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. highly significant new, the prime minister saying she will leave the job earlier than intended. not go through to the second fades of the negotiations on brexit, if her deal gets through, —— phase. we haven't heard from the dup. the democratic unionist party of course, they will been crucial to all of this, she needs them, if she is going to get

her deal through. vicki, very significant, if the dup emerge, we will talk to them obviously, but thanks for now. lord hen city —— lord hennessey is with me. this opens up the question of a prime minister offering to leave post on condition that her deal goes through, it is a pact with her own party if you like, and that surely will prompt other questions and for you especially about the way other prime ministers have left office, of their own accord, but under pressure. exactly. harold wilson went with a degree of dignity in 76, but the european question is yet another british prime minister, it triggered margaret thatcher's fall in1990, triggered margaret thatcher's fall in 1990, john major never recovered his premiership, and it ate david cameron in one gulp after the referendum result in 2016. the european question eats british prime minister, it is another remarkable phenomenon, and of course the question is will she stay on,

announce her intention to go. the queen must have an prime minister. there is only an hour between changing prime minister, the palace is uneasy about anything longer, so mrs may, june, will say that she going to stay on until her successor is chosen, then the conservative will try to get the hustings and vote as quickly as they can. yet more drama huw. no better person to talk about it. thank you very much. lord hennessey there, the political commentator, constitutional historian. our thanks to him for joining us, more from that 1922 meeting and let us join vicki again. i have nicky morgue whopp has been backing the deal but you were calling for her to really consider her position. —— nicky morgan. that is what she is saying, do you think it will persuade enough of your colleagues. there were some who were

saying they weren't going to vote for the agreement unless the prime minister said she would move on. i was in the chamber but it sounds as if she has been clear she won't leave phase two of the negotiations andi leave phase two of the negotiations and i think now, she is right to say the withdrawal agreement has to go through, so a number of colleagues have to think hard about that, we have to think hard about that, we have got to work out how to get the meaningful vote back into the commons given what the speaker said it needs significant change to be tabled again. that that is a extraordinary statement. think a lot of people felt the fact the exit date has changed and there could be other legal changes, that would be enough, but do you think that he would really resist it coming back if the will of the house was tow have that vote? that is an important point. if the will of the house, having been in the chamber and listened to the debate there is a feeling, trying to find a way through, but there has been people saying we will don't support the withdrawal agreement, the speaker will be alive to mps wanting to have their say, he will watch people

saying they change their mind, obviously the prime minister has indicated the importance of getting it through in terms of her leadership, all those thing just might mean he says it is ready to come back, so, look, it's a fluid situation. and about the indicative votes so—called the evening, what will you be saying yes to on that long bit of paper? my test is going to be really anything that is negotiated settle m e nt anything that is negotiated settlement that leads to an ordinary brexit, so a number of thing, common market 2.0 as it is called. proposals round ea, customs union, i put an amendment forward about changes to the current backstop which wasn't called. think it will be an unprecedented vote. i hope the country will think that parliament is trying to find a way forward and lots of people are talking about the conversations they have having with constituents and voters. that is important. do you think it is

feasible for backbenchers to bring in what would be a new law?” feasible for backbenchers to bring in what would be a new law? i think thatis in what would be a new law? i think that is going to be the issue, and i said in my speech how the government responds to i am not sure whether we will get to a majority of the position tonight, we will have to repeat it on monday, assuming the withdrawal agreement hasn't gone through, how the government responds is going to be really, really important, and i think the prime minister will be very aware of what parliament has said, so they will look carefully at what it has put forward. thank you very much indeed. so the news there, that theresa may saying if her deal goes through, if mps get behind that she will stand down before the next stage of negotiations, i havejust spoken down before the next stage of negotiations, i have just spoken to one year row sceptic conservative mp who says it won't change their mind if if she go, they will still not back the withdrawal agreement. so it won't be easy if it happens at all. indeed vicki. thank you. more interesting contributions there from the palace of westminster. with me now here on the green the

telegraph's brexit editor and the whitehall correspondent for the telegraph. thank you for coming. i will ask you how significant is the prime minister's statement to the 22? it is huge, she is saying to conservative mps, back my deal, and iam going conservative mps, back my deal, and i am going to quit and the idea if her withdrawal agreement goes through in the third mean meaningful vote which looks like it is going to happen on friday, then at that point, she will then get the deal through and really on the 22nd may, which will be the point we leave the eu, she is going to go, we would have a leadership contest over the summer with a new pm installed by party conference, if the deal doesn't go through she is not quitting. this is what she said, if you want me to go then back the deal. let us pause there, the time is coming up to five to six here. and our coverage is continuing here on bbc news, but to all of our viewers around the world on bbc

world, thanks for watching us and we will see goodbye to you and the coverage continues for you with my colleagues. and here on bbc news we are still talking about the very significant milestone that we reached today. what do you make of the prime minister's statement?m is hard to know, because prime minister has made this sort of noises before. it will be a question for her backbenchers to ask themselves whether they can trust her, time and again we have seen people and meet the prime minister, they will say what opposing team what is they have to say, the prime minister will nod along. everything will think they have their way and things change, it will be a question of how many people feel they can actually trust the prime minister to actually trust the prime minister to actually leave, secondly, if that means that some of her more hard—core brexiteers are coming round like boris johnson hard—core brexiteers are coming round like borisjohnson who said la st round like borisjohnson who said last night something like her having

leaving for the next segment of the negotiation would mean he might be able to back it. he didn't make any promises but would that mean she loses some of the labour mps she needs to get on side? all of that, evenif needs to get on side? all of that, even if all of that happens she gets all her numbers together, would mr be rcow all her numbers together, would mr bercow allow her to get the meaningful vote vote in front of the commons again i am being told that jacob rees—mogg is saying if a dup abstains, he will back the deal: this is another ladder, we are getting there. and the key thing is the dup they are not quite onboard with the deal yet because the reassu ra nces with the deal yet because the reassurances they haven't quite got there, if they were to abstain that is what mr rees—mogg, you have seen lots of conservative mps say now the house of commons has taken control of this process, let us not forget that was a huge moment today and we still have those indicative votes to come. the whole thing is framed between theresa may's deal and the deal mps want. well, time is against

us, but it was great to talk to you both. thank you very much. both of you. it is just coming both. thank you very much. both of you. it isjust coming up to 6.00. bbc news at six coming up. let us have an update on the weather with staffordshire. good evening, it was a lovely day certainly through the afternoon, we saw lots of sunshine in england and wales, a top temperature of 16 degrees in wales, next few days looking fine and dry and mild, we are continuing to have high pressure dominate the weather, bring this mild air to the shows, but more of a breeze, thicker cloud and rain too. overnight, with light winds it will turn chilly like it has done for the last few night, a touch of frost out—of—town. so it means we are startling tomorrow morning on a chilly it note. dry, bright, sunshine, still breezy with more cloud in the north and west of scotla nd more cloud in the north and west of scotland but elsewhere we are looking at more sunshine than what we had through today, certainly

through the morning and temperatures will respond, 16 degrees across eastern scotland, central, and southern england. england. we start to see a change over the weekend. the temperatures falling across the board, we will see a few showers which will be wintry on the hill, the nights will turn chilly and it remains cool into next

this is a bbc news special programme from westminster where theresa may has told her mps that she will step down in time for the next phase of brexit negotiations. the announcement came as the prime minister met backbench mps to try, once again, to win them over to her deal. but the speaker has warned that there must be changes to the deal if it is to be put to another vote. i wish to make clear that i do expect the government to meet the test of change. they should not seek, they should not seek to circumvent my ruling by means of tabling either a notwithstanding motion or a paving motion. in the commons, mps prepare to vote on their preferred version of brexit, eight different options are being debated. in strasbourg, the president of the european council,