so, questions for mrs may but also questions for mrs may but also questions for mrs may but also questionspponents. norman, thank you. norman smith. let us get the weather. here is chris fawkes. thank you, simon, this weather watcher picture shows you a beautiful canal with snow on the banks. this is taken from station road bridge, that is where i come from. the snow has been causing problems for manchester airport and liverpool airport, both runways were shut earlier and schools in the greater manchester area, summer, are closed. we have showers coming in from the irish sea. for most that stays dry with sunshine. a cold day coming up. showers for the south—west of england and showers for the highlands of scotland. there will be a mixture of sleet and snow mixed in as well. overnight tonight clear skies and it will be a very cold night, there could be mist and fog patches around but for many, it is the frost and eyes that is of more concern. temperatures in the towns and cities down to minus six celsius, colder in the countryside. more trouble on the way on thursday. an area of low pressur

from the reporter and his deputy who spoke at the end of the be very cool for people to get rid of mrs may but didn't say and britain germany called it striking that when he didn't mention his friend sitting. so this is probably look both main party leaders may have supported general public who support the parties but the professional politicians of parliament are of the dubious about both in my view and just time for one more question mark have to know and it's probably impossible to answer at this point there's so much confusion i mean people are a it seems like grabbing for power at times during this briggs it fiasco is there any clear way forward at this point or are we looking at six or seven options and really no clear which a solution that whether that. will only if the people call the government the prime minister whether it's mrs may or somebody else decide to put an alternative back down from article fifty or so you want to leave your opinion or we want to have extra time because as i say the rules of poland mean this even if a majority of backbenchers wanted to do that they woul

there may be a trickle of mrs may's critics coming back on—board, but no seismic game change. he task of teen may now is to try and minimise the scale of defeat. there is a recognition that mrs may's deal is going down. the question is, by how big a defeat. the hope is that if they can minimise the scale of the defeat, they can come back with a reworked may deal marked two and try and breathe fresh life into that. but the assurances we are expecting the pm to outline today from the eu are likely to be nips and tucks, words from the eu saying they want the backstop from the eu saying they want the ba cksto p to from the eu saying they want the backstop to be temporary, but unlikely to be anything legally binding. the speech in stoke warning that we could be staying in the eu if mps vote that mrs may's deal, it might peel off a few brexiteers, but it is not going to lead to a stampede in favour of mrs may's agreement. it was interesting this morning listening to liam fox, one of the ha rd—boiled morning listening to liam fox, one of the hard—boiled brexiteers, still in the cabine

mrs may seems to be under pressure from mps on all sides.eries of ammendments, could she be forced to think again on her deal? you sense that mrs may is just clinging onto her deal, even though she is now facing a blizzard of critical amendments from backbenchers, a veritable rag and bone market of amendments of all sorts, shapes and sizes. but perhaps the most significant is this move via group of cross—party backbench big hitters to try and force mrs may to delay brexit day until the end of the year. why this matters is because these are backbench big beasts, people with political clout, and they seem to have some support in government ranks, with suggestions some ministers could resign if they can't support this amendment. we know the work and pensions secretary, amber rudd, is saying to the prime minister, you need to hold a free vote on this. on the face of it, you would say that doesn't look good for mrs may, but paradoxically, it could work to her advantage, because the great hope of 13 is that rebellious brexiteers will look around a

it's expected that mrs may will suffer a heavy defeat.s by our political editor laura kuenssberg. her many photo opportunities, her many polite conversations, many more than the number of minds she has changed for some weeks now. tomorrow, parliament will give its verdict on the prime minister's brexit compromise. this is what a last—ditch plea sounds like. i think the british people are ready for us to move on, to move on beyond division and come together. that is the chance that mps of all parties will have tomorrow night, and for our country's sake, i urge them to take it. thank you. you say this is a good deal, but you know the majority of your colleagues simply disagree with you. at this late stage, do you really think you have a chance of changing their minds? i have seen mps, when i've spoken to them, who are now — who recognise the importance of the decision that is being taken, and saying that they will support the deal, whereas perhaps in the past they had some doubts about it. you've given away so many things... even on a soggy

and what mrs may appears to be doing the behind the entire strategy this week is the idea that mrs may is trying to keep the conservative party together the conservative party is split wide open over europe more than ever before more than over maastricht there are affectively to conservative parties with two separate whipping operations of those the european european reform group which has its own leader and leadership and whips and then you have the official conservative party and then you also of course have the remaining when the provisionals the provisional wing if you like although they're all balled up rather grand provisionals and mrs may is concentrating on finding a formula which will keep the conservative party together even though it doesn't look at all likely that this formula which involves getting fresh concessions from europe has any kind of bearing on what brussels can or will deliver and look to those the inner workings of the console to marty better than you do commentator certainly is this a big mystery to me it's been an influence as was suggested last weekend as is

theresa may hit back with an attack on mr corbyn‘s own record. leader of the position has led anti—semitism run riot in his party... he would abandon our allies, weaken our security, and rack our allies, weaken our security, and rack our economy, allies, weaken our security, and rack our economy, and we will never let that happen. the cabinet, as well as the commons, have different ideas about brexit, but there is one thing they can certainly all agree on. the issue that people need to focus on today is how devastating a jeremy corbyn government would be for this country. and what about the man who called the referendum and quit when it didn't go his way? obviously, i regret the difficulties and problems we have been having, trying to implement the result of that referendum, but i don't think it is going to be helped by me giving a running commentary, i support the prime minister and her partnership deal with europe, and thatis partnership deal with europe, and that is what parliament needs to deliver now, and she has her support as you try to do

what position does that leave mrs may in? does it leave her ina leave mrs may in?or more? and would—be eu be repaired then to consider rethinking things. the crucial thing would be, would there be some clear direction given from parliament about the sort of deal she could get through? if there is, the eu, things might open up, the eu might consider extending the time available for negotiations, article 50 extension, she could bring here the request, adding that it may be willing to consider the idea that come out of that. for now it's what happens in the vote that counts. thank you very much. and for more on brexit there's a special edition of politics live — on bbc two at seven o'clock tonight. simon, many thanks. wood—burning stoves, open fires and the use of chemicals in farming will all face restrictions under new government plans to tackle air pollution. the clean air strategy for england aims to halve the number of people breathing in harmful particles, and to save the nhs billions of pounds a year. but environmentalists say the plans don't do enough to reduc

the general expectation is that mrs may's proposal will be voted down.in a situation of what next? it is not a plan b. whatever comes out, do the other 27 european countries except it? is there room for manoeuvre? it doesn't feel like there is a lot of room for manoeuvre. this whole process could be symbolic. a lot of partners felt like they weren't involved in this feels like they are getting their own back. there could be a point where mps have said we are pushed as far as we where mps have said we are pushed as faras we can. where mps have said we are pushed as far as we can. the uk can't afford to leave with no deal but said. some scenario that can take the economy and the country forward. given last night's parliamentary showdown it means we will get some sort of plan b within three days. as opposed to 21, which was the original. mrs may has proved incredibly resilient and she will have a plan b up her sleeve. she might not quite have articulated it yet. many of the papers are doubting that. again, because the process has dragged on so because the p

so, questions for mrs may but also questions for mrs may but also questions for mrs may but also questionsher picture shows you a beautiful canal with snow on the banks. this is taken from station road bridge, that is where i come from. the snow has been causing problems for manchester airport and liverpool airport, both runways were shut earlier and schools in the greater manchester area, summer, are closed. we have showers coming in from the irish sea. for most that stays dry with sunshine. a cold day coming up. showers for the

let's hear now from mrs may. as well as leader of the of i said how many times my deep concerns about returning to the british people for a second referendum. on duty is to implement the decicision of the first. one a second referendum with such a difficult precedent that could have significant implicications for how we handle referendums in this country. not least. not l least strengthening te hand of those campaigning to break up all united. the logic of that decisive defeat is that the prime minister must change her red lines. because our current d deal s on deliverable. so can she be clear and explicit with the house which of a red lines is she prepared to move all. contrary to what the prime minister's just said there was no flexibility there were no negotiations nothin. jeremy coleman preceded by of course the british prime minister theresa may well amber rudd who's the former home section the minister of work and pensions. it maze cabinet says there could be thousands of resignations from the cabinet if la

there seems little prospect of a victory for mrs may. it's clear, if the prime minister's deal is rejected tomorrow, it's time for a general election. it's time for a new government! we will be in york, a city which voted remain, asking residents for their perspective on events at westminster. these people have been tasked with getting the future right for the whole country going forward from now, and all they seem going forward from now, and all they seem to be doing is fighting amongst themselves. we will be looking in more detail at the parliamentary arithmetic and the likely options in the days ahead. also on tonight's programme: the government wants to curb fertilisers on farms and wood burning stoves to try to clean up the air we breathe. donald trump says he never worked for russia after newspaper reports scrutinise his relationship with moscow. and as andy murray loses an epic five set match at the australian open, is it now farewell? and coming up on sportsday on bbc news: manchester city bid to narrow the gap at the top of the

eu customs rules, say, but that's not a true brexit, according to mrs may.magine the reaction of brexiteers back at westminster. mrs may will be back in the commons, in around a fortnight. and it could be tough. if she can't win concessions from the eu, brexiteers are still threatening to vote down her deal. other critics on all sides could well try again to take control of brexit. force her to delay brexit day on march the 29th. and next time, unhappy ministers might resign and join the rebellion. as things stand, mrs may will be back in the commons, reporting a deal if she, somehow, against all the odds, gets one next month. and if no deal‘s agreed, she will report that to mps, a day ahead of a big debate and crucial votes the next day, valentine's day. but don't expect much affection in the house between rival factions, rival parties or, for that matter, towards mrs may. if britain seems closer to the outcome many fear, a no—deal brexit. john pienaar, there. so all eyes are on the irish border and how to solve the issue of the backstop. ireland will be on

eu customs rules, say, but that's not a true brexit, according to mrs may.eaction of brexiteers back at westminster. mrs may will be back in the commons in around a fortnight and it could be tough. if she can't win concessions from the eu, brexiteers are still threatening to vote down her deal. other critics, on all sides, could well try again to take control of brexit, force her to delay brexit day on march the 29th, and next time, unhappy ministers might resign and join the rebellion. as things stand, mrs may will be back in the commons, reporting a deal if she, somehow, against all the odds, gets one next month. and if no deal‘s agreed, she will report that to mps, a day ahead of a big debate and crucial votes the next day, valentine's day. but don't expect much affection in the house between rival factions, rival parties or, for that matter, towards mrs may if britain seems closer to the outcome many fear — a no—deal brexit. john pienaar there. in a moment, we can talk to laura, our political editor, at westminster. but first, let's go to dublin and our

but the danger to mrs may, mps might succeed in seizing control.s into line could become her worst nightmare. how does it all end? that is anyone's guess. the next big scene in this drama will be played out in westminster tomorrow. john pienaar there. in a moment we'll hear from our europe editor katya adler in brussels. but first laura is here. the prime minister still on herfeet in the commons, answering questions for the last two hours, has anything changed? technically yes, the prime minister has got letters of assurance from the eu, promises that they don't want the worst—case scenario to happen, for us to go into the controversial backstop, the guarantee against the hard border in ireland. it's almost like the eu has said we promise we do not want to end there. we have seen more mps including a government whip for the first time say i will not back it and the number against it on the face of it has gone up. but fundamentally, nothing has really changed. for quite some weeks now. you have got different camps of mps ranged against number ten fo

why this matters now is because in a week's time, we will get that vote on mrs may's deal with all theed down, which could begin the process of britain heading towards leaving without adil, and the implications are that may well prompt widespread revolt against mrs may, with the former conservative attorney general dominic grieve, no friend of mrs may, admittedly, nevertheless warning this morning that if mrs may went down the route of no deal, the government would fall. all right, norman, thank you very much indeed. let's get the latest on this from adam fleming who's in brussels — adam, what more can you tell us? our rather windblown correspondent there in brussels! yes, get rid of there in brussels! yes, get rid of the brolly. there are newspaper reports that british officials in brussels are putting out feelers about delaying brexit altogether, delaying article 50? yes, the heavens have just opened delaying article 50? yes, the heavens havejust opened in brussels and there is a shower of rumours about this as well. if these discussions have happened, i have not been able to find an

so the prospects for mrs may look pretty weak.ing to the work and pensions secretary amber rudd as she left home this morning, she wasn't sounding, shall we say, overly confident. we're still very committed to making sure that the government's withdrawal agreement gets through. we have got five days of debate now and i hope that collea g u es of debate now and i hope that colleagues will listen carefully and ultimately vote for the deal next week, which is the best wales leaving the european union. are you confident of success next week the the prime minister's deal?” confident of success next week the the prime minister's deal? i think confident is overdoing it but i think we will be able to win arguments over the next few days and i think colleagues who are prevaricating over it will think very carefully about what the alternatives are. i still believe the best outcome is getting the withdrawal agreement through next week. meanwhile what are labour up to? they still have in their back pocket the option of tabling a no confidence

mr. may is the author of "jefferson's treasure: how albert gallatin saved the new nation from debt." the the museum of american finance posted this event. it is about 45 minutes. >> welcome everyone. and our c-span audience with the museum of american finance is still the only mission in america with a mission to preserve, exhibit, and teach our financial history. today we are going to discuss the nation's fourth secretary of the treasury, albert gallatin. while he does not have a broadway musical about him, he was incredibly influential in his day. by way of example, when lewis and clark were on their expedition and they get to a fork of the mississippi river, -- of the missouri river, they named one after gallatin. but his name does not get a lot of headlines in our history. gregory may has set out to change that. he has written a terrific and very well researched book. 672 footnotes, many of the m richly detailed. there is high praise inside the book from our chair, who says the book is a

but the danger to mrs may, mps might succeed in seizing control. is anyone‘s guess. the next big scene in this drama will be played out in westminster tomorrow. john pienaar there. as we heard, mrs may has received a joint letter from european council president donald tusk and european commission president jean—claude juncker offering their support for theresa may‘s brexit agreement. in it they said they were ‘not in a position to agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with the withdrawal agreement‘. but on the crucial question of the northern ireland border, they assured the prime minister that the eu ‘does not wish to see the backstop enter into force‘. our europe editor katya adler is in brussels. she explained that the text from the eu did not go as far as being legally binding. the eu says assurances in this letter carry legal weight but this is, in essence, the eu was attempting to highlight details of the brexit deal they believe theresa may has failed to sell. such as the irish border guarantee, it is not attracted so many of the

mrs. mayaces a no-confidencey motion called the opposition, but she says she will fight on to deliver brexit. prime min. may: the government has heard what the house hasbu said tonighti asked members on all sides of the house to listen to the british people, who want this issue settled, and to work with the government to do just that. mr. corbyn: that motion will be debated tomorrow, so this house can get its verdict on the sheer incompetence of this government and asked that motion of no confidence -- past that motion of no confidence in the gornment. babita: cheers from the anti-brexi rally outside of parliament, as brussels says there is still time to talk. >> now it is time for the u.k. to tell us the next steps. on our side we will remain united and determined to reach a deal. babita: good evening from westminster, where a short while ago the british prime minister suffered a crushing den her brexit deal, losing by a margin of 230 votes. it was theiggest government defeat on record here i

we‘ve got borisjohnson and others warning mrs may that her deal is an acceptable and mrs may saying,r? 200 mp5, cross—party mps writing to the prime minister saying, rule out the prime minister saying, rule out the idea of a no deal because it would be a disaster. that isjust one of so many different ideas floating around because at the same time we have got another group of cross— party m ps time we have got another group of cross—party mps saying why don‘t we tried the norway model of brexit and then we have got another group of brexiteers saying, let‘s relax about no deal. then another group of mps threatening parliamentary gorilla wa rfa re threatening parliamentary gorilla warfare and snarling up legislation if mrs may presses ahead. you get the sense her opponents are at sixes and sevens, all over the place, pulling in different directions. the one thing mrs may, seems to me, has in herfavour, she does seem one thing mrs may, seems to me, has in her favour, she does seem to one thing mrs may, seems to me, has in herfavour, she does seem to have a plan. which is trying to offer

all this think that mrs may has said that she will not do.r talks on friday. —— in for cox already. my senseis on friday. —— in for cox already. my sense is that they will not be coming out singing hallelujah, until they are just getting coffee. the prospects of some sort of agreement did seem great. i think the prime minister, frankly, has to stop playing to the bad boys at the back of class and start listening to where and start listening to where parliament is, which is wanting no—deal off the table and more time for genuine talks to take place. but get onto the priorities that matter to people in britain, working people in britain who have had ten years of austerity, rubbish living standards, and want a change. we want our rights protected, and we want working people to be put first for a change. why this matters for mrs way is partly because of the acoustics of brexit. she wants to be seemed to be reaching out. she studies some labour mps to come on—board. 0ne reaching out. she studies some labour mps to come on—board. one way to try and

barbara so well mrs may's government survive today's no confidence vote . yes it will it seems quite certain because even the northern irish do you pete who is most uncompromising about saying no to the brics a deal has voted beforehand that they would support to reserve may as prime minister the sentence and here is a note to the brics and deal with her own party but yes to treason may and the reason for that is quite simple there is nobody else there is nobody within the ranks of the conservatives who sort of wants to take up office at this point in time wants to have to deal with the fractious relations within the party and wants to be the one who has to sort of push through the goal so notaries them a will carry on how long however is another question labor his vote they would presume was a series of no confidence votes and finally in the end after maybe the fists are second or six or seven pts attempt it might even go wrong ok so theresa may stagger . where does that leave the whole process of direction with the clock ticking down . it leaves the proce

is being consistent i can't see how mr corbett would fare any differently from mrs may what he might do though is to try to forge a new relationship which means that we remain within the customs union and the single market and that would mean freedom of movement it's freedom of movement which cause so much trouble of most labor constituencies at the time of the process referendum so really all those the call was clearly if you would like to bring the government and he's a great campaigner he might well with the bizarrely the conservatives are ahead in the opinion polls he might well win it but then he would just have almost his mates problems and i think that the grooves of the country would not be any car in there as a result of the call didn't labor victory that it is now mark great pleasure to have you on much appreciated i'm sure you got lots more starting up today because he'll be very busy over the over the days to come many thanks mark garnett senior politics lecturer at lancaster university. let's move on to other world news for you now and after months of violent protests ac

so mrs may's advantage, it seems to me, is, she has a plan.man smith, for the time being, many thanks. plans to tackle possible congestion on routes to dover in the event of a no—deal brexit are being tested today. 150 hgvs are travelling the 20—mile route from manston airfield, near ramsgate, to the port of dover. hauliers fear a no—deal brexit will create additional border checks, leading to queues of up to 29 miles. the government says it has to prepare for all eventualities. 0ur correspondent simonjones is at manston airport. well, this is all about testing how the road network might cope in the event of a no deal brexit. and one of the scenarios they're looking at is whether this former airport site would be suitable as a giant lorry park. what they've also done, because it is empty at the moment, is, just after quarter past eight, they sent out almost 100 lorries from this site to make the journey onwards to the port of dover, to see the effect it would have on local roads. because, of course, at that time it was rush—hour, if people we

this could be a first stage is mrs may were to go back and try again. e theresa may is going to be addressing factory workers. it is a pro leave constituency and she will be putting out a message they're saying that staying in the eu is now more likely than no deal. she has got a busy day ahead of her again because she is speaking there this morning and then she will be speaking in the commons later at 3:30pm. let's go to our europe correspondent in brussels. we were just looking at those letters that we re just looking at those letters that were exchanged between the prime minister and brussels, and essentially it does not seem there is much more in the letterfrom brussels that is going to give mps the assurances that they are looking for. you are right. we've had the letters here at exactly the same time, as they were released in london as well. the answer is that you're right. interestingly, the letters do address that question about legal guarantees of some sort. but all they are able to say is that the european council, the summit meeting of europea

they are nothing to do with mrs may. through and we have got some. employment rights, workers' rights, environmental standards, health and safety, they a re environmental standards, health and safety, they are part of our red lines. we do not want to see a brexit where we become some kind of singapore economy, where it is a race to the bottom and we try to undercut everyone else and workers lose out. what we want is to compete by being the best in the world.“ mrs may, as now seems likely, accepts those red lines, are you more likely and other labour mps more likely and other labour mps more likely and other labour mps more likely to back mrs may's deal? of course it does. they doesn't mean that people will be rushing on tuesday to do so. this is the start of the process. i could reasonably say perhaps that should have been done a long time ago. but we are where we are. and there are other issues that need to be gone through, clarified, and in the spirit of what is happening at the moment, part of what our amendment does,

mrs may suppose come forward with a supposed plan b. i think something big is going to happen over the next few days over the next week but certainly before the end of february. then something big has got to be happening to break this logjam people people who are out there in the public and in poland are really getting frustrated with all the delays it can't go on you know i'm i'm i understand about the frustration i'm i'm really tired of talking about it personally ok but it is topical can you know we had just heard from mark that if you know public opinion polls were so demonstrated that there is such a remain sentiment there then what do you need a government for if you're just going to rely upon public opinion polls what is government worth then go ahead ken. well we've never had a government this sing competent in my lifetime or a parliament so undecided so i think it's a lot of people saying give it back to the people the opinion polls show the spin a small shift in favor of remaining so you could have a second referendum it might

equally it is absolutely clear that if mrs may wa nts to is absolutely clear that if mrs may wants to labour support because there are around 30 or a0 tory mps who would be willing to walk over burning coal is in their bare feet to vote against her deal and we are now seeing, it seems, are very last—minute attempt to reach out to labour vote. we have face—to—face meetings between the pm and some labour mps meetings between the pm and some labourmps and meetings between the pm and some labour mps and the decision to accept this amendment from labour mps on eu workers' rights. up to now the government has fought tooth and nail to reject amendments from many of its own mps and here they are tamely accepting a labour amendment. that suggests they are ready for mrs may's deal to have bolted onto its key labour demands so the deal begins to morph into something much more likejeremy corbyn's deal. it won't save the prime minister's bacon come tuesday but if she was to then go away and come back with a few more labour demands she might get more support, and if she went away again, put on some

we had mrs. may dragging the country, again, to the polls in 2017 is there really the appetite amongst the british people for yet another referendum or indeed a general election or both of those, and there is the point which john mcdonald knows full well, as do politicians from the other side of the divide as well, is that there doesn't seem to be the numbers for a majority for either the conservatives or indeed the labour party going forward. it's the same if a second referendum what happens if the second referendum is 51-49. 52-48. either way as well it leaves the same questions lying there and leaves the same splits in the country. all those people who advocate a second referendum, and, again, i'm apolitical all those people advocating a general election the arithmetic, the numbers could be exactly the same or a very similar picture to what we have now there is no way that anyone, john mcdonald, the conservatives, anyone asking for a second referendum or indeed a general election, knows -- in fact

mrs may says it would damage the country.brexit day on march 29th, it could happen. then there's a fresh referendum. we could find ourselves back at one of these, a ballot box. just now, even fewer mps openly support that than a softer brexit. many say it would enrage voters who trusted parliament to obey the last referendum. yet, could what its supporters call a people's vote end up as a way out for everyone if nothing else breaks the deadlock? parliament will have the final say and some mps will move next week to take control away from ministers and mrs may who will be under pressure from all the factions at westminster and meet some of them face to face. of ending with no brexit after a referendum, say, or if article 50 is delayed will drive brexiteers back into line. something like it, despite her defeat in the commons last night. it doesn't seem likely but no outcome looks likely just now. who knows? politics mayjust have to become , thank you. the authorities in kenya say at least 21 people have been killed following a

mrs may's deal is not all wrong but there are elements of it...l agricultural workers to pick fruit and vegetables in an industry which needs tens of thousands of people. we can scale it. we have 11 monday is left until a potential no deal and that means we will come out without a transitional period and i will have no workers and you will see a shortage of fruit and vegeta bles see a shortage of fruit and vegetables on supermarket shelves. we can scale it. what do you mean we can scale it is a nap any scheme government creates can be rolled out at whatever level required. from 29th march onwards? there is no question in my mind that the home office will be capable of devising a scheme which is capable of delivering... are you joking the, you said that with a straight face! there is no question whatsoever, as a sovereign country... of course eventually, but not like that?! we are the fifth most powerful country on the planet in terms of... oh, gosh! no, this is classic project fear! the idea that we cannot create a visa scheme for food workers...

so is this a sign that mrs may's brexit critics are warming to her deal? brexit critics of theresa may like to give her deal both barrels, decrying it as tantamount to raising the white flag or making us a colony of the eu, oras flag or making us a colony of the eu, or as bad as staying in the eu. now we are getting a markedly different tone, much more emollient and conciliatory, and crucially from some of the big players, figures like jacob rees—mogg this afternoon, expected to say that with a bit of common—sense and practicality, in other words we are all reasonable about this, it should be possible to get a reasonable deal. similarly, borisjohnson, arriving for talks with the chief whip in downing street, saying that if mrs may negotiates with conviction, it could be possible to get an agreement. what is going on? first off, mrs may's plea to the brexiteers to bear with her as she tried to get fresh reassu ra nces with her as she tried to get fresh reassurances from the eu on the backstop, perhaps have won her a bit of breathing space from the brexiteer

if it is, if mrs may's goes down as most people expect, she would havejust mrs may's goes down as mostut forward their own alternative idea, so that could involve a second referendum, measures to block no deal, heading off to norway, it opens the pandora's box on brexit possibilities. it also symbolises parliament grasping hold of the brexit agenda and cranking it off mrs may because it means she cannot just sit back and let the clock ticked down remorselessly to no deal. we cannot drift towards no deal. we cannot drift towards no deal because she would have to come back before the next of —— end of next week with a new plan for mps to vote on. this is potentially very, very symbolic moment. apart from anything, if theresa may were to be defeated, even before her brexit debate gets going, that surely would be an ominous sign her, likely impending defeat when we get to it on tuesday. thank you for that, norman. in an attempt to avert defeat in the vote next tuesday, the government is going to outline proposals aimed at reassuring the democratic unionist party over the irish backstop — t

thank you, mr speaker. may i join meetings later today. thank you, mr speaker. e 2010, the conservative government has delivered time and again for the british people? and the biggest threat to that is sat on the opposition front bench with a leader whose policies would bring less jobs, higher taxes, a weaker economy u nless jobs, higher taxes, a weaker economy unless investment in our public services? my honourable friend is right. what have we seen under the conservatives and government? 3.4 million morejobs, more people earning an income, earning a wage and able to provide for their families. more children in good and outstanding schools, more money into the national health service. what would put that in danger? it government led by the honourable gentleman, fewerjobs, government led by the honourable gentleman, fewer jobs, more spending. jeremy corbyn. thank you, mr speaker. may i start by correcting the record. last night i suggested this was the largest government defeat since the 1920s, i would not wish to be accused of misleading the house. i have since

and mrs may insisting her deal is the only deal in town. it through are still extraordinarily daunting. the hopi number 10 seems to be a bit of charm. we are told mrs may will be biting tory mps, critics in to see her tonight at tomorrow, wednesday, give them a glass of chardonnay, try to get them on board. a little bit of carrot, there will be more reassu ra nces of carrot, there will be more reassurances about the role of parliament before we go into any northern ireland backstop, and a bit of stick, the threat of no deal if mps do not sign up to her agreement. that threat, of course, becomes ever more pressing as we move closer and closer to the deadline of march 29. the hope is that a combination of those three things might yet be enough to corral enough mps to support her agreement. but you have to say she is facing an absolutely gigantic task, the sort of mountaineering equivalent of trying to scale the north face of the aggar ina pairof to scale the north face of the aggar in a pair of plimsolls with a broken axe and a gary legg. nor

, be some labour mps who back the deal, some at stein and could that give mrs may a route to getting heresa may is going to have a little bit longer to come back with a plan b. it does. this follows on from that defeat yesterday which basically gave mrs may three days to come up with a plan b because parliament is not going to sit next friday, which buys the weekend, too. this may has got a bit more time to come up with a plan b and then presumably will have to come back to the commons by monday, but team—mate have been sending up small scandals to say that actually mrs may would come back very quickly and might even, i speculate here, come back very quickly and might even, ispeculate here, but come back very quickly and might even, i speculate here, but she might even get a statement straight after her vote goes down, so she could try to get on the front foot, seize the initiative and say, ok, i have heard what the commons say, this is my ploy and what i am now suggesting. so we may not have to wait until monday. it is quite possible that mrs may could get straight up after a defeat

it could threaten mrs may's strategy, because it would mean if mrs may loses her deal next tuesday, whichcome back to parliament within three days with a plan b, with an alternative strategy. in other words, a plan b, with an alternative strategy. in otherwords, by a plan b, with an alternative strategy. in other words, by the end of next week she would have to have a new strategy. she couldn't play for time, she couldn't drift towards no deal, she couldn't flip back and forwards to brussels. she would have to put on the table a clear plan b. secondly, mps would be able to amend that plan and put their own alternatives on the table. maybe a second referendum, may be measures to rule out no deal, may be measures to rule out no deal, may be measures to adopt the norway model. it would open up the entire range of brexit options after mrs may has always insisted her deal is the only deal. it would be seen as parliament in effect trying to seize back control of the brexit process. the vote will be close, because the same cross— party be close, because the same cross—party alliance of mps who d

mrs. may has been resisting th. ld be up to the commons to agree to some kind of brexit -- that is if it on every front theresa may and her p team are facinger struggle of the kind no prime minister has had to deal with in the past. is more happens, thereta of maybe having to delay brexit to allow more time for whatever pliament decides in the end. mrs. may has promised that britain will leave on schedule on march 29. delay could meet ministers resign, but so would no deal. whichever way yookturn you are g at political crisis. but stability in british politics is no longer an option. babita: john pienaar with that report. if you were thinking we would be any clearer as to what was happening with brexit, you would be wrong. everything is up in their after the crushing defeat that mps in the house of commons behind me delivered to theresa may's brexit proposals. edshe suff defeat of 432 against 202, which means that the margin of loss for her was 232 votes. that is the biggest defeat for a government since the 1ct0's,

mrs. may needs a majority to win here. 320 mp's orore. she looks well short. is only 317 tory m the party is split. e tory brexiteers want clearer rules quickly, even if it means no deal. some want a hard expiry date on the backstop. other pro-european tories say j why leave the t to follow its rules with no say in writing them. of course, the dup, who prop of her government, fear different treatment for northern ireland. as for labor, they are split, too, on brexit but nall want to defeat mrs. may or her deal or both. if she wins, triumph and onto brexit day on march 29. if she loses, and that is the betting, that there will be a number of a votes to weaken her position, the decisive battle of brexit begins earnest in the commons and behind the scenes. while theresa may prepares to try again, labor will pick i moment for a vote of no confidence in the government they know they are most unlikelo in. the plotting will be about who takes control of brexit. most mp's oppose no deal. several ministers would resign. there is an alliance of mp's hoping to seize cont

without a deal, but even with the possibility of a no—deal brexit looming — most people seem to think mrs mayone possibility... here'sjohn 0wen... theresa may has spent two years straining every sinew to get a deal on the terms of the uk's exit from the eu. she's suffered resignations from her government, defeat in the house of commons and snubs from eu negotiators. but now, atjust 585 pages of dense legalese, she has her withdrawal agreement. so that should put all of this brexit stuff neatly to bed, then. not so fast. many people think it falls wide of the mark and she stays in the fight of her life to get it through the house of commons. most people think getting the deal through will prove to be mission: impossible and that it will be voted down. so what then? another referendum or a general election? another one! maybe, but another idea is also gaining traction in westminster. a cross—party group of mps is proposing a form of brexit that its members have branded common market 2.0. they believe it could be the solution if theresa may's deal brexit has no shortage ofjargon, but this essent

if indeed mrs. may gets a bloody nose, if she indeed she can't renegotiate to strenuously with the e.u., do you see any scenario where cross-party mp's can get together, bang their heads together and come up with a solution that works for all people >> i'm as frustrated as everybody else that theresa may has not come to her magesty's opposition and said, look, where is the common ground what can we negotiate? where can we compromise? jeremy made that offer to her. >> does this look like common ground >> he made that offer in september in liverpool, and she rejected it. the best she's done is last thursday and friday is make a couple of phone calls to a handful of people and to trade union leaders. as important as that is, she got short changed where. >> that's the thing. your own party, do they know whether he will remain or bricks it does he want a second referendum or stick by the -- >> he could not be clearer where the labor ier party is >> does he want a second referendum >> we said kwout any shadow

mps want mrs may to agree an alternative, but brussels says, there isn‘t one.and even if the eu gave ground, and there‘s no sign of that, reopening the brexit divorce deal could open up new problems. spain could renew its claims on gibraltar. france might veto any new deal. the eu is clear, it would shift position if mrs may went for a brexit closer to europe. staying under eu customs rules say, but that‘s not a true brexit according to mrs may, and anyway, just imagine that reaction of brexiters back at westminster. mrs may will be back in the commons in around a fortnight, and it could be tough. if she can‘t win concessions from the eu, brexiters are still threatening to vote down her deal. 0ther critics on all sides could well try again to take control of brexit. force her to delay brexit day on march the 29th, and next time unhappy ministers might resign and join the rebellion, as things stand, mrs may will be back in the commons, reporting a deal if she somehow, against all odds, gets one next month. and if no deal is agreed, she will report back to mps. a