bercow: prime minister. prime minster may: we recognize the huge contribution eu citizens have made for our economy and our society. we want them to stay. will make it simple, straightforward for them to get the status they need. can i say to the honorable gentleman, eu citizens have until june 2021 to apply. than a doing as british passport. if he is concerned about the interest of eu citizens, taken back the deal that enshrines the eu. government's commitment to the armed forces covenant is commendable, as is its focus on reducing reoffending. hair after combat is doing great work. saving the government 20 million pounds. will my right honorable friend convene across government effort to shore up their work but expanded nationally? mr. bercow: first of all -- prime minster may: i would like to pay should be to those who serve in our armed forces for the courage and commitment. i would like to pay tribute to the vital work care after combat undertakes. my friend is correct on that. we have measures in place

the prime minister must now step up. must extend article 50 and end this impasse by bringing forward a second eu referendum. do it for all sorts of reasons, but do it for the e.u. citizens living in the u.k. now facing a registration scheme. now i am grateful and congratulate the prime minister that the fees have been waived for e.u. nationals, after a campaign led by the scottish national party and our government in edinburgh, but it is shameful that people here, many who have been living here for decades, are being forced to register to stay in their own home. that is the fundamental fact. mr. speaker, not in our name. where is the humanity of this? we in scotland have another choice. we did not vote for brexit. we will not be dragged out of europe by a tory government we did not vote for. we might not be able to save the uk, but we can save scotland. we have an escape route from the chaos of brexit, an independent scotland. scottish independence will result in our country being a countryion in europe, a at the heart o

let's be clear" , the deal the prime minister wants this parliament to support leave the u.k. in a helpless position facing the choice of either seeking and paying for an extended transition time, or trapped in the backstop. theprime minister may claim backstop would never come into order! order! that our purposes in this place -- there are purposes in this place. a member should not shriek observations across the floor. whether we say shriek, or orlow, or bellow -- yell, bellow, or shout, it was disorderly. -- whether an intervention is taken are not, -- or not, the person who takes the floor decide whether to take an intervention. that's the way it's always been. jeremy corbyn. mr. corbyn: thank you, mr. speaker. who has confidence in the government's ability to negotiate a future trading it within the eu by december 2020 after the shambles we have all witnessed over the past two years? this frankenstein deal is now officially dead, and the prime minister is trying to blame absolutely everybody else. history,ern british prime minister's were not faced with even a fraction of

prime minister? >> i would say to the right honorable gentleman, i said earlier me in my remarks there were 33 elements, the undertaking of assurances we are looking for for the european union and those will be available to the house before the house votes at the end of this debate. we are looking at what we can do domestically. i set out, the secretary of state will be clearer and faster and more detailed what we are doing in relation to northern ireland and in relation to the question of the role of parliament for the future and we are looking to ensure that we can provide the assurance and confidence this house needs in relation, in relation to the question at the forefront of members concerns. in relation to the backstop. we put a good deal on the table and looking for clarification, clarifications which i'm sure will ensure that members of this house know that the backstop need never be used and if it is used, it is only temporary. >> in the midst of that very long answer i didn't hear the words

which is it, prime minister? >> the reforms curriculum, 1.9 million more children in good or outstanding, the disadvantaged children, this is a government assisted delivering education children need for their future. i say to the right honorable gentlemen, he talks about being in denial. the only person in denial is him because he is consistently failed to set out what his policy on brexit is. i said to him last week he might do with a lip reader. when it comes to brexit policy the rest of us need a mind reader. >> the prime minister is aware we want to customs union with the eu. she seems to be in denial about that. there is the flagrant disregard for facts and statistics and the statistics authority to the department of education four times to express their concern about use of dodgy figures by her ministers. and not to make more cuts to police, that home secretary accused him of crying wolf. with 21,000 fewer police officers and rising crime across the country does the prime minister accept that the then home

the prime minister.oday it is asked a simple question. should the next step be a general election? i believe that is the worst thing we could deepen... it could do. it would deepen... it would deepen division when we need unity. it would bring chaos when we need certainty. and it would bring delay when we need to move forward. soi delay when we need to move forward. so i believe this house should reject this motion. at this crucial moment in our nation's history, a general election is simply not in the national interest. parliament decided to put the question of membership of the european union to the people. parliament is proposed to abide by the results promised to abide by the results. parliament invoked article 52 trigger the process. and now parliament must finish thejob. that process. and now parliament must finish the job. that is what the british people expect of us, and speaking to my constituents right across the country, that is what they demand. i will give way in a moment. that is what they

former conservative prime minister backs today's conservative by minister in the vote of confidence.s, even what happened in the house of commons yesterday, where we were defeated very happily, the prime minister rightly said we need to engage across parliament and we need to do that constructively. when it comes to the customs union, or principle is that we are in favour of leaving the customs union so that we can enter into trade agreements and no longer on wta terms, but at this stage, what we are doing is engaging with parliamentary opinion. and if you engage with parliamentary opinion, labour will you engage with parliamentary opinion, labourwill urge you engage with parliamentary opinion, labour will urge you to do some kind of arrangement on a customs union if not the customs union. i ask again, is that still a red line that you will not cross, or is it now open for negotiation? well, i don't think we can today be boxing ourselves in. what we need to be doing is engaging across parliament, see what ideas emerge, with the support is for those particular ideas, and at that point

has your party had the call to meet with the prime minister? she said today she believed the prime minister's position was delusional because even after that large defeat, she still doesn't seem to want to change her deal in any fundamental way so she will come to talk to us about this but she needs to come with an open mind and listen to come with an open mind and listen to us, we will ask to extend 50 immediately, she will have to go to brussels and ask for that and we wa nt brussels and ask for that and we want for our people's vote, she cannot get her deal through the house of commons and it's clear that she cannot but she needs to put it to people, she needs to put it to them against the choice to remain in them against the choice to remain in the eu. there is nothing she could say that would bring new onside because you are not looking for a deal, you just want to stay in the eu and you want a second referendum, you are not in the market for a negotiated deal. yes, we want to stay in the eu but back in december 2016 we were saying that if

can the prime minister be clear? does her government rule out a customs union with the european union? prime minister may: the right honorable gentlemen -- gentleman talks about a customs union. the day before it was a comprehensive customs union, then it was a new customs union and now it's a permanent customs union. the question -- the question -- i'm happy to sit down and talk to him about what he minals by that. does he mean accepting the common external tariff? does he mean accepting the current commercial policy? does he meanwhile accepting the union customs cold? does he mean accepting e.u. safe rules? if he won't talk about it, there's only one conclusion, he hasn't got a clutch. -- clue. >> mr. speaker, my question was, does the prime minister rule in or rule out a customs union? it's not complicated. she could have said yes, she could have said no. mr. speaker, it's a key part of what labor is putting forward and it's backed by the t.u.c. representing millions of workers, by the c.b.i. representing thousand

for the prime minister to make a started. for the prime minister to makea claim started.es is a little bit too late. she hasn't at any stage, not at one stage, sought to seek the advice on discussions or negotiations with the opposition parties. ifind negotiations with the opposition parties. i find that very distasteful. it is probably why we have ended up in the situation where we have ended up in the situation where we have, where we had a vote last night, 230 rebels against what can only be described as the worst deal possible from brussels. yes, fast moving. what we will look to do is to see what the plan b, as it were, would be from the government on monday. that is obviously amendable. we will look what the amendment are and what amendments we want to put forward. hopefully we want to see some forward. hopefully we want to see some sort of remedy to the situation. bluntly, is there a scenario where labour could help the government get brexit through? we wa nt to government get brexit through? we want to ensure that there is a brexit for the people. whatever brexit

. >> now live to london for british prime minister's question time. each week the house of commons is in session we bring you minister teresa may taking questions from the house of commons wednesday morning at 7:00 eastern on c-span2 and we invite your participation via twitter using the hashtag pmqs. prior to question time member definition of the business. live to the floor of the british house of commons. >> what i say to my honorable friend is the secretary of state announced she will not extend to child limit on universal credit before april 2017 when the policy came into effect benefiting 15,000 families. the decision restore the policy which will give parents the receipt of universal credit, the same choices as those at work. >> thank you. as we leave the european union our economy is growing part of the euro zone. and the highest level since records began. >> i associate myself with the ministers comment him of the most able and talented politician he had. and we noticed the devastating impact. and the land set for exports, the government is r

did the prime minister discuss its difficulties with the prime minister of japan last week? and if not, why not? >> we have been working with the government of japan and yes, yi did raise the issue of this with the prime minister of japan last week. of course the company involved will be making a commercial decision in relation to this matter. they government has been a discussion with them, has been providing. we do want to be nuclear as part of our energy mix in the future. the cost of any energy provided by nuclear is that a reasonable level for the consumer. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i've recently welcomed the news from the secretary of state. [inaudible] took part in spaces of chemical cleaning. can the prime minister join with me in congratulating that command, all the men and women who worked at the base for the times what they did to keep our country safe? >> can i say to my honorable friend i'd like to thank her for raising this issue purchase race this in her westminster hall debate. it's also important to many other members around this house. i would like to pay

>> prime minister? >> can i first of all, say to the right honorable gentleman, i absolutely agree with him, that there is no place for intimidation in any part of our society. politicians do need to be able to have a safe space in which to express their opinions. many of which are passionately held. and i hope he will now ask his shadow chancellor to withdraw or apologize, for the remarks that he made about the former secretary of state for work and pensions. on the matter, on the matter of brexit, that the right honorable gentleman has raised, perhaps let me update the house. the conclusions of the december european council went further than before, in seeking to address the concerns of this house, and they have legal status. i have been in contact with european leaders over since then about mp's concerned, these discussions have shown that further clarification on the backstop is possible and those talks will continue over the next few days. but we're also looking at what more we can do domestically

the prime minister must step up. we must extend article 50 and end of this impasse by bringing forward a second e.u. referendum. do it for all sorts of reasons. but do it for the e.u. citizens living in the u.k. i congratulate the prime minister that the fees have been waived for e.u. nationals, a campaign led by the scottish national party in parliament. and have been here decades are being forced to register and stay in their own homes. that is the fundamental of it. not in our name -- where is the humanity? in scotland, we have another choice. we did not vote for brexit. we will not be dragged out of europe by a tory government. we may not be able to save the u.k., but we can save scotland. we have an escape route from brexit -- an independent scotland. scottish independence will result in our country being a destination for europe. a country at the heart of europe . mr. speaker, we want no part of it. minister. >> the right honorable annulment raised a number of issues for he talked about the issue of the belfast

the country feels genuinely sorry for the prime minister. i feel sorry for the prime minister.s a week in parliament like no other. historic, momentous, unprecedented. the parliamentary thesaurus has been well—thumbed since mps delivered their verdict on theresa may's brexit plan. she lost by 230 votes. 118 conservatives — brexiteers and remainers — voted against their own government. it was the biggest government defeat in modern times. that meaningful vote was on the outcome of years of negotiations in brussels — a withdrawal agreement that would be legally binding and a political declaration that wouldn't. the deal included a £39 billion divorce bill, a guarantee for citizens‘ rights and a 21—month transition period. most controversially, the so—called backstop would keep the irish border open if there's no trade deal but would see the uk follow some eu rules. that's unacceptable to the dup, whose ten mps keep theresa may in power. mps spent a total of eight days debating the deal, three of them before christmas when theresa may pulled the vote in the hope of winning over su

things. >> questions for the prime minister. stephen kerr. question number one. >> i am sure members across the house will join me in marking holocaust memorial day. an opportunity to remember all those who suffered in the holocaust and in subsequent genocides around the world and a reminder we must all challenge prejudice and hatred wherever it is found. this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues in addition to my duties in this house, further such meetings later today. >> i associate myself with comments in relation to holocaust memorial day. as a proud scott him of the united kingdom and great britain and northern ireland, the most successful political union the world has ever known. >> of the primus to agree with me that the man with a second independence referendum, after the last one that the uk government should side with the majority of the people of scotland and firmly tell her no. >> my right honorable friend is right. people in scotland held the referendum in 2014, it was legal, fair, decisive, and people voted for sco

would you resign if that was the compromise the prime minister pursued? just loves to ask these questions! but it matters, liam fox. i have set out the substance. it is not about us, for me it is about the substance. compromise can be a dirty word around here. there is no shortage, certainly, of clashing ideas or imitated suggestions being put forward to the prime minister by friends and enemies. but in the end, it is up to her to decide which might be a dangerous dead end or a realistic way out. remember, she is there because tory divisions claimed one of her number. obviously, i regret that we lost that referendum, i deeply regret that, i was leading the campaign to stay in the european union and obviously i regret the difficulties and the problems we have been having trying to implement the result of that referendum. but i don't think it's going to be helped by me giving a running commentary. i support the prime minister, i support her aim to have a partnership deal with europe, that's what needs to be put in place. he: at lent maeaaéé ~ ~ that was lau

prime minister. cani delivered nothing? prime minister.an wants to talk about the impact of scotland in the future, perhaps he should look at the latest figures that came out, just this morning, on exports. over 60% of scotland's exports go to the rest of the uk. that's more than scotland's trade with the rest of the world. and over three times more than with the rest of the european union. and yet he represents a party that wants to erect a border between scotla nd that wants to erect a border between scotland and england. the biggest threat... the biggest threat to the future of scotland is sitting on those benches. cheering said geoffrey clifton brown. mr speaker, there is a clear choice between remaining in the customs union or a fully functioning uk independent trade policy. does my right honourable friend think it is time that the leader of the opposition alters his red lines, repeated twice in this question time accept the will of the british people and allow businesses to thrive in a post brexit world by having a free trade policy?

and what we do like the prime minister focus and what we do like the prime ministerfocus on as and whathe tries to get a majority around may be a new offering? we have set out for the last two years a form of brexit we think would protect the welsh economy and welsh jobs and be good for the united kingdom. it will require the prime minister to move away from her failed require the prime minister to move away from herfailed policy require the prime minister to move away from her failed policy of red line negotiation. we believe that we need to be part of a customs union, that we need full and unfettered access to the single market, but we need to be able to continue to recruit people to come to wales to fill essential jobs recruit people to come to wales to fill essentialjobs in our businesses and our public services. the prime minister has to focus now on finding the common ground that we think can be found in the house of commons and with the devolved administrations. we leave the eu in administrations. we leave the eu in a political sense, as your last conversation suggested, but that

i feel sorry for the prime minister. i feel sorry for the prime minister. sustainable support. the evidence is clear. and i know that out of loyalty to party, members opposite will want to support the prime minister in the vote this evening, but everyone in this chamber, no matter which lobby they go through tonight, they know in their hearts that this prime minister is not capable of getting a deal through. the members on the opposite benches know it. they know, we know that they know it. the country knows it. which is why we must act. that is why we need something new, that is why we need a general election. i commend this motion to the house. mr speaker, as you know, having sat throughout this entire debate, it has been a passionate debate characterised by many excellent speeches and i commend the members for tiverton and humming bolton west, mid norfolk, broxtowe, stirling, dudley south, stoke entree datum at stoke—on—trent south for a series of outstanding speeches on my site. it has also been the case, as the shadow secretary of state pointed out, tha

prime minister, where are they. i set out to condition and i suggest he should have listened to it. >> what the prime minister promised as we would get written confessions, the parliament would have the opportunity to vote on that and nothing has materialized. nothing has changed. last night the pre- minister suffered another humiliating defeat. when will the feminist or face the fact there is little suppo support. the new year began, the doubling talks without concession, the debate on the bill starts today without those concessions asking to write a blank check. what other concessions when will the feminist or guarantee the details before we start debates this afternoon? >> as i said i set out to the te position earlier and reference people would know the council went further in relation to the issues that i raised with the european council and they had gone before but we are of course working on those issues. the right honorable gentleman can't get away from the fact he has to be willing to the great on a deal on

when will the prime minister face the facts?or her deal or no deal in this house. the new year began without concessions. the dublin talks failed without concessions. the debate on her deal restarts today without concessions. mr speaker, the prime minister is frozen in failure, asking mps to write a blank cheque for her blindfold brexit. theresa may told him if he was concerned about leaving with no deal, he should vote for her deal, the only one on the table. she got more support from her own side — up to a point. i propose to vote for the prime minister's withdrawal agreement, but i doubt whether it will pass, and if it is passed, and we get into a transition, there is no majority or consensus on what the government is supposed to be negotiating for in the years that will follow that will settle our future political and economic relationships with europe. so, the prime minister has to be flexible on some things, so would she consider, that if she loses the debate next tuesday, will bring to the obvious step in the national int

so the commons rejected it tonight the biggest defeat ever for a prime minister in parliament and like a scene from the movie groundhog day or a chapter in a coffin novel theresa may accepted her defeat and promise to come back next week and do the same thing all over again gulf in berlin this is the day. to the right two hundred and two. windows to the four hundred and thirty two. so the know the numbers have it. mr speaker the house has spoken out of the government will listen it is clear that the house does not support this deal the results of tonight's vote is the greatest defeat for a government since the nineteenth twenties in this house but tonight's better tells us nothing about what it does support after two years of failed negotiations the house of commons is today but it's for all hell breaks. nothing about how even if it intends to all of the decision the british people took in a referendum parliament decided to hold. the killing principle of delay and denial has reached the end all for line the government respects that with the house we will the f.o. make a statement about

we are going to talk to the world's youngest prime minister, new zealand's prime minister, jacinda arderny and then go to switzerland to speak to prince william about mental health. she has talked openly about her own issues with anxiety in the past before she got thejob of leading with anxiety in the past before she got the job of leading the labour party in new zealand, before she got thejob of prime minister and before she had herfirst baby so maybe thejob of prime minister and before she had her first baby so maybe we will ask about her anxiety levels now and how she manages them. do get in touch with us throughout the morning — use the #victorialive. victims of domestic abuse will no longerface being cross—examined by partners alleged to have abused them in family courts, under new government proposals today. the home office says their new draft legislation is a landmark, and will, for the first time, create a legal definition of domestic abuse, to include economic abuse and control, and establish a domestic abuse commissioner. theresa may promised to overhaul domestic abuse laws alm

can the prime minister be clear. does her government rule out a customs union with the european union? >> he talks about a customs union. i note he put an amendment down which refers to -- it was a new customs union. now it's permanent. the question -- i'm happy to sit down and talk to him about what he means by that. does he mean accepting the common external tariff? does he mean accepting the common commercial policy? does he mean accepting the unions customs code? does he mean accept iing eu sta aid rules? if he won't talk about it, there's only one conclusion. he hasn't got a include. >> does the prime minister rule in or out a customs union. it's not complicated. she could have said yes. she could have said no.it's not. she could have said yes. she could have said no.? it's not complicated. she could have said yes. she could have said no. it's backed by the first ministers of wales and scotland. indeed, by many members of our own party, including apparently her own chief of staff. can the prime minister explain

is bite of what we have heard from the prime minister if you minutes ago the prime minister was one ofst the foundation of the welsh assembly in 1999. that was 18 months after the referendum result. why was it a cce pta ble the referendum result. why was it acceptable for her to do that then but conversely rolling out today the opportunity for this country, including 2 million young people who do not have a say back in 2016, to have that people's vote on the actual terms of the withdrawal agreement? i didn't answer the specific point about young people when my right honourable friend raise that question so i would like to address it now. i reckon as there are people today who are now eligible to vote who were not eligible to vote who were not eligible to vote in 2016, but i have to say to those members who say that isa to say to those members who say that is a reason for having a second vote, actually regardless of how that vote went, people could see in two yea rs' that vote went, people could see in two years' time there is another group of young people who should be voting and there

if he cannot support oui’ prime minister. if he cannot support our fighting men prime minister.ng men and prime minister. if he cannot support our fighting men and women, no, prime minister. if he cannot support ourfighting men and women, no, who does he support and stand aside? it was fascinating to discover that the right honourable gentleman, the leader of the opposition, was there when a wreathes was laid to commemorate those involved in the massacre at the munich olympics of israeli. he says he was present but not involved. present but not involved sums him up when it to beeni member. the been i member. the central, 66 the which is 66 people including the shadow secretary of state voted with this government in order to defeat fascism, i'm afraid that the honourable gentleman, the leader of the opposition, was not with us, inviting fascism, he was present but not in bold that mega infighting. when this house voted to take the action necessary when that may put executed an act of terrorism on our soil, many good labour members stood up soil, many good labour members stood up

the prime minister is listening. she wa nts to the prime minister is listening. up with some fort of the deal that parliament will be able to support and get into the spirit of what people voted for in 2016. it is clear to me, jeremy corbyn refusing to go into downing street and discuss what he would be prepared to accept is incredible, to be honest. if the situation was reversed, you could see the leader of the conservative party would be saying the same. it would look terrible. if there was a red line and the red line forjeremy corbyn is the no deal scenario that theresa may is still holding out as a possibility. 6196 of labour constituencies voted to leave the european union. he has got to accept that. i think the obligation is an jeremy corbyn to go into downing street to discuss with the prime minister what is going to be at all possible for him to get him to start to support... he wants to take note trade deal off of the table, yet he is not able to take the customs union off of the table. if we go down that route, we cannot take our borders back and do tra

can i thank the prime minister for communities. e country and unusual thing happened last night, conservative mp's and opposite mp's united. levers and remain as united. united. levers and remain as united. united to back my proposal for a review of retrospection in a law called the loan charge which offends against the rule of law and has caused misery to tens of thousands of people. so in her role as first lord of the treasury will be prime minister agreed to meet with me and the cross—party delegation of mps to discuss this new review into the loa n discuss this new review into the loan charge? first of all, i think he was absolutely correct, the late lord ashdown was deeply respected across this house and across parliament as a whole and widely across the country too. in relation to the question he put about the issue of the loan charge, i got the point he was trying to make, can i make this point, he talked about opposition and government mps united and actually the government accepted his review into the loan charge and i thin

over christmas, the prime minister has beenin christmas, the prime minister has been in contact withe eu with the deal that has been agreed is in the interests of both sides. when the debate begins on wednesday, the government will be clear with the house plays what has been achieved since the vote was deferred last year. as said when i spoke in the debate on the 4th of december, the deal will enable us to deliver a skills based immigration system, control over by pinot fisheries policy and agricultural policies, unlike the snp who want to remain in the european union. our own trade policy for the first time in more than three decades and an end to sending vast sums of money to the eu. it is a good deal, the only deal and i believe it is the right deal and i believe it is the right deal to end uncertainty for this country. i thank you for granting this urgent question today. with less tha n this urgent question today. with less than three months until we reach the article 50 deadline, there can be no more hiding and no more running a way. this issue will define britain's future and s

questions to the prime minister. the problem?inister well knows is that the eu has said no to all that before. the majority in this house voted to maintain the commitment to no hard border between northern ireland and ireland, to leave the european union with a deal, and to set out to the european union what it will take, to ensure that this house can support a deal. that is a change to the backstop. that means there is, at least, for now, different mood here. tory backbenchers more used to tearing each other apart over brexit, for once, backing her. if she can get brussels to budge. tell the european union there is a majority in this house for that deal and i would ask my colleagues to give the prime minister space. they're not going to crumble, tomorrow, we're going to have to hold our nerve and we can be successful. remember, the prime minister only narrowly got this place on side, last night. because she made a promise that she would get part of her brexit deal changed. but wanting something to happen and making it happen are

the prime minister who is supposed to be undertaking a negotiation with the prime minister the trial to bring an acceptable deal but why doesn't the prime minister stop the pretense and stop wasting four billion pounds in a cynical attempt to drive good deeply damaging do you all through this house. is a right honorable gentleman doesn't want to see money being spent on no deal he's got an easy answer for this. while parliament pressures for changes to the deal the european council president has made it clear that the e.u. doesn't want any more negotiations. the union stands for a disagreement and intends to for a fee do is itself the fic ation it's not open for you like a fish and there's growing dissatisfaction in the u.k. over the briggs's situation throughout the year there have been waves of protests the biggest one happened at the end of october when more than seven hundred thousand people rallied in london to demand a second referendum political commentator john white think that to raise the may is now trying to use the countdown to brag that as a weapon against parliament i t

does the prime minister accept the then home secretary got it wrong. i think to the right intent of course as we look at what is happening particularly at what is happening on knife crime and serious violence we recognize the need to take action that's why we've introduced the offensive weapons bill and it's why my rajon of a friend the home secretary has introduced the serious violence strategy it's also we are also making the early one billion pounds more available to preschool says over the next year but i also say to the right honorable gentleman yet again in all of these questions about public services he only ever talks about the money that's going in what matters what matters is with the police is the powers that we gave them as well and what was it what was it when we came to the issue with knife crime when it came to the issue of knife crime when it came to the issue of taking more action not criminals who were involved in knife crime where we said that if somebody was caught on the streets for a second time for a knife crime they should be se

but many labour mps are still refusing to do business with the prime minister, and that leaves her dealinisterformally to rule out no deal. i think no deal would be disastrous for britain. so you might expect this cabinet minister to give full throated backing to the prime minister's deal — but not quite. through the debate we need to form a united view as to what kind of deal can command the confidence of the house. and the temperature was raised at westminster when a conservative mp said she would resign from the party if the prime minister accepts no deal. she could say no deal, in which case very many conservative colleagues of hers would resign the whip, myself included. time is running out to get a deal through. mps can largely agree on what they don't want — but not what they do. iain watson, bbc news. the latest retail sales figures show it was the worst christmas in a decade for britain's shops. sales were broadly flat in december — with no overall growth. sales at marks and spencer and debenhams were down — though they were up at tesco and thejohn lewis partnership. our busine

prime minister did the eu make any changes? the prime minister has some convincing to do.she will speak to the european council president. last night and majority in this house voted to maintain the commitment to no hard border between northern ireland and ireland, to leave the european union with the deal and to set out what it will take to ensure that this house can support a deal. that is a change to the backstop, thatis that is a change to the backstop, that is what i will be taken back to the european union. it is not clear exactly what those changes will look like in the procession will have to offer more. the prime minister may have succeeded, may have succeeded in temporarily uniting her very divided party, but, mr speaker, is she willing to make compromises necessary that are more important, and that is to unite the country? behind closed doors, the two leaders met the afternoon. labour said the 45 minute chat was serious and engaged. they think the pm is interested in finding consensus. in europe, eu ministers have said that reopening the withdrawal agreement isa

the prime minister said time good deal to get behind. she is saying my deal is better than no deal that has not given us what is a good deal so much this deal is uncertain. we would get behind a good deal but we do not believe it is a good deal full to various no believe it is a good deal full to various no customs believe it is a good deal full to various no customs union relationship with the single market. -- it is relationship with the single market. —— it isa relationship with the single market. —— it is a good deal and there is no customs union relationship. she has not come up with anything better. customs union relationship. she has not come up with anything betterlj is surprised at the end of january we are in a position where theresa may has said she will go back to brussels and asked for the withdrawal agreement to be reopened? —— are you surprised? i think it is extraordinary. having told the prime minister she could not reopen the deals she is trying to reopen something the european union has said it will not reopen on. about

one of the easiest in human history into a national embarrassment in that time we've seen the prime minister's demands quickly turned into one humiliating climbdown after another break simonis is of. ministers have gone but the shambles has remained unchanged culminating in an agreement which was described by one former cabinet minister as i quote the worst of all worlds let's make the deal the prime minister wanted this parliament to support would have left the u.k. in a helpless position facing the choice of either seeking and paying for it standard transition period or trapped in the backstop. the prime minister may claim the backstop would never come into force oda order i'm sorry there are order there are curtis's in this place a member can seek to intervene here she should not do so out of prostration by creaking an observation across the floor well whether we say shriek or yell or bellow or shout it was very noisy and it was disorderly and they were out on a bridge and rose i had told him in the highest regard i have great affection for him but he must behave better. now i'm not in the