Brexit vote: MPs vote for Theresa May to renegotiate Irish backstop with EU

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds delivers a not so subtle reminder of the importance of his party. 

The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, said there was "no majority to re-open or dilute" the withdrawal agreement.

He tweeted: "Welcome the UK Parliament's decision to reject a no-deal & the hope of cross-party talks on future relationship. We stand by Ireland & the Good Friday Agreement.

"There is no majority to re-open or dilute the Withdrawal Agreement in the Europarl-EN including the backstop."

Theresa May has taken back control of Brexit. Trouble is, she still has no idea what to do with it, says Tom Peck, in a typically scathing sketch of the day's events.

Read it here:

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said the controversial backstop arrangement remained "necessary" despite the votes in the Commons.

He tweeted: "Backstop was agreed by UK/EU as the insurance policy to avoid a hard border in all scenarios. We hope it will never be used, or be replaced quickly by a future relationship agreement. But it is necessary and tonight's developments at Westminster do nothing to change this. #Brexit"

After another day of “crunch” votes and fantasy Brexits, the House of Commons has decided to send the prime minister on another hopeless errand to Brussels, our editorial reads today.

What happens to Brexit now? Yvette Cooper didn’t win tonight, but she will eventually, says Indy political commentator John Rentoul.

Read his column here: 

Liz Truss, chief secretary to the Treasury, told BBC Newsnight it has been a "positive day" which has shown there is a majority for Theresa May's deal and some changes for the backstop.

"That to me is a significant way forward," she told the broadcaster. "It means we can go back to the EU with a united view of what we want here in the UK."

She said Ms May now has the mandate from the Commons to go back to Brussels and ask for something new, and that the ball is now in the court of the 27 member states.

"The EU have to be flexible as well, they have asked us what would it take for the House of Commons to support this, we have shown that. But we are going to need to see some flexibility over the next few days," she said - despite reaction across the board that the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation.

Ms Truss said the prime minister is going to go back to Brussels "in a constructive frame of mind".

Conservative MP Anna Soubry told BBC Newsnight that she finds her "party drifting to the right", adding: "We have had pitiful leadership both in my party and in the Labour party.

"People are not putting their country first and foremost, and I can quite assure you that people like me are absolutely putting the country and our constituents' interests first.

"Loyalty to your party in these circumstances should be absolutely way down the list, and it is for me. Then, as I observe my party and the way it is going, I despair.

"I despair at what is happening to our country."