The seven Brexit amendments voted on by MPs

Any successful amendments will not have the force of law, but will carry heavy political weight. Credit: PA

MPs voted on seven selected amendments to the Brexit deal on Tuesday night.

John Bercow chose motions tabled by Yvette Cooper, Dominic Grieve, Jeremy Corbyn, Caroline Spelman, Rachel Reeves, Ian Blackford and Sir Graham Brady for tonight's vote on what is shaping up to be Brexit’s “Super Tuesday” showdown in the Commons.

Six votes went the government's way while one Tory-tabled amendment won the support of MPs against the PM's wishes.

The two successful amendments do not have the force of law, but will carry heavy political weight as a signal to Downing Street and Brussels of what kind of Brexit MPs are likely to approve.

  • The seven amendments (and the results)

Sir Graham Brady (centre) has tabled an amendment that would back the Withdrawal Agreement as long as ‘alternative arrangements’ were found to replace the Irish border backstop Credit: PA

1. Brake on the backstop (SUPPORTED)

Theresa May threw Government support on Monday behind an amendment that seeks to replace the controversial backstop with “alternative arrangements” to avoid a hard border in Ireland.

Tabled by Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, if it passed the Commons its supporters believe it gives Mrs May more firepower to go back to Brussels and ask for more concessions and get a Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament.

Fellow Tories Andrew Murrison and John Baron scrapped very similar amendments to clear a path, but the hardline ERG is refusing to back it.

2. Grieve amendment (REJECTED)

In a bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit, the cross-party backed proposal from Dominic Grieve would effectively wrest control of Commons business from the Government for six individual days in the run-up to the UK’s scheduled withdrawal date of March 29 with the intention of getting MPs to reach a consensus on how to handle it.

Yvette Cooper, supported by Tories such as Nick Boles, wants a vote on a Bill that would give Parliament control over the Brexit process if Theresa May fails to secure a deal by February 26 Credit: PA

3. Taking control (REJECTED)

In a similar vein, a move by Labour former minister Yvette Cooper, supported by Tories such as Nick Boles, calls for a vote on a Bill that would give Parliament control over the Brexit process if Theresa May fails to secure a deal by February 26.

MPs would get a vote on extending Article 50 to the end of the year and preventing a no-deal exit under the terms of the Bill. The Labour frontbench has been publicly flirting with throwing its weight behind the amendment.

4. No to no-deal (SUPPORTED)

A cross-party effort headed by Tory Dame Caroline Spelman has widespread support and rejects the UK quitting the EU without a Withdrawal Agreement. This would probably be more palatable to the Government than either the Grieve or Cooper bids for MPs to take back control.

A labour amendment calls for MPs to be able to vote on options to stop a no-deal Brexit Credit: PA

5. Labour’s twin track approach (REJECTED)

This calls for MPs to be able to vote on options to stop a no-deal exit, such as a customs union with the EU, as well as the possibility of a new Brexit referendum. Jeremy Corbyn has been careful not to commit Labour to officially back such a poll, though.

Amendments have been tacked on to the Labour push, with the Liberal Democrats calling for Remain to be on the ballot paper in any referendum, and Labour backbenchers urging Parliament to legislate for a public vote.

6. Extension of Article 50 (REJECTED)

The SNP's amendment O seeks an extension of the Article 50 process and rules out a no-deal Brexit.

7. The no-deal safety net (REJECTED)

Tabled by Labour MP Rachel Reeves, this seeks an extension of Article 50 if there is no Brexit deal approved by the Commons.