Government faces vote of no confidence after historic Brexit defeat

A vote of no confidence in the Government is to be held tomorrow after Theresa May suffered a catastrophic defeat in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister’s proposed Brexit deal was defeated by a historic margin of 230.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn immediately tabled a motion of no confidence in the Government which will be debated tomorrow afternoon.

MPs overwhelmingly rejected the PM’s agreement by 432 votes to 202, one of the worst defeats ever suffered by a UK Government in Parliament.

Theresa May will head back to Brussels in yet another attempt to secure concessions from the EU on the deal.

Theresa May said the vote has made it clear MPs do not support the deal.

She added: “Tonight’s vote tells us nothing about what it does support, nothing about how or even if it intends to honour the decision that people took in a referendum.

“EU citizens here and UK citizens in the EU deserve clarity as soon as possible, as do businesses and ordinary people.”

Jeremy Corbyn said the result is the largest defeat for a government since the 1920s.

He added that after two years of negotiations the verdict is “absolutely decisive”.

He added the Prime Minister is only trying to reach out now “after it has been so roundly rejected by Parliament”.

Mr Corbyn said: “No deal must be taken off the table, a permanent customs union must be secured, and people’s rights and protections must be guaranteed.

“The PM has closed the door on dialogue. In the last two years, she’s had only one priority, the Conservative Party.”

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said:“Every business will feel no deal is hurtling closer.

“A new plan is needed immediately. This is now a time for our politicians to make history as leaders. All MPs need to reflect on the need for compromise and to act at speed to protect the UK’s economy.”

Stephen Martin, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: “It is the collective failure of our political leaders that, with only a few weeks to go, we are staring down the barrel of no deal.

“As things stand, UK law says we will leave on 29th March, with or without a withdrawal agreement, and yet MPs are behaving as though they have all the time in the world – how are businesses meant to prepare in this fog of confusion?

“The clock is still ticking, and whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s no confidence vote, the reality is that MPs will still need to find a way to put aside their differences and come to an agreement.”

Federation of Small Businesses chairman Mike Cherry said: “It is time for politicians to come together and urgently find a way forward from this alarming Brexit stalemate, and now, no-confidence vote.

“The UK is due to leave the EU in just 10 weeks, and yet businesses still have no idea what kind of circumstances they should prepare for.”

Stephen Phipson, chief executive of EEF – the manufacturers’ organisation, said: “After two years of negotiations, Westminster has failed to deliver a workable plan for Brexit.

“Parliament’s pantomime now continues while business suffers impossible uncertainty which will only worsen investment and the worrying business climate.”

Lawrence Jones, the chief executive of cloud firm UKFAst, said: “What’s needed is to listen to the voters and look at the facts. It’s clear that this deal is popular with no one so we have to find a different way to leave while avoiding a no-deal situation.

 “Theresa May would be in a stronger position if she’d brought people from other parties in on the negotiations. This is a national issue, not a Labour or Conservative issue.

“She should now involve Corbyn and members of the Shadow Cabinet to negotiate a new deal, so there is greater buy-in from across Parliament. During the war Churchill brought many of his greatest political rivals into the Cabinet, and that’s perhaps what’s needed now.

“Having said that, it feels like certain MPs are acting for personal gain rather than for the good of the country. It’s not the right time to make a grab for power, it’s time to focus on getting through this difficult moment.”