Today’s political headlines include May’s historic defeat over Brexit deal, Cabinet split over way forward, Corbyn fails to raise the possibility of a second referendum and Hammond suggests Article 50 could be extended.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
May suffers historic defeat over Brexit deal<\/span> Cabinet split over way forward<\/span> Corbyn fails to raise possibility of a second referendum<\/span> Hammond suggests that Article 50 could be extended<\/span> DUP calls for \u2018fundamental change\u2019<\/span> Cross-party plan suggests delaying Brexit until December<\/span> Tusk suggests UK should cancel Brexit<\/span> Lords backs upskirting ban<\/span>
\n<\/strong>As\u00a0The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>, last night Theresa May suffered a \u2018historic defeat\u2019 over her Brexit deal, with 202 MPs voting in favour of her plan and 432 against. She has now called for cross-party talks, although according to the paper, a spokesperson said that she would be \u2018determined to preserve her interpretation of the referendum result\u2019 in these. Labour has now called a motion of no confidence to be voted on this evening, but the support of Brexiteers and the DUP means that the Government is likely to win.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Daily Telegraph<\/em>, the Cabinet is \u2018deeply divided\u2019 over its response to the Brexit defeat. Ministers including Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd and Greg Clark support a series of indicative votes by MPs on alternative outcomes such as an Article 50 extension or a second referendum, but others, such as Jeremy Hunt, Andrea Leadsom and Chris Grayling oppose removing the \u2018no deal\u2019 option. Damian Hinds, Karen Bradley and James Brokenshire reportedly support May bringing the deal back for another vote.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0that Jeremy Corbyn has \u2018risked antagonising\u2019 remain supporters in his party after he failed to refer to the possibility of a second referendum in either of his speeches yesterday evening, arguing that \u2018a general election would be the best outcome for the country\u2019.\u00a0The Times<\/em>\u00a0adds<\/a>\u00a0that if Labour\u2019s vote of no confidence in the Government fails today, the party could make further attempts in \u2018a sustained campaign\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Chancellor Philip Hammond used a conference call with businesses leaders last night to suggest that the Article 50 period to negotiate Brexit could be extended and that a consensus needed to be built in Parliament. He also said that the Government would not put \u2018obstacles\u2019 in the way of Nick Boles\u2019 plans to block a no-deal Brexit and let MPs find a workable Brexit solution.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that DUP leader Arlene Foster said that the rejection of May\u2019s deal by MPs showed that she needed to \u2018seek fundamental change to the Withdrawal Agreement\u2019 from the EU, while Boris Johnson claimed that the vote gave May a \u2018massive mandate\u2019 for renegotiation and also called on the Government to prepare \u2018for no-deal with ever more enthusiasm\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Times<\/em>, a bill published by backbench Conservatives Nick Boles, Sir Oliver Letwin and Nicky Morgan, backed by Labour MPs Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper, would strip the Government of its power to set the Brexit terms, leaving this to MPs, and if this failed would compel the Prime Minister to request an extension of Article 50 until December.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that European Council President Donald Tusk has suggested that the UK should remain in the EU, asking \u2018If a deal is impossible, and no one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?\u2019 European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned that the changes of a \u2018disorderly withdrawal\u2019 have increased and that the \u2018time is almost up\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The BBC\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the House of Lords has approved a bill outlawing upskirting in a victory for campaigner Gina Martin, who was upskirted at a music festival 18 months ago, and Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse who introduced a private members\u2019 bill as a result.<\/p>\n