Today’s political headlines include the new Tory Brexit plan, Corbyn yet to confirm Labour support for Cooper’s amendment, food firms warning of no-deal disruption and EU negotiators warning of the high risk of no-deal.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
New Tory Brexit compromise plan emerges Corbyn yet to confirm Labour support for Cooper amendment Food firms warn of no-deal disruption EU negotiator warns that there\u2019s a \u2018very high\u2019 risk of no-deal Javid unveils no-deal Brexit immigration plan Labour in U-turn over Immigration Bill UK would have to elect MEPs if Brexit delayed MPs vote for proxy-voting trial
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Conservative Brexiteers have refused to back a Government-supported amendment to today\u2019s Brexit motion calling for the Irish backstop to be replaced with \u2018alternative arrangements\u2019. However, a new plan, called the \u2018Malthouse Compromise\u2019 after MP Kit Malthouse, has emerged following negotiations between the European Research Group and supporters of May\u2019s deal, which would extend the transition period and replace the backstop with a \u2018safety net\u2019 allowing trade on WTO terms with no tariffs should a future relationship not be agreed. The paper notes that this proposal is \u2018unlikely to be accepted by the EU\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Jeremy Corbyn has yet to confirm if Labour will officially support Yvette Cooper\u2019s amendment which aims to rule-out a no-deal Brexit. While several Labour MPs say they\u2019ve been told that the party will back the plan, concerns have been raised about the policy by shadow ministers including Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jon Trickett, who\u2019d prefer a shorter extension to Article 50, and party chair Ian Lavery.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Mirror<\/em>\u00a0carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a warning from food retailers including Sainsbury\u2019s, Waitrose and McDonald\u2019s which warns of \u2018significant disruption\u2019 to food supply chains in a no-deal Brexit scenario. The letter to MPs also warns that it is \u2018impossible to stockpile fresh produce\u2019 and that space to stockpile other products is running out.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Sabine Weyand, the EU\u2019s deputy chief Brexit negotiator, has warned that there is a \u2018very high\u2019 risk of a no-deal Brexit, explaining that a \u2018stable majority\u2019 for the deal is needed in Parliament, but it was difficult to see how a \u2018positive majority\u2019 could be found, and that negotiations between the bloc and the UK were \u2018finished\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has announced that EU citizens who arrive in the UK after 29 March in the event of a no-deal Brexit will have to apply for visas to stay in the UK in order to obtain temporary leave to remain, entitling them to stay for three years before applying through the new immigration system which begins in 2021.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that Labour \u2018was forced into an embarrassing U-turn\u2019 yesterday after the party initially said that it wouldn\u2019t oppose the Immigration Bill, which ends free movement after Brexit. However, following an online backlash it announced that it would vote against the bill, rather than abstain, although a number of MPs missed the vote, which the Government won comfortably.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0that it has been told by \u2018senior Brussels sources\u2019 that the UK would have to hold EU elections this spring if the Commons were to vote to delay Brexit by nine months. Otherwise, legal advice suggests that all EU decisions would be vulnerable to challenge.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The BBC\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that last night MPs voted unanimously in favour of introducing a year-long trial of proxy-voting for MPs who are on parental leave, which is expected to be in place in time for this evening\u2019s Brexit votes. An amendment to the trial by Philip Davies allowing MPs who\u2019ve suffered a miscarriage to benefit was also passed without opposition.<\/p>\n