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Brexit today -live updates: MPs debate final stage of EU Withdrawal Bill before passing to Lords

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Theresa May at Prime Minister's Questions responding to questions over Carillion collapse

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn clashed at Prime Minister’s Questions over the dramatic collapse of construction and services company Carillion.

The Labour leader used all six of his questions to ask about the issue, having previously called for the directors of the failed firm to give back their multi-million pound bonuses.

The company is the second biggest construction firm in the UK and employs 20,000 people across the country and managing 450 government contracts. 

MPs are now debating the final stage of the EU Withdrawal Bill before a vote later this evening. It will then be passed to the Lords.

Live Updates

What is Article 49 and how can it reverse Brexit?

On Wednesday European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told the European Parliament that if Britain leaves the EU, it would still be welcome to re-join under Article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union. This comes a day after Mr Juncker and Donald Tusk, the European Council president, saying Britain would still be welcome to reverse Brexit now if it chose to do so.

Jeremy Corbyn's office says there is 'no sign whatever that his age is an impediment' for 2022 election

 
Jeremy Corbyn’s office has hit back at warnings from frontbench Labour figures that the party leader could be too old to fight the next election. A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said there is “no sign whatever that his age is an impediment” and guaranteed he would fight the campaign in 2022.
 
It comes after The Independent reported comments from frontbenchers warning of the toll of leadership and pointing out that if Mr Corbyn wins he would have to commit to being in Government until aged almost 80.

here's a totally wacky and out-there idea for #elephantandcastle why not just rebuild it as looked like before they… twitter.com/i/web/status/9…

Tory MP tears into Boris Johnson over 'disgraceful deception' on £350m NHS claim

 
A senior Conservative MP has hit out at Boris Johnson over his continued insistence that an extra £350m could be invested in the NHS after Brexit. Sarah Wollaston, the chair of the House of Commons Health Committee, said the Foreign Secretary’s use of the false statistic was “a disgrace” and “a deliberate deception”.

LAKE originally meant ‘stream’.

What about Harold losing at Hastings? twitter.com/estwebber/stat…

Excited to be joining @demos at such an important time in politics. Good ideas are sorely needed: we'll bring them… twitter.com/i/web/status/9…

I agree with @MPphilwilson independent.co.uk/voices/new-lab… https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTwIlEiW4AA3xsR.jpg

This was the nub of #PMQs . I disagree with Corbyn about this hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-0… https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTwHeYTXcAApAwN.jpg

Speaking in the Commons just now Hilary Benn, the chairman of the Committee on Exiting the European Union, said: "This is probably going to be the first negotiation in human history in which a government has gone into the negotiation knowing that it will come out with a worse deal than the one that we currently enjoy and the reasons for that is the red lines that it has set for itself.

"Doesn't that demonstrate what a profound error it has been, especially when we know now that those decisions on those red lines were taken apparently with no assessment at all of the economic impact."

But Corbyn's attempt at a 2nd Q doesn't look any better written down hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-0… https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTwGZzoX4AA2Ook.jpg

Woman told by bank she must attend meeting with her rapist in order to close joint account

A bank refused to close a woman's joint account unless she attended a meeting with the man who had repeatedly raped her. The issue was raised in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions and prompted gasps of disbelief from shocked MPs.

If people don’t want Corbyn to be PM, they need to fight his ideas, not complain he is too old for the job independent.co.uk/voices/jeremy-…

Justine Greening said: "I represent a very young constituency here in London.

"The bottom line is that looking ahead if Brexit doesn't work for young people in our country, in the end it will not be sustainable.

"When they take their place here they will seek to improve or undo what we've done and make it work for them.

"So we do absolutely have a duty in this House to look ahead and ensure that whatever we get is sustainable and works for them."

Tory MP tears into Boris Johnson over 'disgraceful deception' on £350m NHS claim

 
A senior Conservative MP has hit out at Boris Johnson over his continued insistence that an extra £350m could be invested in the NHS after Brexit. Sarah Wollaston, the chair of the House of Commons Health Committee, said the Foreign Secretary’s use of the false statistic was “a disgrace” and “a deliberate deception”.

From the archive: the day Margaret Thatcher died, nearly 5 years ago – on her & the centre ground independentblogposts.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/tha…

Anna Soubry told MPs the Government had "made a mistake" in ruling out membership of the single market.

She said: "Perhaps it could very well be argued that the Government made a mistake in rushing to say no to the customs union, no to the single market without fully understanding the implications.

"Not just on our economy but also how it has meant that a whole range of options has now been taken off the table by the United Kingdom Government when the European Union has made it very clear all options as far as they are concerned remain on the table."

Tory MP to remain party's Vice Chairman despite comments about benefit claimant vasectomies

A Conservative MP will keep his job as party Vice Chairman despite anger at his suggestion that benefit claimants should have vasectomies. A Downing Street source indicated the Prime Minister believed it is sufficient that Ben Bradley has apologised for the comments made six years ago, but Jeremy Corbyn’s spokesman argued it confirmed the Conservatives as “the nasty party”.

I fear my great colleague Andrew Grice may be right about this independent.co.uk/voices/carilli… https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTv9IDLX0AMpcT0.jpg