Breaking News – Brexit

Less than an hour to go until the voting starts

Key points:

• Boris Johnson introduces bill turning his Brexit deal into law
• PM will pull bill and call for election if MPs reject timetable and EU offers extension
• Johnson wants MPs to pass it by Thursday, so EU divorce happens by 31 October
• Vote on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill at 7pm, and one on parliamentary timetable at 7:30pm
• Labour urges government to reach ‘consensus’ over three-day deadline

JOHNSON threatens to pull Brexit bill and call for election

Mr Johnson has warned: “I will in no way allow months more of this.

“If parliament refuses to allow Brexit to happen, and instead gets its way and decides to delay everything until January or possibly longer, in no circumstances can the government continue with this.

“And with great regret, I must say that the bill will have to be pulled and we will have to go forward to a general election.”

Mr Johnson will need to get a two-thirds majority in the Commons for an early poll in order for one to take place.

Updates until now:

18: 20: No 10 source: Prime Minister Boris Johnson will call EU leaders tonight to tell them the policy remains that the UK will leave on 31 October and no delays should be offered.

15:35: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed he will withdraw his EU Withdrawal Agreement and call for a general election if Parliament does not pass the Government’s timetable on Brexit.

15:00: A No.10 source says the Government will withdraw the bill if Parliament votes down the programme motion this evening and the EU offers a Brexit delay until 31 January.