MPs to vote again on the Brexit deal

This time they will be asked to vote just on the Withdrawal Agreement (on citizens' rights, money and Northern Ireland) which the government hopes will gain it extra weeks to discuss the other more flexible part of the deal, that is the 'political declaration' on the future UK/EU relationship.

This is because the EU has said that the British MPs must have voted for the negotiated agreement by the end of today if the UK is to avoid one of two consequences: no-deal Brexit after April 12, or a long delay to Brexit so as to work out a new strategy, which would mean the UK would have to take part in the European Parliament elections in May.

The EU said if the agreement was accepted in time then Brexit day would instead become May 22.

If the agreement is voted down today then the British MPs plan to hold further 'indicative votes' on Monday to narrow down their choices of alternative options. The EU has said that to avoid leaving with no-deal the UK would have to present a clear way forward before April 12.

If the agreement is accepted today, there would still have to be another 'meaningful vote' on the combined package of withdrawal agreement and political declaration at a later date if the deal is to be properly signed off allowing the UK to leave in an 'orderly' way with a transition period to the end of 2020.

Leaving with the Withdrawal Agreement would mean that the arrangements negotiated between the UK and EU for expatriates' rights would be protected, avoiding the greater uncertainties and vulnerability associated with no-deal.

However if it is rejected and replaced with an alternative plan these might include a softer Brexit (which would automatically protect most of the current rights of Britons in France if it is equivalent to EEA membership) or another referendum.

If there is another referendum it is likely that Britons overseas for longer than 15 years would be excluded as in 2016 after a private member's bill to give them voting rights for life failed last week after a Conservative MP talked about the bill for too long and it did not progress to a vote.

Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale has told Connexion he will try to see that a new government bill is presented on this measure, which was a promise in the last two Conservative manifestos.