You negotiated for two years, what the **** were you doing?' David Davis slammed in Dimbleby's final episode of Question Time
Although Dimbleby called Davis "the joke of Brexit", he did not favour the idea that Brexit could be negotiated by a public jury.
Davis, who left the role of secretary of state for leaving the EU in July of this year refused to comment on how he'd voted in yesterday's no confidence vote, but was fervent that the deal the Prime Minister was attempting to pass was not in his taste. News, analysis and expert opinion as the UK gets closer to leaving the European Union Although he was willing to let his mouth run amok to say what he really thought about Brexit, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas was happy to remind Davis that he was in the ideal role to shape the agreement. "You negotiated for two years. What the **** were you doing for god's sake?" asked Lucas
"Your life doesn't depend on a no deal. Your reaction to this says it all." Although Davis scoffed that the deal "wasn't something written on the back of a Green Party pamphlet," Lucas wasn't the only person to take him to task. "He had four hours, four meetings, and did nothing," said a member of Jeremy Corbyn's constituency who criticised the former cabinet minister.
You failed to get a vote. Surely there's an argument for people to have a chance after two years of chaos?"
No-deal Brexit will leave UK 'near bankrupt' warns Sir Richard Branson
A no-deal Brexit would leave the UK “near bankrupt” according to Sir Richard Branson. “It’s now very, very clear that Britain would be near bankrupt if we push ahead with something like a hard Brexit,” the Virgin boss told the BBC on Friday. “I’m absolutely certain that quite a few businesses will close if there’s a hard Brexit.”
Brexit: Tony Blair urges Theresa May to prepare for second referendum as she struggles to save deal
Tony Blair has predicted there could soon be a majority in parliament for a Final Say referendum, after European leaders snubbed Theresa May’s efforts to save her Brexit deal.
74% of working professionals demand a second Brexit vote
Nearly three quarters of working professionals demand a second Brexit vote and 75% say they would then vote to remain in the European Union. And only 3% of respondents say they would prefer May’s current deal, according to a new survey conducted by global professional services recruiter Morgan McKinley, which was sent to Yahoo Finance UK.
If we could turn the clock back, then to have a binary choice referendum was silly.
On the Leave side of the argument there are a number options, which are still being debated on, which Parliament seem unlikely to reach a consensus on.
On the remain side there was obviously only the one option. Remaining was staying in under the same terms and conditions.
The real options for leaving that have some support are,
The PMs deal.
Norway.
Canada.
No deal.
The logical conclusion therefore would have been that the Remain vote would have been 48%, and the 52% of leave votes would have been split between 4 options.
It follows that Remain would have won by a very wide margin.
Brexit news latest: Amber Rudd urges MPs across parties to 'forge a consensus' to avoid no-deal.... as five Cabinet ministers 'consider second referendum'
MPs across the political divide should attempt to build a Brexit consensus, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said as she warned Britain's departure from the EU is "in danger of getting stuck". Amber Rudd said it is possible Theresa May will ultimately be unable to persuade enough of her own MPs to back her deal, suggesting it is time to "abandon outrage and accusations" and "try something different". Ms Rudd said a "practical, sensible and healing approach" was needed for MPs to coalesce around a deal to avert the danger of Britain crashing out of the EU. It comes as five Cabinet ministers are understood to be considering a second referendum if MPs cannot agree a deal in the next month.
Bishops pray for politicians' integrity amid Brexit turmoil
Church of England bishops have said they are praying for “courage, integrity and clarity for our politicians” after a week of turmoil over Brexit. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the bishops also urged the country to “consider the nature of our public conversation” and called for more “grace and generosity”.
Trust issue in Westminster limits EU's offer to May
The irony - it's the behaviour of those who are demanding more, that held back European leaders from giving more. There was a sense among European leaders that whatever the prime minister had been granted might be immediately torn up and dismissed by Brexiteers.
Brexit: Theresa May told not to 'run down clock' on deal
Theresa May is trying to "run down the clock" and minimise Parliament's role in Brexit, a former minister has said. Jo Johnson - who resigned as transport minister over the PM's handling of negotiations - said MPs should be given a vote on her Brexit deal next week. His comments come as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said it is still possible to get "a version" of Mrs May's Brexit deal approved by Parliament. Another cabinet minister, Amber Rudd, called for cross-party co-operation. MPs were due to vote on Mrs May's Brexit deal on Tuesday, but it was postponed when the prime minister admitted it would have been "rejected by a significant margin". Mr Johnson - who is Boris Johnson's brother but voted Remain in the referendum - said he was concerned by the way Downing Street was treating Parliament. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "No 10 could try to leave that vote until the very last minute. "Effectively, giving the country, giving Parliament, no choice at all except between her deal... and no deal at all." He added: "It's simply unacceptable to run out the clock and face the country with the prospect of being timed-out."
Brexit: No visa but Britons will pay €7 to travel to EU countries
The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa, they will need to apply for and buy another document. It is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and although not launched yet, is expected to come into force in 2021. The travel requirement is not just for the UK but for many non-EU countries.
Brexit: No visa but Britons will pay €7 to travel to EU countries
The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa, they will need to apply for and buy another document. It is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and although not launched yet, is expected to come into force in 2021. The travel requirement is not just for the UK but for many non-EU countries.
Well I hope this country introduces a similar scheme for E.U. visitors to this country but I very much doubt it. For each action that the E.U. applies to us there should be a reaction from the UK. Time to start making a stand, stop being bullied and just accepting anything they throw at us. It's a two way street,how about us starting to introduce a few rules of our own.
Brexit: No visa but Britons will pay €7 to travel to EU countries
The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa, they will need to apply for and buy another document. It is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and although not launched yet, is expected to come into force in 2021. The travel requirement is not just for the UK but for many non-EU countries.
Well I hope this country introduces a similar scheme for E.U. visitors to this country but I very much doubt it. For each action that the E.U. applies to us there should be a reaction from the UK. Time to start making a stand, stop being bullied and just accepting anything they throw at us. It's a two way street,how about us starting to introduce a few rules of our own.
It is interesting to find out what people think. If you travel to many countries you will have to pay a fee. One of the benefits of EU membership is that this has not applied to travel to Europe. Only a Brit could think that after WE have decided to cancel OUR membership that we shouldn't lose the benefits of membership. A more important loss will be the EHIC card. This will definitely result in a substantial increase in holiday insurance premiums. If you had decided not to renew your golf club membership, it would be really silly to moan about having to pay for every subsequent round of golf that you decided to play.
I think one of the main reasons people voted for Brexit was their seemed perception that this country was being ruled more and more by the E.U. and that this was their chance to oppose that. Contrary to some people's beliefs not all Brexiters are "knuckle dragging bigots" who haven't got an independent thought between them. The referendum was badly run with not enough actual facts being given by both sides but that horse has now bolted. We now need a strong leader and government (none of them at the moment) that will stand up and get the best deal for the country regardless who it upsets. The country is divided and will remain so for the foreseeable future. What a mess we are now in,if only Cameron knew what he was creating when he promised a referendum.
I think one of the main reasons people voted for Brexit was their seemed perception that this country was being ruled more and more by the E.U. and that this was their chance to oppose that. Contrary to some people's beliefs not all Brexiters are "knuckle dragging bigots" who haven't got an independent thought between them. The referendum was badly run with not enough actual facts being given by both sides but that horse has now bolted. We now need a strong leader and government (none of them at the moment) that will stand up and get the best deal for the country regardless who it upsets. The country is divided and will remain so for the foreseeable future. What a mess we are now in,if only Cameron knew what he was creating when he promised a referendum.
Nobody could argue that it is not currently absolute chaos. None of our politicians actually thought about the implications of leaving, and how difficult it would prove to be. This Government naively ruled out many options that have left them with no solutions. They have insisted on benefits but wont entertain the obligations.
Many people just repeat things they have heard down the pub, not necessarily knowing what they mean, whether they are true, or how they would benefit when we leave.
For instance the how do you think the non elected officials of the EU are currently comparing with our elected politicians that have created this mess?
How will taking back Sovereignty actually benefit you, in your life going forward?
When Nick Clegg was debating with Nigel Farage, he stated that only 7% of our Primary Legislation comes from Europe. So the fact is we already had control of 93% of our laws.
As members we had some input, and helped to shape The EU, as non members we will have no say, but still have to accept the rules.
There are many reasons why leave voters voted for Brexit, some were justified, but many weren't. Some people blamed The EU for stuff they should have been blaming our Government for.
I don't think you can group all leave voters into any particular category. You have to assume that they voted in the hope of making things better, when the subsequent evidence is pointing in the opposite direction.
I think that what we need is a leader that is able to see the choices that have to be made, and actually make one.
People are talking about a deal, when we are nowhere near one. We haven't even started talking about a deal yet.
What we currently have is a Withdrawal Agreement, and The Tories cant agree on that. This agreement only concerns, how much money we owe them, EU citizens rights as well as the rights of Brits living in Europe, and the Irish border.
Any Withdrawal agreement needs a Backstop. Half The Tories, and The DUP wont wear a Backstop so it cant get through Parliament. If we cant agree on withdrawal, there will be no deal.
We will be negotiating a deal for years to come.
Theresa May and her red lines ruled out all solutions to some of the problems on day one, and painted herself into a corner.
The biggest problem is that all the participants have their own red lines. We knew what red lines The EU had before we left. We now have to contend with red lines that wont be crossed by Theresa May, Cabinet Members, The DUP, The ERG, moderate Brexiteers, and Remainers. They all have different red lines, and are unprepared to cross them. An agreement currently looks impossible.
Jaguar Land Rover is planning to announce thousands of job cuts in the new year as part of a £2.5bn savings plan to ward off the threat from Brexit, falling sales in China and a drop in demand for diesel cars. Britain’s biggest carmaker employs 40,000 in the UK and has already cut 1,000 temporary contract workers at its plant in Solihull, which builds Range Rovers and the Land Rover Discovery SUV. It has also reduced working hours for some workers, including at its Wolverhampton factory in the run-up to Christmas.
Brexit: Tony Blair hits back at 'irresponsible' Theresa May as war of words escalates
Tony Blair has hit back at Theresa May after she accused him of “undermining” the UK in Brexit talks and “insulting” the office of prime minister. As the highly unusual war of words between the sitting prime minister and one of her predecessors intensified, Mr Blair called Ms May “irresponsible” for trying to “steamroller” her Brexit deal through Parliament.
Responding to her criticism of him, the former prime minister insisted it was “not irresponsible or insulting” for him to campaign for a fresh Brexit referendum and denied he had undermined her during negotiations with the EU. Mr Blair has been a vocal advocate of the public being given a Final Say vote on Brexit and on Friday called on the EU to prepare to extend Article 50 in order to allow more time for further negotiations or another referendum. That prompted Ms May to launch a blistering attack on him.
In a statement, she claimed there were "too many people who want to subvert the process for their own political interests rather than acting in the national interest”.
“For Tony Blair to go to Brussels and seek to undermine our negotiations by advocating for a second referendum is an insult to the office he once held and the people he once served,” she said.
Responding to Ms May with a statement of his own, Mr Blair said it was clear that “neither the British people nor their Parliament will unite behind the prime minister's deal”. He continued: “In these circumstances it is not irresponsible or insulting to put forward an alternative way to achieve resolution. The sensible thing is now to allow Parliament to vote on each of the forms of Brexit canvassed including the prime minister’s deal. “If they can’t reach agreement then the logical thing is to go back to the people. To describe such a course as an insult is a strange description of what would be the opportunity for them to instruct Parliament as to how to proceed. Far from being anti democratic it would be the opposite, as indeed many senior figures in her party from past and present have been saying.”
In a clear attack on Ms May, he continued: “What is irresponsible however is to try to steamroller MPs into accepting a deal they genuinely think is a bad one with the threat that if they do not fall into line, the Government will have the country crash out without a deal. And suggesting the prime minister was not acting in the national interest, he added: “I have always said, and did again in my speech on Friday in London, that I personally sympathise with the PM’s heavy burden in doing her job. "I do not disrespect her at all. I understand her frustration. But I profoundly believe that the course she is pursuing will not work and is emphatically not in the national interest. And that’s the reason I am speaking out and shall continue to do so.”
Mr Blair is one of three of the four living prime ministers to back a fresh referendum, with Gordon Brown and Mr Major also supporting the calls. Only David Cameron has not done so.
Ms May is under mounting pressure to let the public decide the terms of Brexit in order to break the deadlock in Parliament. Reports suggest David Lidington, her deputy, held talks with Labour MPs last week with a view to building a cross-party consensus on the issue.
Brexit news: If PM's deal is not passed in Commons then next step may have to be put to MPs' vote, says Liam Fox
Trade Secretary Liam Fox has said that if Theresa May's Brexit deal is not passed by MPs, then Parliament might have to decide what to do next. The senior Brexiteer said that the Prime Minister's deal was unlikely to pass through the Commons unless the backstop issue is resolved, but he said that one option could be a "free vote" for MPs
Comments
Although Dimbleby called Davis "the joke of Brexit", he did not favour the idea that Brexit could be negotiated by a public jury.
Davis, who left the role of secretary of state for leaving the EU in July of this year refused to comment on how he'd voted in yesterday's no confidence vote, but was fervent that the deal the Prime Minister was attempting to pass was not in his taste.
News, analysis and expert opinion as the UK gets closer to leaving the European Union
Although he was willing to let his mouth run amok to say what he really thought about Brexit, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas was happy to remind Davis that he was in the ideal role to shape the agreement.
"You negotiated for two years. What the **** were you doing for god's sake?" asked Lucas
"Your life doesn't depend on a no deal. Your reaction to this says it all."
Although Davis scoffed that the deal "wasn't something written on the back of a Green Party pamphlet," Lucas wasn't the only person to take him to task.
"He had four hours, four meetings, and did nothing," said a member of Jeremy Corbyn's constituency who criticised the former cabinet minister.
You failed to get a vote. Surely there's an argument for people to have a chance after two years of chaos?"
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/you-negotiated-for-two-years-what-the-****-were-you-doing-david-davis-slammed-in-dimblebys-final-episode-of-question-time/ar-BBQVMAS?ocid=spartanntp
A no-deal Brexit would leave the UK “near bankrupt” according to Sir Richard Branson.
“It’s now very, very clear that Britain would be near bankrupt if we push ahead with something like a hard Brexit,” the Virgin boss told the BBC on Friday.
“I’m absolutely certain that quite a few businesses will close if there’s a hard Brexit.”
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/no-deal-brexit-leave-uk-110700337.html
Tony Blair has predicted there could soon be a majority in parliament for a Final Say referendum, after European leaders snubbed Theresa May’s efforts to save her Brexit deal.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/brexit-tony-blair-urges-theresa-may-to-prepare-for-second-referendum-as-she-struggles-to-save-deal/ar-BBQWe4c?ocid=spartanntp
Nearly three quarters of working professionals demand a second Brexit vote and 75% say they would then vote to remain in the European Union. And only 3% of respondents say they would prefer May’s current deal, according to a new survey conducted by global professional services recruiter Morgan McKinley, which was sent to Yahoo Finance UK.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/74-working-professionals-demand-second-brexit-vote-084457095.html
Yet to insist on The PM resigning despite winning the no confidence vote 63% against 37% is perfectly reasonable.
The Chancellor may have been spot on when describing them as extremists.
BBC Reporter Insults Rees-Mogg, watch how he responds
On the Leave side of the argument there are a number options, which are still being debated on, which Parliament seem unlikely to reach a consensus on.
On the remain side there was obviously only the one option. Remaining was staying in under the same terms and conditions.
The real options for leaving that have some support are,
The PMs deal.
Norway.
Canada.
No deal.
The logical conclusion therefore would have been that the Remain vote would have been 48%, and the 52% of leave votes would have been split between 4 options.
It follows that Remain would have won by a very wide margin.
MPs across the political divide should attempt to build a Brexit consensus, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said as she warned Britain's departure from the EU is "in danger of getting stuck".
Amber Rudd said it is possible Theresa May will ultimately be unable to persuade enough of her own MPs to back her deal, suggesting it is time to "abandon outrage and accusations" and "try something different".
Ms Rudd said a "practical, sensible and healing approach" was needed for MPs to coalesce around a deal to avert the danger of Britain crashing out of the EU.
It comes as five Cabinet ministers are understood to be considering a second referendum if MPs cannot agree a deal in the next month.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/brexit-news-latest-amber-rudd-urges-mps-across-parties-to-forge-a-consensus-to-avoid-no-deal-as-five-cabinet-ministers-consider-second-referendum/ar-BBQYYOJ?ocid=spartandhp
Church of England bishops have said they are praying for “courage, integrity and clarity for our politicians” after a week of turmoil over Brexit.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the bishops also urged the country to “consider the nature of our public conversation” and called for more “grace and generosity”.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/bishops-pray-for-politicians-integrity-amid-brexit-turmoil/ar-BBQYHUJ?ocid=spartandhp
The irony - it's the behaviour of those who are demanding more, that held back European leaders from giving more.
There was a sense among European leaders that whatever the prime minister had been granted might be immediately torn up and dismissed by Brexiteers.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46574291
Theresa May is trying to "run down the clock" and minimise Parliament's role in Brexit, a former minister has said.
Jo Johnson - who resigned as transport minister over the PM's handling of negotiations - said MPs should be given a vote on her Brexit deal next week.
His comments come as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said it is still possible to get "a version" of Mrs May's Brexit deal approved by Parliament.
Another cabinet minister, Amber Rudd, called for cross-party co-operation.
MPs were due to vote on Mrs May's Brexit deal on Tuesday, but it was postponed when the prime minister admitted it would have been "rejected by a significant margin".
Mr Johnson - who is Boris Johnson's brother but voted Remain in the referendum - said he was concerned by the way Downing Street was treating Parliament.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "No 10 could try to leave that vote until the very last minute.
"Effectively, giving the country, giving Parliament, no choice at all except between her deal... and no deal at all."
He added: "It's simply unacceptable to run out the clock and face the country with the prospect of being timed-out."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46577359
The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa, they will need to apply for and buy another document.
It is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) and although not launched yet, is expected to come into force in 2021.
The travel requirement is not just for the UK but for many non-EU countries.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46564884
If you travel to many countries you will have to pay a fee.
One of the benefits of EU membership is that this has not applied to travel to Europe.
Only a Brit could think that after WE have decided to cancel OUR membership that we shouldn't lose the benefits of membership.
A more important loss will be the EHIC card. This will definitely result in a substantial increase in holiday insurance premiums.
If you had decided not to renew your golf club membership, it would be really silly to moan about having to pay for every subsequent round of golf that you decided to play.
None of our politicians actually thought about the implications of leaving, and how difficult it would prove to be.
This Government naively ruled out many options that have left them with no solutions.
They have insisted on benefits but wont entertain the obligations.
Many people just repeat things they have heard down the pub, not necessarily knowing what they mean, whether they are true, or how they would benefit when we leave.
For instance the how do you think the non elected officials of the EU are currently comparing with our elected politicians that have created this mess?
How will taking back Sovereignty actually benefit you, in your life going forward?
When Nick Clegg was debating with Nigel Farage, he stated that only 7% of our Primary Legislation comes from Europe. So the fact is we already had control of 93% of our laws.
As members we had some input, and helped to shape The EU, as non members we will have no say, but still have to accept the rules.
There are many reasons why leave voters voted for Brexit, some were justified, but many weren't. Some people blamed The EU for stuff they should have been blaming our Government for.
I don't think you can group all leave voters into any particular category. You have to assume that they voted in the hope of making things better, when the subsequent evidence is pointing in the opposite direction.
I think that what we need is a leader that is able to see the choices that have to be made, and actually make one.
People are talking about a deal, when we are nowhere near one. We haven't even started talking about a deal yet.
What we currently have is a Withdrawal Agreement, and The Tories cant agree on that. This agreement only concerns, how much money we owe them, EU citizens rights as well as the rights of Brits living in Europe, and the Irish border.
Any Withdrawal agreement needs a Backstop. Half The Tories, and The DUP wont wear a Backstop so it cant get through Parliament. If we cant agree on withdrawal, there will be no deal.
We will be negotiating a deal for years to come.
Theresa May and her red lines ruled out all solutions to some of the problems on day one, and painted herself into a corner.
The biggest problem is that all the participants have their own red lines. We knew what red lines The EU had before we left. We now have to contend with red lines that wont be crossed by Theresa May, Cabinet Members, The DUP, The ERG, moderate Brexiteers, and Remainers. They all have different red lines, and are unprepared to cross them.
An agreement currently looks impossible.
Cameron never thought he could lose.
Jaguar Land Rover is planning to announce thousands of job cuts in the new year as part of a £2.5bn savings plan to ward off the threat from Brexit, falling sales in China and a drop in demand for diesel cars.
Britain’s biggest carmaker employs 40,000 in the UK and has already cut 1,000 temporary contract workers at its plant in Solihull, which builds Range Rovers and the Land Rover Discovery SUV. It has also reduced working hours for some workers, including at its Wolverhampton factory in the run-up to Christmas.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/jaguar-land-rover-to-axe-up-to-5000-jobs/ar-BBR1Jzm?ocid=spartandhp
Tony Blair has hit back at Theresa May after she accused him of “undermining” the UK in Brexit talks and “insulting” the office of prime minister.
As the highly unusual war of words between the sitting prime minister and one of her predecessors intensified, Mr Blair called Ms May “irresponsible” for trying to “steamroller” her Brexit deal through Parliament.
Responding to her criticism of him, the former prime minister insisted it was “not irresponsible or insulting” for him to campaign for a fresh Brexit referendum and denied he had undermined her during negotiations with the EU.
Mr Blair has been a vocal advocate of the public being given a Final Say vote on Brexit and on Friday called on the EU to prepare to extend Article 50 in order to allow more time for further negotiations or another referendum.
That prompted Ms May to launch a blistering attack on him.
In a statement, she claimed there were "too many people who want to subvert the process for their own political interests rather than acting in the national interest”.
“For Tony Blair to go to Brussels and seek to undermine our negotiations by advocating for a second referendum is an insult to the office he once held and the people he once served,” she said.
Responding to Ms May with a statement of his own, Mr Blair said it was clear that “neither the British people nor their Parliament will unite behind the prime minister's deal”.
He continued: “In these circumstances it is not irresponsible or insulting to put forward an alternative way to achieve resolution. The sensible thing is now to allow Parliament to vote on each of the forms of Brexit canvassed including the prime minister’s deal.
“If they can’t reach agreement then the logical thing is to go back to the people. To describe such a course as an insult is a strange description of what would be the opportunity for them to instruct Parliament as to how to proceed. Far from being anti democratic it would be the opposite, as indeed many senior figures in her party from past and present have been saying.”
In a clear attack on Ms May, he continued: “What is irresponsible however is to try to steamroller MPs into accepting a deal they genuinely think is a bad one with the threat that if they do not fall into line, the Government will have the country crash out without a deal.
And suggesting the prime minister was not acting in the national interest, he added: “I have always said, and did again in my speech on Friday in London, that I personally sympathise with the PM’s heavy burden in doing her job.
"I do not disrespect her at all. I understand her frustration. But I profoundly believe that the course she is pursuing will not work and is emphatically not in the national interest. And that’s the reason I am speaking out and shall continue to do so.”
Mr Blair is one of three of the four living prime ministers to back a fresh referendum, with Gordon Brown and Mr Major also supporting the calls. Only David Cameron has not done so.
Ms May is under mounting pressure to let the public decide the terms of Brexit in order to break the deadlock in Parliament.
Reports suggest David Lidington, her deputy, held talks with Labour MPs last week with a view to building a cross-party consensus on the issue.
Trade Secretary Liam Fox has said that if Theresa May's Brexit deal is not passed by MPs, then Parliament might have to decide what to do next.
The senior Brexiteer said that the Prime Minister's deal was unlikely to pass through the Commons unless the backstop issue is resolved, but he said that one option could be a "free vote" for MPs
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/brexit-news-decision-pm-apos-114449913.html