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LAST UPDATE | 29 Mar 2019
TODAY WAS THE day that the UK was due to leave the EU.
But now it’s not.
They were in the House of Commons to today to vote on Theresa May’s deal a third time.
After being soundly defeated on two occasions already, May lost yet again today.
We brought you all the updates from Westminster and beyond as it happened earlier this afternoon.
So… here we are again.
MPs vote on May’s deal a third time from 2.30pm.
Ironically, it comes on the day the UK was originally due to leave the EU.
So what are MPs voting on today? Essentially they’re voting on half of the prime minister’s Brexit deal.
My colleague Rónán Duffy explains here why today’s vote is a bit different to the previous meaningful votes.
Nevertheless, it’s still last-chance saloon for the Prime Minister.
In a bid to try win over the hardline Brexiteers in her party, May has said she’ll resign once she sees Brexit through if they back her deal.
But even with the likes of Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees Mogg doing a u-turn, she’s still likely to lose today.
The DUP remain opposed to the deal, with Sammy Wilson telling the House of Commons earlier that his party’s position had not changed.
He said May’s agreement “ties the hand of this government” and makes it impossible to “find a way of securing the kind of assurances which are required to make sure the United Kingdom is not broken up”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has the floor now in the House.
He’s savaging Theresa May and her Brexit deal.
He says it’s “bad for democracy” and urges MPs to vote the deal down.
Corbyn adds that May has tried to beg, bully and bribe her way to get her deal through.
The prime minister’s up now.
She says now is the last opportunity to deliver Brexit. She indicates that getting this deal through means that the UK can leave the EU before the end of May.
“If we do not vote for this motion today, people will ask ‘why did you not vote for Brexit?’,” she says.
The deal we have agreed absolutely apply to 48% that voted remain because they recognise the necessary balance between delivering on the results of the referendum in a way that protects jobs, livelihoods…
So, what are the options for Brexit now?
In future, there could be a second referendum on Brexit but the UK would have to first extend Article 50 under option two.
Nothing much new in Theresa May’s sentiments here.
“Today we can give the public and businesses the certainty they need,” she says. “Today we can show we stand by our word. Today we can show we can come together in the national interest.”
Lots and lots jeering ensues.
Speaker John Bercow rebukes those causing noise, says the Prime Minister “must be heard”.
I spoke too soon.
That was a very combative performance from May.
She urged MPs to “put aside self and party” and said “today we can take a step forward together”.
“That is what I have done. I have said I am prepared to leave this job earlier than intended to secure the right outcome for our country,” May says.
“And when the division bell rings in a few moments, every one of us will have to look into our hearts and decide what is best for our constituents and our country.”
And now they’ve gone out to vote, and that’ll take around
While we wait, this is a must watch from BBC last night.
There’s no downplaying how pivotal this vote is.
It’s May’s last chance, really. It could be the UK’s last chance to avoid a no-deal Brexit.
The word is that her deal has lost again – nothing confirmed yet.
But there were two unlikely supporters of May’s deal.
Bear in mind, Rees Mogg previously said the deal would make the UK a “slave state”.
The government needs 318 MPs for a majority.
The Conservative party only has 311, so even if they all voted for it, they’d need more.
The result will come in any second…
May is speaking again now.
“The legal default is the UK is due to leave in 14 days’ time,” she says.
An alternative way forward must be agreed now, she says.
It is almost certain to involve an extension.
“Mr Speaker, I fear we are reaching the limits of the process in this house,” she says.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says the only option now is for May to go and call a general election.
SNP’s Ian Blackford echoes those calls, says May has lost the confidence of the house.
Immediate reaction from Brussels.
European Council president Donald Tusk has said he has called a meeting of leaders on 10 April.
So what now?
May has repeatedly ruled it out, but the UK could leave the EU without a deal on 12 April.
Or, it could seek a long extension to Article 50. This would mean that the UK takes part in European elections in May.
Strong stuff from the opposition.
Green MP Caroline Lucas has said it’s “grotesque” that May cannot see her deal is dead.
The newly-formed Independent Group MP Heidi Allen says: “We must have a people’s vote now.”
Meanwhile, before MPs left the chamber, Nigel Dodds urged Theresa May to look at the Irish backstop. “She knows that that remains a problem.”
“She knows that the EU and Leo Varadkar has said that there will be no hard border… Use the time constructively to get that matter sorted out.”
The European Commission has issued a statement following the House of Commons vote.
“A no-deal scenario on 12 April is now a likely scenario,” it says. “The EU has been preparing for this since December 2017 and is now fully prepared for a no deal scenario at midnight on 12 April.”
Eep.
“I wish this dreadful episode were over,” Dominic Grieve on Sky News, as he advocates for holding a referendum, putting the options to the people.
Grieve says the future of his own Conservative party could be “quite bleak” given recent events.
Here’s a breakdown of how the votes went. There were over 30 Conservatives voting against May’s deal.
A statement is in from DUP MP Nigel Dodds.
He says: “We have encouraged the Government to do, as Dominic Raab has said, to return to Brussels on these issues and not simply to accept the position of the European Union as being unalterable. The Government must use the remaining time to deal with widely held concerns across the House of Commons.
“For our part we will continue to use our position and influence within Parliament and with the Government to strongly argue the case for Northern Ireland and to work through each of the legislative stages in Parliament to eliminate the risk of Northern Ireland and its place within the internal market in the UK.”
He adds that in the coming weeks, the DUP “will continue to play a central role to chart a route that respects the democratic desire to leave the European Union but that does so in a way that strengthens our United Kingdom”.
Some good legal bantz here.
A useful summary here from Virgin Media News political correspondent Gavan Reilly.
More on that.
Here’s what May told the Commons immediately after the vote.
“Mr Speaker, I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House.
“This House has rejected no deal. It has rejected no Brexit. On Wednesday it rejected all the variations of the deal on the table.
“And today it has rejected approving the withdrawal agreement alone and continuing a process on the future.”
What is she left with then? Resigning? An election?
With an emergency meeting of EU leaders set for 10 April, it is clear Europe wants a clear indication from the UK about what it plans to do next well in advance of that.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling, whose birthday is next Monday on April Fool’s Day, has told Sky News said that “there is no scenario that doesn’t require the Withdrawal Agreement. which the House rejected today”.
“This route is one that MPs will come to regret,” he said.
“I think the last thing we need is a general election,” Grayling added.
The Pound has taken a hammering with the deal being rejected yet again.
It’s fallen through $1.30.
Steve Baker, from the ERG, is speaking to Sky News.
He’s one of the hardline Conservative rebels who voted against the deal.
“I will never surrender to this deal, or this backstop,” he says. “The Prime Minister has used up all her political capital,” he adds, saying it’s time she went.
“This deal is not getting through, it’s no good. The backstop means we’ll indefinitely be trapped.”
Think I’m gonna patent the phrase “deal is dead” and stand outside Westminster selling t-shirts with that slogan on it.
That was a strong statement from the European Commission.
It said: “The benefits of the withdrawal agreement, including a transition period, will in no circumstances be replicated in a no-deal scenario. Sectoral mini-deals are not an option.”
The EU are a united front on the way forward anyway.
It’s basically a “we’re ready for whatever happens, get your act together and tell us what you want.”
That’s a wrap from us on the day May’s deal was defeated yet again.
What happens now? No one really knows, but the Brexit saga will continue to lurch this way and that in the coming days and weeks.
We’ll have more analysis of the events today coming up on TheJournal.ie soon.
Thanks for joining us.
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Extend it to 19year olds on condition they remain in school to complete their Leaving Certificate.
Dependant schoolgoers everywhere where parental income is less than €200k? Doesn’t seem at all unfair….
From someone who would have benefited from it (damn December children!), I can appreciate that it has to end sometimes. It would be better to give the option of remaining in receipt of it if below a certain income threshold, or getting tax relief for dependant children in full time education. This should also include 18 year olds in secondary, and those continuing on to college.
Better still give the child benefit to the child at 18 provided they are still in 2nd level school to encourage them to complete and move into 3rd level . If there’s only 7% involved then that’s small shekels . It’s a win win situation and give them a little pocket money which they will spend ploughing it back into the economy and thus helping others. My little one will be eighteen on 28th feb and still has one more year in school and is not considered and there’s many others . Cmon minister cop on and at least extend to any child who is still in 2nd level schools .
My son turned 18 in the oct of his leaving cert year. He is still a dependant and the leaving cert is a very expensive year. You have exam fee, maybe grinds to pay for, cao, college day trips etc. There are little or mo jobd available in small towns so its difficult for them to get even partime work. Child benefit would help ease the pressure. It should be payed until june of when they leave school.
An expensive year alright. And as his parent you certainly shouldn’t have pay for it. The gullible taxpayers of Ireland are more than happy to pick up the bill.
Alan, I pay my taxes to ensure that we have a fair and equal society for all, including children. It’s fair to say that the majority of children in the state are not mine, but I do not begrudge every one the subsistence to ensure they will be fed, housed and educated regardless of their parents.
Alan O Connor will this young man not be a tax payer some day funding your your old age pension and multi hospital visits when your close to kicking the bucket. He seems like a good investment to me and his mother should get all the help she needs to help educate the future….
Any child at school should receive child benefit, well parents should. As a parent of a daughter in college in UK and one in LC and no way of getting any help or grants and the child allowance taken off my daughter last July because she was 18 but still a year left in school, it’s a struggle. If she left school at 17 or 18 she would be getting the dole. But then that’s the way our government work, as they don’t live in the real world.
It probably should increased by a year to 19 but I’m sure if there were 19 year olds sitting the Leaving Cert they were probably only 19 by a few months.
Does that 7% include mature students ?
Are the figures slightly skewed ?
Not really. Most of us started school at 4 and finished when we were 17. Most kids are 5 now when they start school and finish at 18, 19 if they do Transition Year.
I will receive no child benefit for the last year of my sons schooling as he will be 18 the September he begins 6th year
It’s common sense to give it to all children over the age of 18 until completion of the leaving cert but sadly common sense just doesn’t make any sense in this country !
My son sat his leaving cert. last June and child benefit stopped in June when he was 17 and only turned 18 in September, tbh it’s not 18 but the end of the academic year, and to get a job you have to have experience his cb was stopped no notification about this well there are peeps that abuse the system. So many families were affected by this and only receive back pay if u go to college not everyone goes to college.
Well if he wasn’t going to further education he would be doing something to earn a wage (or looking anyway) in which case he isn’t a dependant child anymore. Also saying you had no idea it was coming is a bit disingenuous, you knew he was coming to the end of his school years.
I do think families with dependant kids in full time education should continue to receive it. But some people’s sense of entitlement is baffling.
Sk bit all over the place there. If her son only sat the lc in june how did he know he was going on to full time education? Exam results or college offers dont come out as soon as you leave the exam hall.
Exactly, who is to know whether or not they will go on to full time education? As soon as they walk out the exam hall they are available to work….
To be honest a child is a dependant child at 17 cb stopped in June wen 17. It shud continue until he turns 18 simple as. Yes, he did have a job but had to wait 6 months to start and no company would take anyone on for 6 months. Well I am a carer and its a very limited amount and would of been
Better to contine, obviously you don’t know or understand how expensive LC is.
Yvonne, CB is only given until children are 16 unless they are still in school. When they turn 16, you have to get a form stamped by the school stating when the child is expected to finish. That’s why it stops in the June, because that’s the information provided by the school.
I do know how expensive LC is, that’s why I said all LC students regardless of age should be entitled to the benefit. However, the day after they finish the LC they are free to work. I, and most people I was in school with were out working or looking for work the week after the leaving cert.
Now if they continue on to full time education, they are no longer available to work and families should get the payment in order to support them.
There are plenty of jobs that will take people on for short term work. It sounds like your son wanted to go out and doss around for the summer, but for some reason you expect tax payers to fund him to do this?
NO ! Child benefit needs to be means tested or at least taxable. Outrageous that families earning €75,000 a year getting hand-out from the State… #no shame
I am so sorry I got an education and worked bloody hard to earn the 75k a year just so that I can fund 52% of it for you.
I wouldn’t get out of bed for 75k.
But the whole argument that people who earn 75k deserve child benefit because they work hard is silly…..
Child benefit is a benefit not a reward, plus are you saying people who earn 25k don’t work hard?
Seriously smug there man.
Wasn’t meant to be smug (and I am sorry if it came across that way – next time I need to take a breath before hammering at the old keyboard) and I am not saying that people earning 25k don’t work hard either. Anyway at the end of the day it is all about the children.
It shouldnt be a reward for the prosperous it should be an aid for those less fortunate than yourself. Should the better off get grants to send their kids to college so they can make 75k a year after? Your grand contribution might be less if anyone who brings their kid to school in a land rover didn’t get their petrol money from the aul cb
If they’re over 16 they can get a job. There’s no need to change the rules on this. There are far more deserving causes to give that money to e.g. children with life threatening illnesses who can’t get a medical card!
Or phone calls to Kenya.
The guru your name certainly doesnt give you insight. There ate no jobs for teenagers. Especially im small towns. Nothing as most deserving as supporting our young prople through the education process. As these youngsters are our future!
You saying if they’re over 16 they can get a job is a bit like me saying if they need one they can get a medical card. Narrow minded and ignorant.
Guru,
I am a parent bringing up my child on my own. I work full-time and my wages are the only income coming into the house (no other benefits, supports or maintenance). My child is about to turn 18 this month and will complete the Leaving Cert in 2016 due to undertaking Transition Year.
As a result of the work experience gained during TY my child did secure a part-time job. He was lucky to get the job, even living in the Dublin area these jobs are rare and the jobs that are available usually entail extremely long hours. It became impossible for him to continue with the part-time job hours as he was working the entire weekend, from 9am until late in the evening on Saturday and Sunday. The volume of homework required to do well at LC made it impossible to continue with the job in the long term.
Child Benefit will be stopped in a couple of months time. When the water rates begin he will be 18 and I presume we will be classed as a two adult household (I cannot find clarity on this on the water.ie website).
As a single parent working full-time, I also take care of the house, washing, cooking, cleaning etc., so my working week entails very long hours. I don’t receive any other benefits and we are fully self-supporting. So, please do tell me how the reduction in Child Benefit is fair to a family like mine and how we are not deserving of this payment.
Your “child” can get a job. One can work on weekends and in the evenings and still do the leaving cert. There’s more to life than the Leaving Cert anyway.
Guru is right, anyone over 16 can work.
Why does everyone feel sorry for themselves on these comments section?
A kid can skip transition year. That’s an easy way to do the leaving exam a year earlier.
Child benefit should be means tested just like university fees. Why give benefits to people who don’t need them?
You know any children that would fail a means test?
A few…. Not sure what your point is.
Benefit is NOT paid to children…. Give it to parents who NEED it
Trust me, the means test for Uni does not cover people who ‘need it’. The government’s idea of what people should be able to survive on is disgusting. As someone whose parents struggled beyond belief, along with working every job I could in college, just to get me through and qualified while the government said we should have no problem covering costs, I can tell you that the government hasnt a clue what its on about money wise, and clearly neither do you.
I agree- there should be an income threshold and then a sliding scale so parents on the lowest incomes get the most. They should also stop paying it to people whose children do not reside with them here in R.o.I; this state pays one of the highest rates of CB in Europe and yet it is being claimed for children who live in countries where it costs a fraction to feed, clothe and educate a child of what it costs here! Then they could easily afford to reinstate the ayment to parents with offspring in full-time education up until they reach 22 years of age. They still get it up until 22 in the UK and it is outrageous that they have stopped it here.I will be supporting my son for over a year yet and I am now 2 months without it, trying to manage on 140 Euros a month less than what I was and that was not much so I am getting desperate.He is applying for jobs for the summer but we live in a village,I can’t afford to get him driving lessons, never mind a car and most jobs are given to relatives around here and we do not have much family in the area.I am scared to death really.This is so cruel on behalf of the government but they don’t give a damn about people like us and I can’t beleive the begrudgers! If I earnt 75K a year I would happily give up CB so people WHOSE CHILDREN LIVE HERE and who really needed it could have it for as long as their kids were in full time education AND they could have MORE!
I have twins who were 18 in May the year before they sat their leaving cert. This meant a drop in my monthly income of two amounts of child benefit, plus the extra amount for twins. I have a child 5 years younger than the twins. This caused so much hardship for us. As a single mum, child benefit was an essential part of our income, that really just about kept our heads above water. The ruthlessness of the cut off point at age 18 needs to be addressed. It should be continued until the young person has finished their leaving cert, rather than at 18.
Providing a picture of the Senator would be a more useful indicator of who not to vote for at Election time.
Universal child benefit needs to be stopped. I didn’t ask for it, don’t especially need it but get it anyway.
You can inform the DSP you longer wish to receive it,they’ll happily stop it for you.Somehow I don’t think you will though.
I’ve just checked form CB56 and there is no option to refuse the money without lying to the DSP
You’re wrong, try harder.
You can stop the payment if you genuinely wish to do so.
“Senator for Carlow/Kilkenny, Pat O’Neill”
Just to point out that there are no geographic constituencies for the election of Senators. He was elected by county Councillors nationally and so he is a national politician. Just because he says he is Senator for Carlow/Kilkenny in his press release, doesn’t mean you should copy the line as is.
Why do so many people in Ireland rely on government support? it’s not normal.
have your say