We’re closing down this live blog now but you can read our main story here:
Here’s a summary of the day’s events:
- The prime minister met Conservative backbenchers and MPs sought to project an image of unity after a lengthy period of infighting. Theresa May was told that one critical MP had withdrawn his support for a leadership contest. But she was warned many more had not.
- Theresa May has told MPs that dozens of documents spelling out the actions needed to prepare for a no deal Brexit will be published this summer. Giving evidence to the Commons liaison committee, she said:
- May admitted that some aspects of her facilitated customs arrangement plan might not be ready by the end of 2020, when the transition period is due to end. (See 3.55pm.)
The Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has said his government will have to “change gear” in how it deals with Brexit.
The nation’s cabinet has been discussing ways to step up preparations for a hard Brexit on Wednesday. Its government is also planning to hire 1,000 custom officers and veterinary inspectors at its ports and airports.
Varadkar said that, with Brexit eight months away, growing uncertainty loomed over whether it would be possible to get a withdrawal agreement through Westminster.
In a dramatic intervention, the Conservative MP, Simon Clarke, stood up and declared he was withdrawing his letter of no confidence in the prime minister and said others should give her their backing.
Afterwards, Clarke told reporters he had put in his letter last Tuesday following the resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis as foreign and Brexit secretaries, respectively. But Clarke said he had since had second thoughts.
May had stressed the risks of an election and a Labour administration, he said, adding:
One MP said the scene was “electric” when Clarke withdrew his letter, saying they had “never seen anything like that in all my years at the 22”. Clarke said the prime minister was impassive as he did so.
Another MP said May had “done enough”.
Steve Baker, who resigned as a Brexit minister last week over the prime minister’s Chequers deal, has a further warning for Theresa May. He suggested the number of his Tory colleagues willing to vote down any deal that is “too soft” is substantially more than 40. The number required to trigger a leadership challenge is 48.
A number of 40 has been bandied around in this House in the last few days – I’m sorry to say, it gives me no pleasure to say it, but the thing I have to say is ‘and the rest’.
The people who have said the number 40 are not out by a fraction when they come to consider the number of members who don’t like this deal on these benches and are willing to vote in line with that dislike, they are out by…
