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What is the meaningful vote amendment and what would it do?

Why do MPs and peers want a meaningful vote?

Tory rebels say Parliament is sovereign and should be given a say if the negotiations fail.

Dominic Grieve tabled his own amendment to the Brexit Bill enshrining this in law last week. But he was convinced to pull it at the eleventh hour after assurances by ministers that they would address his concerns. 

But Mr Grieve and his fellow Tory rebels accused the Government of reneging on the deal by changing the compromise amendment they had agreed - setting the stage for another parliamentary showdown.

What was the compromise amendment put forward by the PM? 

Theresa May agreed to Mr Grieve's demands that MPs and peers are given a vote if no deal is reached by 21 January next year.

But she made a crucial change - saying that the vote in January can only be 'neutral'.

This would stop MPs from telling the Government what to do in the negotiations.

Tory rebels said this means the vote would not be meaningful and vowed to renew their bid to change the Bill.

What is the Hailsham amendment debated on Monday night?

Tory rebels have worked with Tory peer Viscount Hailsham to draw up a new amendment to give Parliament a meaningful vote.

It changes the Government's amendment in one key way -  by deleting the stipulation that it has to be a neutral vote.

This would give parliament the power to add in demands in any Brexit vote next January. 

What happens now?

Now the House of Lords has passed the amendment, it is back in the Commons for debate today.

Tory backbench Remainers - led by Dominic Grieve - are expected to mount a major rebellion.

If they succeed and defeat Theresa May then they will win and the issue will be enshrined in law.

It means that if no deal is reached by late January next year then a minister will have to explain the Government's strategy to Parliament.

MPs can then vote on that statement and, crucially, tell ministers what they think should happen next in the talks.

 

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