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		</div><p><b>Update 8.40am:</b> Theresa May is holding a marathon Cabinet session to try and break the Brexit deadlock, as EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said a no-deal withdrawal was becoming more likely by the day.</p>
<p>The British Prime Minister is gathering her top team for crisis talks in Downing Street after MPs again failed to find a majority for a series of alternatives to her Brexit deal.</p>
<p>A call for a customs union with the EU was rejected by just three votes, while a demand for a second referendum was defeated by 12 and a Norway-style deal put forward by Nick Boles by 21.</p>
<p>Mr Barnier said the UK now had two options, quit the EU without a deal, or seek an extension to Article 50.</p>
<p>Speaking in Brussels, Mr Barnier said: “If the UK Parliament does not vote in favour of the Withdrawal Agreement in the coming days only two options would remain.</p>
<p>“Leaving without an agreement or requesting a longer extension of the Article 50 period.”</p>
<p>He added: “No deal was never our desired or intended scenario.</p>
<p>“But the EU is now prepared.”</p>
<p>He said no deal “becomes day after day more likely”.</p>
<p>Mr Barnier said: “The UK may ask for another extension. Such an extension would carry significant risks for the EU.</p>
<p>“Therefore a strong justification would be needed.</p>
<p>“We have always said that we can accept a customs union, or relationship along the style of the Norway model.</p>
<p>“In fact, however, the Political Declaration today can accommodate all of these options already.</p>
<p>“It leaves the door open for a variety of outcomes.</p>
<p>“But if the UK so wishes we are ready to rework the Political Declaration.”</p>
<h2>Earlier: UK Cabinet meets to consider next steps after British MPs reject Brexit deal alternatives</h2>
<p><b>Update 7.20am:</b> Theresa May will seek to break the Brexit deadlock as she gathers her Cabinet for a marathon session of crisis talks in Downing Street.</p>
<p>The British Prime Minister and her senior ministers will take stock after MPs again failed to find a majority for a series of alternatives to her Brexit deal.</p>
<p>A call for a customs union with the EU was rejected by just three votes, while a demand for a second referendum was defeated by 12 and a Norway-style deal put forward by Nick Boles by 21.</p>
<p>To cap a dramatic day in the Commons, Mr Boles immediately declared that he would no longer sit as a Conservative MP, blaming the party for refusing to compromise on a means of leaving the European Union.</p>
<p>Cabinet will meet today for five hours to thrash out a way forward.</p>
<p>The first three hours will be without civil servants, fuelling speculation the senior Tories could use the time to consider a snap election, the timing of the UK Prime Minister’s exit from office or to air the bitter grievances between the Leave and Remain wings of the ministerial team.</p>
<p>The failure of any option to gain a majority in the Commons left the UK no clearer about its direction with the prospect of a no-deal Brexit on April 12.</p>
<p>Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told MPs that if they wanted to secure a further delay from the European Union, the Government must be able to put forward a “credible proposition” as to what it would do.</p>
<p>But he held out the prospect of leaving with a deal next month – as long as MPs back one.</p>
<p>He said: “If the House were to agree a deal this week, it may still be possible to avoid holding European Parliamentary elections.”</p>
<blockquote><p>Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock pleaded with MPs to back the Prime Minister’s deal “and deliver Brexit”.</p></blockquote>
<p>But European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said the votes meant “a hard Brexit becomes nearly inevitable”.</p>
<p>He suggested that Wednesday, when MPs may have a third attempt at reaching a majority, was the “last chance to break the deadlock or face the abyss”.</p>
<p><a href="https://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FFF433A1-BDC3-405B-B4A8-679AD269A338.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-129293" src="https://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/FFF433A1-BDC3-405B-B4A8-679AD269A338.jpeg" alt="" width="1099" height="1238" /></a></p>
<p>After a debate disrupted by semi-naked climate change protesters in the public gallery, “indicative votes” were again held in an attempt to establish what outcome might have majority support among MPs following a similar process last week.</p>
<p>Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was “disappointing” that no Brexit solution secured a majority, but the margin on the customs union motion was “very narrow indeed” compared with three “overwhelming” defeats for the Prime Minister’s Withdrawal Agreement.</p>
<p><a href="https://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/DA43B052-48A6-426D-AB8F-1D583026248D.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-129292" src="https://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/DA43B052-48A6-426D-AB8F-1D583026248D.jpeg" alt="" width="1086" height="455" /></a></p>
<p>MPs have control of proceedings in the Commons for a third time on Wednesday, but Speaker John Bercow said it was not yet clear what debates and votes will be staged.</p>
<p>The mastermind of the plan, Conservative former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, is expected to set out his proposals on Tuesday.</p>
<p>Tory Brexit hardliners pressed the Prime Minister to now take a tougher line with Brussels.</p>
<p>Tory MP and European Research Group (ERG) vice-chairman Mark Francois said: “This evening, an attempted coup took place in the House of Commons, involving leading members of the Cabinet and backbenchers to prevent Brexit. The coup failed.”</p>
<p>Former Brexit minister and senior ERG figure Steve Baker said Mrs May should seek changes to the Withdrawal Agreement – something the EU has repeatedly ruled out.</p>
<p>“If the EU won’t move then it will be necessary to move out of the EU with no Withdrawal Agreement,” he told the BBC.</p>
<p>Analysis of yesterday’s votes showed some 25 Labour MPs rebelled against their party whip to vote against the Boles plan, tabled under the banner Common Market 2.0.</p>
<p>Just 33 Conservatives backed the scheme, which would keep the UK in the single market with a “comprehensive customs arrangement” with the EU after Brexit.</p>
<p>The Conservative Party has shown itself to be incapable of compromise</p>
<p>Announcing his decision to quit the Tory benches, Mr Boles said he would now sit as an independent progressive conservative.</p>
<p>“The Conservative Party has shown itself to be incapable of compromise,” he said.</p>
<p>Fifteen Conservative MPs and 203 from Labour – including Mr Corbyn – were among the 280 who voted in favour of a confirmatory referendum for any Brexit deal agreed in the Commons, but they were outnumbered by the 292 voting against, who included 24 Labour MPs.</p>
<p>Ken Clarke’s customs union plan won 273 votes, including 37 Conservatives. The 276 votes against included the vast majority of Tory MPs and 10 from Labour.</p>
<p>SNP MP Joanna Cherry’s proposal to give MPs the power to block a no-deal Brexit by voting to revoke Article 50 was rejected by a margin of 101 votes.</p>
<p>Conservatives had been given a free vote, but Cabinet ministers abstained.</p>
<p>Despite seeing her deal defeated for a third time last week, the Prime Minister is determined to bring it back to the Commons again in a final roll of the dice before the EU deadline of April 12.</p>
<p>But the Democratic Unionist Party reconfirmed its opposition and Conservative backbencher Richard Drax apologised in Parliament for “making the wrong call” when he switched to back Mrs May on Friday.</p>
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