If Soubry amendment passes, government will avoid difficult vote on its own motion

Theresa May could be spared from defeat on the government’s own motion tonight by defeat in another vote – on Anna Soubry’s amendment.

According to Robert Peston, Oliver Letwin has confirmed that if Soubry’s amendment passes then there will no vote on the government’s motion.

Soubry’s amendment calls on the government to publish the most recent briefing on a no-deal Brexit to the cabinet. The Huffington Post is reporting that Labour will vote with Soubry and the Tory Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) will abstain. This would lead to the amendment passing.

The government would then avoid a vote on its own motion. This motion re-iterates parliament’s support for what parliament voted for on January 29 – that May should renegotiate the Brexit deal and that there should be no no-deal Brexit. The ERG object to ruling out a no-deal Brexit and so are threatening to vote against this motion.

Update 5.07pm: Anna Soubry has pulled her amendment after the government offered to release the briefing without a vote.