Sometimes opposites attract: UK PM May on working with Trump
When asked how she plans to work with US President Donald Trump, UK PM Theresa May on Thursday said, "Sometimes opposites attract." "We both share a desire to ensure that governments are working for everyone," she added. PM May is currently in the United States where she is expected to become the first foreign leader to meet President Trump. 


5.39pm GMT
17:39

Theresa May?s plane has just landed in the US. And reporters have been tweeting some of the comments she made in a briefing on the plane.These are from BuzzFeed?s Jim Waterson.Just landed in Philadelphia with Theresa May. En-route she talked to journalists about her and Trump, so here's a flavour....Theresa May asked how she can form a strong relationship with Donald Trump: "Haven't you ever noticed - sometimes opposites attract."Theresa May on Trump's torture comments: "We condemn torture and my view on that won't change whether I'm talking to you or the President."Theresa May on similarities between her and Trump's politics: "We both share a desire to ensure that governments are working for everyone."

5.12pm GMT
17:12

The fact that Donald Trump and Theresa May are holding a joint press conference is something of a surprise. Earlier this week Number 10 sources were playing down the prospect of such an event happening.Prime ministers and presidents often hold press conferences when they meet, but not always. Theresa May herself is not very keen on opening herself up to questioning in this way. And Trump himself thinks that journalists are ?among the most dishonest human beings on the earth.?

4.52pm GMT
16:52

Donald Trump and Theresa May are going to hold a joint press conference tomorrow, the White House has said.White House says President Trump will hold a news conference with Theresa May tomorrowUpdated
at 5.06pm GMT


4.48pm GMT
16:48

Spencer Livermore, the Labour peer and the party?s 2015 general election campaign director, is using Twitter to suggest that Labour should oppose the article 50 bill.This narrow bill disguises the breadth of May's objective: she wants a mandate for hard-right Tory policies, which Labour should deny her. pic.twitter.com/NngdHkYFRo

4.45pm GMT
16:45

The Labour MP Stephen Doughty says he won?t vote for the article 50 bill.Given lack of Gov assurances, attempts to curtail debate + most importantly views of constituents, can't vote for Art 50 Bill or timetable.

4.41pm GMT
16:41

The BBC?s Norman Smith thinks Jeremy Corbyn is managing to contain the threatened rebellion over article 50.Distinct sound of wannabe Labour rebels falling into line behind @jeremycorbyn and backing the Brexit bill

4.36pm GMT
16:36

Clive Lewis has shifted his stance on article 50 quite considerably over the last seven days. A week ago he told his local paper, the Eastern Daily Press, that he could not vote for an article 50 bill on the basis of the government?s current plans. He told the paper:It is safe to say that I am deeply concerned at the direction that Theresa May and the Conservative government is taking these negotiations, and the developments that are taking place. I am very mindful of what the majority of constituents in Norwich South voted for, which is remain. I don?t think what is currently on the table, given the irreversibility of article 50, means that signing article 50 under these conditions is in the best interests of people in Norwich or the country. However it is the job of the opposition to see what we can get between now and March 31 in terms of assurances and guarantees and I think that will be critical to many people when they come to make their decision on this vote.Within the last week the government has announced it will publish a white paper about its plans. But, in other respects, it has not altered its Brexit plans.

4.32pm GMT
16:32

Anushka AsthanaClive Lewis, the shadow business secretary, has now announced that he will vote for the article 50 bill at second reading. That was not obvious to those who heard him at today?s shadow cabinet, according to an account given to the Guardian. (See 12.40pm.) Lewis said:I have been clear throughout that I respect the result of the referendum and will, therefore, join my colleagues in voting for the bill on its second reading. However, Theresa May does not have a mandate to dictate the terms of Brexit without listening to the British people. The whole country should be involved in determining our shared future, which is why Labour has fought for the British people to have a say, through parliament.Labour will seek to amend the bill to prevent the government using Brexit to trash our rights, public services, jobs and living standards while cutting taxes for the wealthiest.

4.27pm GMT
16:27

As Jeremy Corbyn acknowledged in his interview earlier, the article 50 vote is difficult for the party because it has MPs representing strongly pro-remain constituencies as well as strongly pro-leave constituencies. Here is a chart showing the 10 most pro-remain Labour constituencies, with the pro-remain majority (in yellow)The figures are taken from a chart produced by the academic Chris Hanretty who has used demographic data to convert the referendum results, which were counted on a local authority basis, into a table showing the results by parliamentary constituency. This chart, from one of Hanretty?s blogs, shows the proportion of seats held by all the main parties voting leave and voting remain.And these figures show the proportion of MPs representing seats that definitely or probably voted leave.Conservatives: 77% Labour: 70% Plaid Cymru: 67%Lib Dems: 37% SNP: 0%Updated
at 5.53pm GMT


4.11pm GMT
16:11

An earlier post said that Chris Skidmore, a Cabinet Office minister, had answered a particular question at Brexit questions. That was because the BBC Parliament channel caption said it was Skidmore. But in fact it was Robin Walker, a Brexit minister. I?m sorry about that. I?ve corrected the earlier post. (See 9.56am.) Skidmore and Walker look quite similar.