Brexit legal advice: Government found in contempt of Parliament – May loses further votes

The Telegraph reports  Ministers have been found in contempt of Parliament by MPs as the Government bowed to pressure and agreed to publish its full Brexit legal advice.

The House of Commons voted by 311 to 293 to demand that the Government immediately publish the advice on the Brexit deal as a damaging constitutional crisis between Parliament and the executive reached its crescendo.

Andrea Leadsom, the Commons Leader, moved swiftly after the vote to tell MPs that the Government would cave in and publish the “final and full” legal advice tomorrow.

Theresa May suffered two defeats over the contempt row and then MPs inflicted a humiliating third as they demanded a greater say over what happens next in the event the PM’s deal is rejected on December 11.

It came as the BBC called off the proposed Brexit TV debate between Mrs May and Jeremy Corbyn after no agreement on the format could be reached with the relevant parties.

Earlier: Government found in contempt of parliament

MPs vote by 311 to 293 to find ministers in contempt of parliament over their failure to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit deal.

It is the first time in history a government has been found in contempt of parliament.

The FT reports  Theresa May’s administration has promised to publish its full Brexit legal advice after becoming the first government in history to be held in contempt by Parliament. In a humiliation for the prime minister, MPs voted by 311 to 293 to order the government to release the legal papers after a lengthy Parliamentary stand-off with ministers. Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary, said the vote was unprecedented and called on the government to publish the information immediately. Andrea Leadsom, leader of the House of Commons, replied that the government would comply by producing the “final and full advice provided by the attorney-general to cabinet” on Wednesday.