Theresa May cabinet says no-deal planning now government's 'operational priority'

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Defence Secretary tells MPs 3,500 troops are on standby to help in event of no-deal Brexit

Theresa May’s cabinet has agreed to make planning for a no-deal Brexit the government’s “operational priority” after a lengthy meeting in which ministers clashed over what the next move should be.

A £2bn war chest set aside by Philip Hammond, the chancellor, will be spent on preparing the country to crash out of the EU, while businesses and citizens will also be instructed to make the necessary plans.

However, No 10 insisted the government’s “top priority” was securing support for Ms May‘s Brexit deal.

The prime minister's spokesperson said: "Cabinet agreed that with just over three months until we exit from the European Union we have now reached the point where we need to ramp up these preparations.

"Cabinet also agreed to recommend businesses now also ensure they are similarly prepared, enacting their own no-deal plans as they judge necessary.

"Citizens should also prepare in line with the technical notices issued in the summer and in line with further more detailed advice that will now be issued over coming weeks."

But during the cabinet meeting, Remain-backing ministers including Mr Hammond, work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd and justice secretary David Gauke highlighted the risks of a no-deal outcome and said claims it could be a success were a "unicorn" that needed to be "slayed".

Elsewhere, defence secretary Gavin Williamson said 3,500 troops were on standby to help handle the fallout of Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal.

As it happened...

Key Points

• Cabinet agrees to significantly ramp up no-deal Brexit preparations
• Theresa May challenges Jeremy Corbyn to force vote of no confidence in government
• Dutch PM says Britain has 'dropped the vase' and is 'in chaos'

[18 December 2018 08:36 · Benjamin Kentish]

Welcome to today's live coverage from Westminster as Theresa May faces a Commons vote of no confidence in her leadership.

[18 December 2018 08:50 · Benjamin Kentish]

There is no motion of no confidence in Theresa May on today's Commons order paper, meaning, as expected, the government appears to have decided not to allow time for it to be debated.

Labour vowed to table a full no-confidence vote in the government if ministers refused to let the vote on Ms May's leadership go ahead. We wait to see if it will follow through with that threat, but Downing Street appears to be calling Labour's bluff. With the DUP and Tory Brexiteers saying they will not vote with Labour, No 10 is confident it will be able to see off whatever motion is tabled. 

[18 December 2018 09:14 · Benjamin Kentish]

50 business leaders have called on Theresa May to give the public a Final Say referendum on Brexit

[18 December 2018 09:29 · Benjamin Kentish]

Jeremy Corbyn was accused of 'bottling it' after declining to table a vote of no confidence in the government

[18 December 2018 09:51 · Benjamin Kentish]

Downing Street has confirmed that it will not allow time for Labour's motion of no confidence in Theresa May to be debated, calling it a "stunt".

Instead, No 10 is facing down Jeremy Corbyn and challenging him to table a full no-confidence motion under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.

A Downing Street source said:

"We won't allow time for what is a stunt.

"The FTPA applies if Labour wants to put down a motion under the terms of that."

[18 December 2018 10:11 · Benjamin Kentish]

There will be a three-hour debate in the Commons later today on the EU Withdrawal Agreement, after John Bercow granted permission for an emergency debate.

[18 December 2018 10:36 · Benjamin Kentish]

James Brokenshire, the shadow housing secretary, has insisted the government is committed to reducing net migration to the "tens of thousands", despite reports that the target will be excluded from the Home Office's new immigration plan.

Mr Brokenshire refused to say that the figure would be included in the document but told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 

"We are committed to seeing net migration reduced to those sustainable numbers that we saw back before 1998, when it was less than 100,000.

"It's the long-term intent. We have focused on that number because that is what is sustainable in the long term."

[18 December 2018 10:49 · Benjamin Kentish]

All the talk today is about motions of no confidence - but what does it all mean? My colleague Lizzy Buchan explains...

[18 December 2018 11:09 · Benjamin Kentish]

Today's Cabinet meeting is said to be over-running by an hour as ministers debate whether to step up preparations for a no-deal Brexit.

We know the Cabinet is divided over what should happen if, as expected, Ms May's deal is voted down, and it seems everyone is having their say...

[18 December 2018 11:29 · Benjamin Kentish]

Netherlands prime minister Mark Rutte has claimed Britain has "dropped the vase" and is "in chaos".

Rutte is seen as one of Theresa May's closest European allies, but in a letter to Dutch voters, he said:

"We have seen examples of societies where they dropped the vase.

"Look at Great Britain. The politicians and residents have forgotten what they achieved together. Now they are in chaos."