Brexit news: Grayling interrogated by MPs over botched no-deal ferry contracts as Labour says it will order MPs to back second referendum

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Chris Grayling says he has no plans to quit over no-deal ferry fiasco

Chris Grayling has been branded a "departmental wrecking ball" by MPs after the government paid Eurotunnel £33m to settle legal action over its botched no-deal Brexit preparations.

The transport secretary dismissed renewed calls for him to quit in the wake of a fiasco over ferry contracts, in a fractious appearance in the Commons on Tuesday afternoon.

The clash came as attorney general Geoffrey Cox and Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay travelled to Brussels to seek concessions to the Irish backstop ahead of a critical vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week.

Meanwhile, shadow chancellor John McDonnell gave fresh hope to supporters of a second referendum when he indicated Labour would whip its MPs to support an amendment on the subject next week.

To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below

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Key Points

• Transport secretary Chris Grayling grilled by MPs over no-deal Brexit ferry fiasco
• Labour to whip MPs to vote for second Brexit referendum amendment
• French president Emmanuel Macron says UK 'retreating into nationalism' with Brexit
• Labour MP accuses Jeremy Corbyn's office of interfering in antisemitism complants
• MP Fiona Onasanya loses appeal against her conviction for perverting the course of justice

[5 March 2019 07:50 · Shehab.Khan]

Welcome to The Independent's coverage of the day's political events. 

[5 March 2019 07:57 · Shehab.Khan]

French president Emmanuel Macron has launched an attack on Brexiteers in a 1,600-word comment piece that has been translated into 22 languages and has been published in newspapers in each of the EU's 28 member countries.

The trap lies not in being part of the European Union; the trap is in the lie and the irresponsibility that can destroy it.

Who told the British people the truth about their post-Brexit future? Who spoke to them about losing access to the EU market? Who mentioned the risks to peace in Ireland of restoring the border? Retreating into nationalism offers nothing; it is rejection without an alternative.

And this is the trap that threatens the whole of Europe: the anger-mongers, backed by fake news, promise anything and everything."

[5 March 2019 08:01 · Shehab.Khan]

A leading QC has warned Eurosceptics to extend article 50 rather than backing Theresa May's "poisonous" Brexit deal, The Independent's deputy political editor Rob Merrick writes.

Martin Howe's comments come ahead of next week's Brexit votes, which could finally determine whether Britain leaves the bloc at the end of the month.

[5 March 2019 08:19 · Lizzy Buchan]

The French president has launched yet another attack on Britain’s departure from the EU, accusing his neighbours across the channel of “retreating into nationalism”.

In an article translated into 24 different languages and printed in various newspapers around the continent, Emmanuel Macron issued a call to arms to EU citizens, urging the start of a “European renaissance”. 

Our Europe correspondent Jon Stone has filed this piece on his intervention.

[5 March 2019 08:33 · Lizzy Buchan]

The row over antisemitism in Labour is continuing to dominate on the domestic front. 

Party grandee Dame Margaret Hodge, who has campaigned against antisemitism, claimed members of Jeremy Corbyn's "inner circle" interfered in assessing allegations of antisemitism.

She accused the Labour leader of misleading her "or himself being misled" about the extent of involvement of those in his office.

"We discussed how the complaints were handled and he gave me absolute, copper-bottomed undertakings that there was no interference in the complaints process by his inner circle, by his top team," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

But she claimed "lots of them" had been involved in decisions and lowering the sanctions applied, adding: "What is so awful about this is that Jeremy always proclaims zero tolerance of antisemitism.

"When it comes to the actual cases, if they are his mates he doesn't demonstrate zero tolerance."

General secretary Jennie Formby addressed the parliamentary Labour party last night, where she faced repeated questions over how the party is handling complaints.

Here's our write-up of last night's events:

[5 March 2019 08:47 · Lizzy Buchan]

Dame Margaret Hodge has tweeted a copy of the letter she has sent to Jeremy Corbyn regarding the handling of complaints of anti-Jewish sentiment.

[5 March 2019 09:05 · Lizzy Buchan]

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt claimed the government was receiving "positive" signals from European capitals about progress in the Brexit talks.

Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay and Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, have travelled to Brussels today in a last-ditch attempt to hammer out a compromise before next week's critical votes.

"I think the signals we are getting are reasonably positive. I don't want to overstate them because I still think there's a lot of work to do, but I think they do understand that we are being sincere," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"I think that they are beginning to realise that we can get a majority in Parliament because they are seeing the signals coming from the people who voted against the deal before who are saying, crucially, that they are prepared to be reasonable about how we get to that position that we can't legally be trapped in the backstop."

Mr Hunt said that although the UK would "find a way to prosper" in a no-deal scenario, it would cause "huge disruption", adding: "I don't think anyone in the Cabinet wants no deal."

[5 March 2019 09:30 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May is considering granting Conservative MPs a free vote on a no-deal Brexit, Jeremy Hunt says, in an apparent bid to avert mass ministerial resignations.

The prime minister faces a walkout if she whips her MPs either for or against crashing out of the EU, in a clash that would follow a defeat in the second “meaningful vote” on her deal.

Here's the piece from his R4 interview this morning:​

[5 March 2019 09:49 · Lizzy Buchan]

Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine has launched a bid to end the so-called 'Pink Tax', where women pay more for basic items such as razors and deodorant - despite the products being almost identical.

Ahead of International Women's Day, she will introduce the Gender-Based pricing (Prohibition) Bill to parliament today.

The Edinburgh West MP said: “It is entirely unacceptable that in 2019 women and girls are still paying more than men for basic products, such as razors and deodorant.  Whilst women are often still being paid less too, women really are being hit by a double whammy.

“Products marketed at women are on average considerably more expensive than those marketed at men. Often the only difference is the colour, yet this unfair price gap will have a significant financial impact on a woman over the course of her life.

“Liberal Democrats demand better. It’s time to get rid of this price gap. My Bill would remove this outdated and sexist tax on women once and for all.”

[5 March 2019 10:03 · Lizzy Buchan]

Tory MP Nick Boles - who has been involved in efforts to prevent a no-deal Brexit - welcomes the suggestion that MPs could be a given a free vote next week.