Sign up here to receive the daily news briefing in your inbox every morning with exclusive insight from the BrexitCentral team Government sees off all the Lords’ Brexit amendments after two days of voting in the Commons… The Government has faced down a series of crucial Parliamentary challenges to its Brexit position over the last two days, as 15 amendments from the House of Lords were debated. The amendments, which could have undermined Theresa May’s negotiating position, included granting Parliament a “meaningful vote” on Brexit; a proposal designed to force the Government to remain in the Customs Union; and an amendment to prevent the proposed exit day of the 29 March 2019 from being written into law. The Government had refused to back down on the Lords amendments, and was confident of talking round a handful of Tory Remainers who previously threatened to rebel. Even though this was thrown into question when Theresa May suffered her first ministerial resignation over Brexit yesterday, Theresa May managed to get Tory rebels to back her in fighting off all Lords amendments. – Telegraph The Lords must not tie May’s hands by tabling more Brexit amendments – Owen Paterson MP for the Express > Today on BrexitCentral: How MPs voted on the Lords Amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill …as 90 Labour MPs revolt over the Single Market… Attempts to keep the UK in the European Economic Area after Brexit have been defeated in the House of Commons, amid a major Labour revolt over the issue. MPs reversed a move to retain the UK’s EEA links after it leaves the EU next year, which had been backed by the House of Lords, by 327 votes to 126. Jeremy Corbyn urged his MPs to abstain but 75 voted for and 15 against, while six quit their frontbench roles… The government won the EEA vote comfortably after Labour abstained, although three Tory MPs, Ken Clarke, Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve, rebelled themselves and backed the motion. – BBC News Labour suffers mass revolt as 90 MPs defy Corbyn on Brexit – The Times (£) Corbyn suffers rebellion by 90 MPs in latest Brexit vote – FT (£) Jeremy Corbyn hit by revolt as dozens defy whip in Brexit vote – Guardian Corbyn Brexit revolt as 90 of Jezza’s MPs rebel on Commons day of chaos – Metro ‘Disingenuous’ and ‘Insulted’: Labour’s Brexit divisions exposed – Bloomberg Hypocrisy of Chuka and Labour’s EEA rebels – Guido Fawkes > WATCH: Labour’s Caroline Flint v Anna Soubry on the Norway/EEA option …with Corbyn suffering six frontbench resignations over the vote… Six Labour MPs have resigned from frontbench positions in order to vote against their party in an embarrassing setback for Jeremy Corbyn. The resignations came on a day when 90 of his MPs defied his orders in a vote over the EU single market, Mr Corbyn’s biggest backbench revolt since he became leader. One shadow minister and five parliamentary private secretaries quit on Tuesday night in order to defy the whip and either back or reject the proposal to maintain Britain’s membership of the European Economic Area after Brexit. They had been asked to abstain. They are: Laura Smith MP, shadow minister for the Cabinet Office [who voted against remaining in the EEA, and] Ged Killen MP, Ellie Reeves MP, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Anna McMorrin MP and Rosie Duffield MP [who all voted in favour of remaining in the EEA]. – Telegraph (£) Six Labour MPs quit frontbench roles over key Brexit vote – Sky News Six Labour MPs have just resigned from Jeremy Corbyn’s top team over Brexit – Buzzfeed Jeremy Corbyn ‘in bed with Theresa May’ over Brexit, Vince Cable says – Sky News The Labour Party’s shameless ‘Wrexit’ monkeys care nothing for the voters they represent – Rod Liddle for The Sun …while EU officials have privately rejected Labour’s Brexit policy as unworkable ‘cakeism’ Senior European Union figures have rubbished the Labour Party’s Brexit policy of maintaining all the benefits of the single market, while restricting the free movement of people, as unworkable “cakeism” that would not be accepted by the EU. Labour is committed to negotiating a new single market deal with greater flexibility on free movement than that enjoyed by countries such as Norway. However senior EU officials have rejected this, telling Business Insider that the four freedoms associated with single market membership are indivisible. – Business Insider Tory rebels continue discussions with May over ‘meaningful vote’ compromise… Mrs May spent Wednesday trying to agree a deal with the rebels to avoid a fresh mutiny over the so-called “meaningful vote” on Brexit, having put her reputation on the line on Tuesday by telling them she would compromise on the issue. Negotiations came close to breaking point as the rebels, led by the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, publicly expressed fears of betrayal when Downing Street claimed one of their key demands was not up for discussion. But on Wednesday night a deal appeared to be close as Mrs May’s former Europe adviser Sir Oliver Letwin was called in to draft the wording of an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill that Mrs May hopes will pass muster with the mutineers. – Telegraph Theresa May plans Brexit bill amendment after Commons rebellion – FT (£) Theresa May insists Parliament will not get powers to stop ‘no deal’ Brexit – despite concession claims with Tory rebels – The Sun PM risks new fight with Tory Brexit rebels after Downing Street confusion – Sky News What did Theresa May promise the Tory rebels? – James Forsyth for the Spectator Another nail in the coffin for a meaningful Brexit – Andrew Lilico for CapX > WATCH: Jacob Rees-Mogg quizzes Theresa May at PMQs on the ‘meaningful vote’ amendment …as Dominic Grieve caught holding talks ‘with arch enemies of Brexit at EU’s London HQ’ Tory rebel Dominic Grieve was last night caught sneaking into the European Commission’s London headquarters for a private meeting of campaigners intent on blocking Brexit. Among the attendees were Tony Blair’s old spin doctor Alastair Campbell, a host of remain-supporting peers, and representatives from the George Soros’s shadowy anti-Brexit group. Top Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg warned Grieve that he was “supping with the Devil” by meeting with the campaigners. He told the Daily Mail: “Dominic should be careful about the company he keeps if he wishes to maintain his position that this is not about stopping Brexit. He is someone I trust and when he says he is not trying to frustrate Brexit I believe him but the people he is associating with are clear they do want to stop Brexit. If you sup with the devil you should use a long spoon and he is using an egg spoon.” …Commons European scrutiny committee chair Bill Cash blasted: “It’s clear that Mr Grieve is consorting with those people who are all intent on reversing Brexit. It makes his claim that he is trying to be helpful to the Government transparent nonsense.” – The Sun Tory rebel Dominic Grieve insists he’s not out to destroy Brexit. So what was he doing addressing a secretive meeting in the EU’s London HQ of those plotting to reverse it? – Daily Mail ‘Sup with the devil’ Dominic Grieve slammed after holding secretive meeting with Remoaners – Express Tony Blair says Brexit can still be blocked and hits out at Left and Right in bizarre rant – Express Why Dominic Grieve’s push for a ‘meaningful vote’ really would mean stopping Brexit – Nick Timothy for the Telegraph (£) Remainer MPs should be honest and admit they are trying to scupper, not scrutinise, Brexit (video) – Daniel Hannan MEP for ConservativeHome We cannot let the Remainers thwart Brexit – Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for The Times (£) Tory Remainers’ attempt to deny Brexit is betraying Britain’s democratic vote — and would see our Government collapse if successful – The Sun says John Bercow wants to stay on as Speaker for a year ‘to ensure MPs get vote on changing the course of Brexit’ John Bercow is preparing to defy his critics and stay on as Speaker for another year to ensure that MPs get the chance to vote on changing the course of Brexit. The Commons Speaker, who previously vowed to step down this summer, has told friends the government could take advantage of a new and inexperienced Speaker to force a Brexit deal through the Commons. The move will infuriate Brexiteers who have already questioned Mr Bercow’s impartiality after a “Bollocks to Brexit” bumper sticker was spotted on his car and he told students he had voted Remain in the referendum… Mr Bercow is said to be adamant that MPs should have every opportunity to vote on amendments [on the motion to approve the Withdrawal Agreement]. If the Speaker permits amendments it would give pro-EU MPs the chance to force votes on a second referendum or extending Article 50 at a crucial juncture. – The Times (£) Sajid Javid to relax immigration controls to bring in thousands more skilled workers including doctors and nurses Sajid Javid will unveil a major easing of Britain’s immigration system that will enable thousands more highly-skilled migrants to come to the UK in the run-up to Brexit, The Telegraph has learned. Businesses and employers will be able to recruit an extra 8,000 skilled migrants a year from other professions including IT experts, engineers and teachers, effectively increasing the cap by 40 per cent. The Home Secretary is expected to announce on Friday that foreign doctors and nurses from outside the EU will be excluded from the “tier 2” visa cap to ensure the NHS can attract the “brightest and best” while giving business a higher allocation. It will represent Mr Javid’s first major migration policy and indicates that ministers are now prepared to project Britain as a more global country, open to business from beyond the EU after Brexit. – Telegraph UK to loosen immigration rules to allow more skilled workers – Politico Immigration rules to be relaxed for non-EU doctors and nurses – BBC News Sajid Javid to ease visa limits on doctors working in NHS – The Times (£) Time’s up for the EU’s ‘golden visa’ racket – Jenni Russell for The Times (£) Fishermen warn against carve-up of UK waters in Brexit deal Fishermen from across the UK have visited Westminster to warn against a repeat of the “travesty” of 1973 when they claim British waters were carved up to the advantage of foreign fishing interests upon joining the European Economic Community. Barrie Deas, the chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, said the fishing industry might be small but it was “emblematic” of Brexit because leaving the EU represented an opportunity to right 45 years of wrongs… The industry was one of the biggest supporters of Brexit but the sector fears that control of British waters could be turned into a political pawn tacked on to wider free trade negotiations. Deas said the EU had indicated that if the UK wants a free trade agreement (FTA) it would have to allow access to British waters and the continuation of quotas. “But there is no example anywhere in the world of an FTA that gives free access to a natural resource,” he told MPs. – Guardian EU accused of treating UK as ‘hostile state’ and acting like Trump over satellite deal ban for British firms… Ministers accused Brussels last night of treating Britain like a “hostile state” after commission officials moved to freeze British companies out of more than £350 million of contracts for the Galileo satellite system. The officials stepped in to prevent the government vetoing the latest round of contracts at a European Space Agency meeting. It also emerged that the commission had again ruled out British demands for unrestricted access to the satellite navigation system on security grounds at a meeting of EU ambassadors. “This is straight from the Trump playbook,” said a government source. “They are using bogus security concerns to justify protectionist measures.” The source added: “It implies they wish to treat us as a hostile state.” – The Times (£) …as science minister says Britain will be ‘obliged’ to walk away from Galileo without full access Britain has said it will be “obliged” to walk away from Europe’s €10bn Galileo satellite navigation system if its companies are not given “full, fair and open industrial involvement” in the programme. Sam Gyimah, science minister, on Wednesday accused Brussels of putting security relations at risk after “forcing” through a European Space Agency vote on Galileo procurement before negotiations on the framework for post-Brexit co-operation were complete… “Without full, fair and open industrial involvement, Galileo doesn’t offer the UK value for money or meet our defence needs, so we would be obliged to walk away,” [said Mr Gyimah]. – FT (£) Security row over EU Galileo satellite project as Britain is shut out – Guardian Wetherspoons to stop selling European drinks and focus on British and non-EU drinks instead in run-up to Brexit JD Wetherspoon will stop serving champagne and German beer in the run up to Brexit, and will instead focus on drinks from the UK, it announced on Wednesday. The pub chain will replace drinks from EU countries with those from the UK and other non-EU nations, across all 880 pubs from July 9… Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin, an ardent supporter of Brexit, said: “This move helps us to broaden our horizons so that we create an improved offer for the two million customers who visit our pubs each week… The EU’s customs union is a protectionist system which is widely misunderstood. It imposes tariffs on the 93pc of the world that is not in the EU, keeping prices high for UK consumers.” Mr Martin said the products the company are introducing are cheaper than the EU products they are dropping. “We intend to honour existing contracts with EU suppliers, some of which have several years to run. However, we are starting to make the transition to non-EU trade now,” he said. – Telegraph British pub chain to stop selling European booze ahead of Brexit – Politico Wetherspoons to stop selling French champagnes in run-up to Brexit – FT (£) Iain Duncan Smith: If Theresa May does not secure a good Brexit deal by the EU summit — she should just walk away The EU is deeply worried the UK will leave the EU and become a serious trade competitor, thus not only damaging the EU’s trading position but encouraging those in the EU who oppose this centralised, protectionist behemoth. We have reached a critical moment in the Brexit process. Because of the EU’s inflexibility, the Government has been forced to make concessions in the hope of discussing that all-important trade relationship… That is why the UK needs now to change its negotiating stance, once the Brexit bill is passed. – Iain Duncan Smith MP for The Sun Jacob Rees-Mogg: We cannot let the Remainers thwart Brexit Calls for MPs to have a “meaningful vote” on Brexit are nothing to do with parliamentary scrutiny; they are about stopping Brexit. Our constitution already empowers the legislature to provide a check on the government. That is why the prime minister must command a majority in the Commons, and why one who fails to do so must resign… As the government sensibly seeks a compromise to ensure the passage of the withdrawal bill and to bring a degree of unity to the Conservative Party, as was achieved over the customs union amendment, any wording must not challenge the result of the 2016 referendum. That was a clear mandate. Parliamentary scrutiny is a good thing and as we leave the European Union the revivification of our democracy will be a boon. But the real aim of the Hailsham amendment is not greater scrutiny, it is a threat to Brexit. – Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for The Times (£) Nick Timothy: Why Dominic Grieve’s push for a ‘meaningful vote’ really would mean stopping Brexit [T]he “meaningful vote” will be used – whether Mr Grieve desires this or not – to try to stop Brexit. All the MPs who support his amendment opposed Brexit and make no secret of their unhappiness that Britain is leaving the EU. Most avoid saying they want to overturn the referendum, but Vince Cable spoke for many of them on Tuesday when he said, “stopping Brexit is one option we need to consider”. Lord Malloch-Brown, who runs the anti-Brexit group Best for Britain, says: “We must win the meaningful vote… That is likely to trigger a new referendum, or election. We must prevail decisively so reassuring Europe that our return will be permanent.” Other anti-Brexit peers – who have no risk of being voted out of their ermine – are open about their intentions. Lord Bilimoria said the “meaningful vote” could “stop Brexit”. Viscount Hailsham said his amendment was necessary because without it “a decision to remain within the European Union was not an option”. – Nick Timothy for the Telegraph (£) Owen Paterson: The Lords must not tie May’s hands by tabling more Brexit amendments The House of Lords must not pass any such amendments thwarting the will of the elected Commons and that of the British people. They must not be tempted in any way to limit the Prime Minister’s freedom to act as necessary to secure the best possible deal for the United Kingdom, even if that means walking away. All the Lords’ amendments to the Withdrawal Bill were defeated by the elected Commons this week. The Bill now returns to the Lords on Monday giving the Government maximum freedom to negotiate and deliver Brexit. – Owen Paterson MP for the Express The Sun: Tory Remainers’ attempt to deny Brexit is betraying Britain’s democratic vote — and would see our Government collapse if successful Question for Tory Remainers: who would sell their non-Brexit to the public? Do they expect a Prime Minister to go before 17.4million Leavers, and millions more Remain voters who also believe the result should be honoured in full, and announce that it was all just too hard? That for all intents and purposes we will have to stay in the EU’s central institutions because two dozen europhile Tories insisted on it? That Leave may have the biggest democratic mandate the country has ever known but we cannot actually fulfil it? That free movement will need to go on? The PM would have to resign. Her Government would collapse in ignominy. The tide of rage at this global humiliation would destroy the Tories. The EU question would not be settled. It would be reignited with new ferocity. Ukip would be back with a vengeance. That all seems of scant concern to MPs who treat thwarting Brexit as a Westminster parlour game. Stay shackled to a customs union and single market rules? “Let’s just suck it up and move on,” says glib Remoaner Anna Soubry. Get that, Leavers? Anna and her friends will effectively negate your vote. Suck it up. – The Sun says > WATCH: Anna Soubry attacks Labour’s Caroline Flint MP and tells Leavers to “suck it up” Simon Nixon: What price a new government and new prime minister, and a national emergency? A consensus seems to be emerging that Britain is heading for the softest of Brexits. In Westminster and Whitehall, politicians and officials appear convinced that the events of the past week — Theresa May’s proposal of a UK-wide customs arrangement as the backstop solution to the Northern Irish border problem and the government’s apparent agreement to allow parliament some form of meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal — have removed the prospect of a chaotic “no deal” crash out of the European Union. Even Brexiteers appear increasingly gloomy about the prospects for a clear break with the EU, while the markets are taking their cue from the politicians… Mrs May appears locked into a course of action that virtually guarantees a confrontation with the EU starting this summer. Those betting that a hard Brexit is now impossible clearly believe that the UK will be forced to blink first, given its lack of preparedness for a chaotic exit… Yet it is hard to see how Mrs May can execute such a humiliating U-turn with Brexiteers demanding she hold her nerve. – Simon Nixon for The Times (£) Capitulation or chaos? Theresa May is forcing the Brexiters to choose – Rafael Behr for the Guardian Barnier is reneging on EU’s ‘joint report’ agreement with Britain – Owen Polley for Reaction The EU isn’t hindering Brexit, the PM is — it’s time for anyone but Theresa May – Rod Liddle for The Sun Theresa May’s weakness has paralysed her government and emboldened Brussels, which is now more intent than ever on punishing Britain for Brexit – Times leader (£) Comment in brief Liberal democracy is dying as the world converges on authoritarian beigeness – Allister Heath for the Telegraph (£) The Daily Mail will commit editorial suicide if it turns against Brexit – Paul Dacre for the Spectator If there was to be another EU referendum, I’d vote Leave with even more gusto than 2016 – Ruth Dudley Edwards for the Belfast Telegraph A Brexit opportunity knocks for those in the know – Stephen Carter for the Telegraph (£) The last week in Westminster has been an embarrassment – Brian Monteith for City A.M. If Brexit means Remain, I wish I’d never voted for it – Tom Harris for the Telegraph (£) Why I led the SNP walkout in the Commons – Ian Blackford MP for The Times (£) Of course the SNP flounced out of PMQs. Manufactured outrage is their favourite political tool – Brian Monteith for the Telegraph (£) The SNP walk out was about attention, not accountability – Stephen Daisley for the Spectator News in brief SNP stage mass walkout after their leader Ian Blackford is kicked out in the middle of PMQs for staging bizarre protest – The Sun Dutch PM Rutte says Netherlands won’t pay more into EU budget than other rich nations after Brexit as calls for budget to shrink – Politico Austria’s chancellor brings together interior ministers of Germany and Italy to combat illegal migration in Europe in a backlash against Angela Merkel’s open-door approach – The Times (£) Blockchain experiment could cut customs red tape – FT (£) Foie gras imports could be banned after Brexit on ethical grounds – Telegraph Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg defends his firm setting up fund in Ireland ahead of possible ‘hard Brexit’ – Telegraph Brexit will not protect UK from Italian instability, financiers warn – FT (£) Outgoing CBI chief claims Brexit could cause ‘extinction’ of UK car industry – Telegraph Postmen banned from flying the flag during the World Cup – The Times (£)