Yesterday evening, the House of Commons considered a wide variety of options as a way forward, with the results demonstrating that there is no majority for any of the items put forward by various colleagues.
I did not think that this type of indicative voting would yield any results and voted against both the process and the series of amendments that were chosen by the Speaker.
For my part, I believe most people in the country are tired and bemused by all these Parliamentary procedures and they would just like this to be completed.
I have voted consistently for the Withdrawal Agreement and I am still of the opinion that to approve this deal is the best way to secure a quick and orderly exit from the EU. This would give people a firm base on which business and industry can progress their planning.
In just under two months we could deliver on the commitment to honour the result of the Referendum and be out of the European Union – if Parliament comes together and backs the deal we will now leave the EU on 22 May.
Currently this remains the only way to guarantee no further extensions, no participation in European elections and no threat to Brexit. And I remind you that all the MPs of the two major parties stood on manifesto commitments to deliver Brexit and I was re-elected on that manifesto too, so feel honour-bound to try to deliver that result.
At the time of writing we await any new information as to what the Government will propose next but on Monday the indicative vote process is currently timetabled to return to the floor of the House.
As Vice Chair of the 1922 Committee I was at the meeting with the Prime Minister and she has agreed to stand down once she has delivered the Withdrawal Agreement on Brexit and fulfilled her commitment to the country. It is not her intention to lead the next round of negotiations which would commence after the initial agreement is signed. I want to pay tribute to her dignity and steadfastness in putting her country before her own personal career, and having served in Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet alongside her, know that we are losing an honest, decent and dedicated public servant. She deserves our respect for taking on the leadership of our country and my party at one of the most difficult times in our history.
Please continue to consult this website for further updates.