TABLED AMENDMENTS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

PM Theresa May will return to the Commons on 29 January to set out the next steps in the Brexit process. However, the opposition and backbench MPs have been tabling amendments to her motion in a bid to force the government to change direction. None of these amendments, if successful, would be binding on the government, although support for any of them would put political pressure on Theresa May to follow their direction. However, if Amendment 3  was successful, and MPs  were to approve it, it would become law and so place an obligation on the government

Amendment 1

Instructs the government to rule out a "disastrous No Deal" scenario (this option is supported by some Brexiteers but many MPs fear it will cause chaos at ports and disruption for businesses) and allow Parliament to consider - and vote on - options including:

• An alternative Brexit deal involving  plan for a customs union with Brussels and a version of the EU's single market.
• Legislating to hold a public vote on either a deal or a proposition that has MPs' support.

Amendment 2

Instructs the government to take steps to rule out 'No Deal' and 'prepare for a People's Vote in which the public will have the option to remain in the European Union on the ballot paper'.

Amendment 3

Attempts to rule out the UK leaving the EU without a formal deal by allowing parliamentary time to pass a new law.

The bill to bring in the new law would require Theresa May to seek to postpone Brexit day (currently 29 March) until 31 December, if MPs do not approve her deal by 26 February.

The prime minister would do this by asking the EU to agree to extend the two-year limit on Article 50 - the mechanism paving the way for the UK to leave the EU.

Amendment 4

Forces the government to make time for MPs to discuss a range of alternatives to the prime minister's Brexit plan on six full days in the Commons before 26 March. MPs would be able to table amendments to be voted on at the end of the debate, which could include alternative Brexit options such as Labour's plan, a second referendum, no deal and the Norway-style relationship preferred by some MPs.

Amendment 5

Requires the government to ask the EU to postpone Brexit day for an unspecified period and give the public more say in the Brexit process through a 250-member 'Citizens' Assembly".

This would:

• comprise a 'representative sample of the population' to make recommendations on the Brexit process after 10 weeks of consideration.
• be supported by an 'expert advisory group'.
• require the government to respond within two weeks.

Amendment 6

Calls on the government to hold a series of 'indicative votes', allowing MPs to signal whether they might support the following options:

• To vote again on Theresa May's deal in its current form, which sets out the terms of the UK's withdrawal - including a 'transition period' aimed at minimising disruption - and outlines future relations with the EU.
• To leave with a 'no-deal' exit', without any such agreements and no transition period.

To request the government tries to renegotiate the deal by seeking to either change the Irish 'backstop' arrangement, pursue a "Canada-style' deal or aim to join the EEA and remain in the EU's customs union.

• Hold a referendum to allow British people to decide on the kind of Brexit deal they want

Amendment 7

Calls for time to be set aside for a series of votes - but with a greater range of choices - to 'act as a powerful guide to the government'.

It would allow MPs to indicate whether they would support options including:

• Reforming the Northern Ireland 'backstop'.
• Leaving the EU without a deal.
• Delaying the UK's exit from the EU.
• Forging a Canada-style future relationship with the EU.
• Developing a Norway-style future relationship with the bloc.
• Holding a new referendum.
• Entering a customs union with the EU.

Amendment 8

Requires the government to ask the EU to postpone Brexit day (without specifying for how long).

Amendment 9

Attempts to prevent a 'No Deal' Brexit by adding to the PM's motion that Parliament "rejects the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement and a 'Framework for the Future Relationship'.

Amendment 10

Attempts to win round moderate opponents of the arrangement to avoid the return of customs checks at the Irish border by adding to the PM's motion that Parliament 'insists on an expiry date to the backstop'. However, when previously suggested, this option was strongly opposed by the Irish government. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the EU would never agree to it.

Amendment 11

Takes a different approach to trying to avoid the possibility of the UK becoming tied to EU customs rules in the long term.

1. Seeks to avoid any arrangement at the Irish border that would tie any part of the UK to EU customs rules until a formal trade deal was in place. It adds to the PM's motion that Parliament 'will not approve a Withdrawal Agreement which includes a 'Northern Ireland backstop'.
2. Aims to limit any backstop agreed as part of a withdrawal deal to six months.
3. Calls for the UK to have the right to exit any such backstop without the EU's agreement

Amendment 12

Creates a cross-party committee to take charge of the Brexit process.

It would have power to decide when parliamentary time should be made available for Brexit debates and legislation, including on a fresh referendum with Remain on the ballot paper, to appoint special advisers, and to travel within the UK and to Brussels.