Brexit latest

Following the Prime Minister's crushing defeat, there was a no confidence debate on Wednesday initiated by Labour. This was predictably defeated as Tory and DUP MPs all came dutifully into line. "No to Mr Corbyn". The most memorable bit of the debate (I exclude my own five minutes - the maximum allowed) were the concluding speeches. Tom Watson was excellent: measured and intelligently critical - everything his party leader wasn't. Michael Gove was barnstorming: eloquent, funny (including at my expense) and cruelly hard-hitting against Corbyn. Could we have been witnessing the next Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in action?

Last Tuesday night Theresa May lost the vote on her Brexit deal by 432 votes to 202. It's the biggest defeat by a Prime Minister in Commons history.

The next day, Jeremy Corbyn called a no-confidence vote in the Government. It failed.

Now, Theresa May wants MPs to vote on a deal that's barely different to the one we already rejected.

What times we live in. The SODEM team led by Steve have been outside my office with their cries of "Stop Brexit!" for the last two and a half years and earlier this week we came closer to doing that very thing. The vote was the biggest loss by a government ever and you, our members, contributed to that immensely. Each and every time we've asked you to get involved in the Brexit campaign over those last two and a half years you've stepped up to the plate and exceeded expectations. When the history of Brexit is written (if Tim Shipman isn't already writing it!) the Liberal Democrats will be at the heart of it as having led the way from start to finish for a people's vote and that's because of YOU.

There will be no progress until no deal is off the table. We won't vote for this needlessly destructive Brexit. We need a people's vote.

Two companies have been fined a total of £1.5m following the death of a five-year-old girl in a disability lift. Alexys Brown died in hospital after putting her head through a broken screen in the lift at her home in Weymouth on 13 August 2015.

Synergy Housing, her family's landlord, was fined £1m and lift company Orona Ltd was fined £533,000. Both firms pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations by failing to maintain the lift properly.

Domino's Pizza has been told its website and app must be made fully accessible to blind people, after losing a legal case in the US. It follows a complaint from a blind customer who said he first struggled to change toppings and then was unable to complete a pizza's purchase using the company's iPhone app.

A debate has been held in parliament about a chronic pain condition after a petition attracted more than 115,000 signatures.

Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield, organised the debate along with constituent and fibromyalgia campaigner Adrienne Lakin.

She launched the petition calling for more funding and support for sufferers. Mr Perkins said ministers had offered to meet him and campaigners to discuss further action.

As firm believers in fairness and equality, Lib Dem councillors David Kendall and Karen Chilvers have been working to highlight disability issues in recent months.

After taking part in the "Blindfold Challenge" with Guide Dogs for the Blind that gave him a better understanding of the issues facing the visually impaired, David has made progress on moving two new safety schemes forward. It is hoped that tactile paving can be installed at the Crown Street junction and the Moore's Place junction.

Theresa May's Brexit deal just lost in the Commons by 230 votes. This is huge - she's failed to convince her party, failed to convince Parliament and failed in her attempt to scaremonger MPs into backing her. It's the biggest loss in the Commons by a Government - ever.

Brexit is a national embarrassment.

Theresa May's botched Brexit deal goes to the Commons tomorrow night, and its chances are looking slim.

A Lords motion regretting the damage Brexit would do and rejecting no deal has passed by a stonking 169 votes.

Stonking majority of 169 in Lords defeating govt - 321 to 152 - with Opposition motion rejecting Brexit 'no-deal' & saying WA/PD damaging.
Glad to work on this, in conjunction with @RichardNewby3, with @HayteratLords & @LadyBasildon & others across the House

- Sarah Ludford 🔶 #FBPE #FinalSayontheDeal (@SarahLudford) 14 January 2019