Brexit: Here's what's happening this week
Will MPs force Theresa May to negotiate a customs union? Will the PM put her Brexit deal to a fourth vote? Here's what to expect.
Tuesday 2 April 2019 01:28, UK
There's another complicated week ahead after the prime minister's Brexit deal was defeated for a third time last week. So what's in store?
:: Tuesday
Theresa May is to hold a bumper five-hour cabinet meeting. Ministers will attend political cabinet from 9-12pm, have an hour's break and then normal cabinet from 1-3pm.
It has been reported Mrs May will look to put her Brexit deal to a House of Commons vote for a fourth time on Tuesday.
However, a government source says this was very unlikely to happen.
If it were, to get around the Speaker's ruling that the prime minister cannot put the same proposal to the Commons twice, Mrs May could try to put her deal to a run-off vote against the most popular option from the previous day's indicative votes.
Or she could simply put forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which is the legislation needed to put her deal into UK law.
:: Wednesday
Following the results of Monday's indicative votes, MPs will seek to legislate to force the prime minister to negotiate their preferred option with the EU.
This could likely be a customs union with the EU, a proposal which was only defeated by six votes last week.
Mrs May has previously said she cannot commit the government to following any option backed by a majority of MPs, especially if it risks breaching Conservative manifesto commitments from the 2017 general election.
If the prime minister does bow to MPs and opts to negotiate a customs union with the EU, it could prompt further Brexiteer resignations from the cabinet.
But, if she refuses to follow MPs' demand for a customs union because it breaches Tory manifesto commitments, it could force her to push for a fresh general election.
:: Thursday
The House of Commons is supposed to go on its Easter break on 4 April, giving MPs two-and-a-half weeks away from Westminster.
However, the dates of Easter recess have yet to be confirmed, with Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom telling MPs the public would expect them to be "working flat out" amid the Brexit crisis.
:: 10 April
Following the third rejection of Mrs May's deal by MPs, European Council president Donald Tusk arranged an emergency summit of EU leaders for this date.
This could see the bloc grant an even longer delay to Brexit, although this would come with the condition that the UK take part in elections to the European Parliament.
It has also been suggested a further extension to the Article 50 negotiating period could also be made conditional on the UK holding a second EU referendum.
Ahead of the summit, the prime minister will be expected to present Brussels her own proposal for breaking the Brexit deadlock at Westminster.
:: 12 April
This will be the new date of a no-deal Brexit, if the prime minister fails to get her withdrawal agreement passed in the next two weeks and the government does not seek a further extension to Article 50.
:: 2 May
The date of local elections across England and Northern Ireland.
It has been speculated, if a general election is called, it could also be held on this date to coincide with the council ballots.
:: 22 May
This would have been the new date of Brexit had the prime minister seen her deal passed by MPs on 29 March.
It remains to be seen, if Mrs May finally gets her withdrawal agreement approved by MPs, whether the EU will allow the UK to still leave on 22 May.
:: 23 May
The beginning of elections to European Parliament across the EU.
If the UK chases a further, longer extension to the Article 50 negotiating period, then it must once again elect MEPs to the Brussels and Strasbourg legislature.
:: 31 December 2020
The end of the proposed Brexit transition period, at which point it is hoped the UK will move into a yet-to-be-negotiated new trading relationship with the EU.