Quotes of the day

Ian Blackford, SNP Westminster leader: “This Government is a farce, the Tory Party is in chaos and the Prime Minister is a disgrace... Prime Minister, take responsibility, do the right thing, resign.” Jacob Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers: “Theresa May’s plan would bring down the Government if carried forward.

“But our party will rightly not tolerate it. Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May’s leadership. In the national interest, she must go.” Scottish Secretary David Mundell on the Brexit rebels: “They will get their moment but after the vote has taken place and the Prime Minister is shown to have the confidence of a majority of MPs we will have to get back to the business of delivering Brexit.” Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery: “With only weeks left before Britain leaves the EU, Theresa May’s weakness and failure has completely immobilised the Government at this critical time for the country. The Conservative Party’s internal divisions are putting people’s jobs and living standards at risk.” Mike Russell MSP, Scottish Government Brexit Secretary: “Put bluntly, if we cannot save the UK from itself, we must find a way to save ourselves from the UK. Scotland does deserve better. No reasonable person looking at the clusterbùrach at Westminster this week can deny that.” Leo Varadkar, Irish Taoiseach: “I’ll be taking a call with President Juncker later on today to see what assurances we can give the United Kingdom parliament that might assist them to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement. However, that cannot be a change in the substance of that agreement including the substance of the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland.”