POLITICIANS IN THE UK will vote on eight motions in the House of Commons tonight in parliamentary attempts to make a plan for Brexit. 

The results will not be binding – hence the indicative in ‘indicative votes’ – but the aim is that there will be a clear picture of what parliament wants. 

The ballots on those eight motions take place at 7pm. We should start getting results in at 8.30pm.

What do you make of the various proposals? What one would you go for if you had a seat in Westminster tonight?

Option B: No Deal 

Option (B) was proposed by John Baron, a Conservative MP.

It reads: “That this House agrees that the UK shall leave the EU on 12 April 2019 without a deal.”

Option D: Common Market 2.0 

Option (D) was proposed by Nick Boles, also a Conservative MP. 

It looks for the UK to be a member of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) and European Economic Area (EEA) and creating a ‘comprehensive customs arrangement’ which would continue until alternative arrangements could be made to ensure there would be no hard border on the island of Ireland. 

Option H: EFTA and EEA 

Option (H) was proposed by George Eustice, again a Conservative MP.

It differs from Option (D) because it does not include a customs union. Part (d) of the motion reads: 

… decline to enter a customs union with the EU but seek agreement on new protocols relating to the Northern Ireland border and agri-food trade.

Eustice, a Brexiteer, was the agriculture minister until earlier this month. 

Option (J): Customs Union 

Option (J) was proposed by Ken Clarke, a Conservative but also an EU supporter. 

It reads: 

That this House instructs the Government to: (1) ensure that any Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration negotiated with the EU must include, as a minimum, a commitment to negotiate a permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU; (2) enshrine this objective in primary legislation.

It has cross-party support having been backed by Labour’s Yvette Cooper, among others. 

Option K: Labour’s alternative plan 

Option (K) has been proposed by Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader. 

The motion, if passed, would require the government to negotiate changes to the Withdrawal Agreement. It wants ministers to secure a permanent customs union, as well as close alignment with the single market. It also looks for “commitments on participation in EU agencies and funding programmes, including in areas such as the environment, education, and industrial regulation”. 

The EU has said that the Withdrawal Agreement is not going to be re-drafted.  

Option (L): Revoke if under threat of no deal 

Option (L) was proposed by Joanna Cherry of the Scottish National Party. 

It reads:

“If, on the day before the end of the penultimate House of Commons sitting day before exit day, no Act of Parliament has been passed for the purposes of section 13(1)(d) of the Withdrawal Act, Her Majesty’s Government must immediately put a motion to the House asking it to approve ‘No Deal’ and, if the House does not give its approval, Her Majesty’s Government must ensure that the notice given to the European Council under Article 50, of the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the European Union, is revoked in accordance with United Kingdom and European Union law.”

Option (M): Confirmatory public vote on whatever deal is passed 

Option (M) was proposed by Margaret Beckett, former foreign secretary and Labour MP. 

It reads: 

That this House will not allow in this Parliament the implementation and ratification of any withdrawal agreement and any framework for the future relationship unless and until they have been approved by the people of the United Kingdom in a confirmatory public vote.

It calls for a referendum on any deal that is passed in the House of Commons.

Option (O): Contingent preferential arrangements 

Option (O) was proposed by Marcus Fyst, a Conservative Party Brexiteer.

Its first part reads: 

That this House directs that in case the UK is unable to implement a Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, Her Majesty’s Government shall seek to agree immediately and preferentially with the EU: (a) a trade agreement and/or joint notification of trade preference covering 100 per cent of goods traded between the UK and EU under which no tariffs or quantitative restrictions will be applied between the parties and full cumulation of rules of origin which shall apply for a period of up to two years after the UK leaves the EU notwithstanding that these arrangements may be superseded or extended by further mutual agreement…

It also recommends a two-year “standstill” from the leave date for any possible changes to standards to ensure compliance by the UK to EU legislation it had agreed to while a member.