Legislation intended to smooth Britain's exit from the European Union moved a step closer to becoming law today, as ministers began working out what they want from Brexit.
The House of Commons was holding its eighth and final day of detailed scrutiny of the EU Bill on withdrawal, which would formally end Britain's membership of the bloc and transfer EU rules into British law, and will vote on key amendments.
And Prime Minister Theresa May, who suffered a humiliating defeat by pro-European members of her own Conservative party last week when MPs voted to ensure parliament has the final say on any divorce deal with Brussels, was to appear before a powerful parliamentary committee today to outline her Brexit plan.
But she looks set to avoid a second parliamentary rebellion over plans to enshrine Brexit day in law, by agreeing to another amendment giving some flexibility to move the date -- March 29, 2019 -- if negotiations with the EU go down to the wire.
Under pressure from MPs during Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, May emphasised that any delay to Britain's departure from the EU "would only be in extremely exceptional circumstances and it would only be for the shortest possible time."
The so-called committee stage of scrutiny was a test for May's minority government, which relies on a small pro-Britain Northern Irish party to push through legislation.
The bill has two days of further debate by MPs in January, when the rebel amendment could be reviewed, before it goes to the unelected House of Lords for debate.
EU leaders last week agreed to open the second stage of Brexit talks, after approving an interim deal on Britain's financial settlement, expatriate rights and the Irish border.
But they are still unclear about what Britain wants from the future relationship, including the shape of any trade deal.
Cabinet ministers held their first detailed discussion on the long-term economic partnership at a meeting on Tuesday, though no negotiating position was finalised, and further talks are expected in early January.
May's spokesman said yesterday that she had called for "a deal which secures the best possible trading terms with the EU, enables the UK to set rules that are right for our situation and facilitates ambitious third-country trade deals".
He added that the cabinet agreed on the goal.
But May's ministers are divided over how closely to stick to European regulations after Brexit, with some favouring convergence to secure the best possible trading ties, and others calling for a new approach.
Today, May was to be questioned by the Liaison Committee, made up of the chairmen and chairwomen of parliamentary committees, with Brexit preparations dominating the agenda, according to chairwoman Sarah Wollaston, one of the Tory MPs who rebelled against May's plans last week.
"Given that this session follows such a significant EU Council meeting and recent events in Parliament, on this occasion we will start with a focus on Brexit negotiations and transitionary arrangements," she said.
Brussels meanwhile has repeatedly warned Britain that it cannot expect to leave the EU's single market and customs union, and maintain all its benefits.
Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said that any deal struck would inevitably result in Britain's banks and financial companies losing their rights to trade across the bloc.
"There is no place" for giving Britain's financial services full access to the EU market, he told several newspapers, including The Guardian in Britain.
In a speech on Wednesday, Barnier also said that the Brexit transition period, during which the EU's rules will still apply to Britain as it quits, should last from when Britain leaves the bloc in March 2019 until the end of 2020, three months earlier than the two-year timeframe suggested by May.
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said that as long as Britain's goals remained vague, competing forces in May's government could keep together.
"But the real difficulties ahead lie when the British will ask for a special system of regulatory alignment -- they won't get it," he said.
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