The government says it will try to get Theresa May’s Brexit deal through the Commons, despite Speaker John Bercow throwing the process into doubt.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay suggested a vote could take place next week – after Mrs May has sought a delay to Brexit from the EU.
Mr Bercow has ruled that the PM can not bring her deal back for a third vote without “substantial” changes.
The UK is due to leave the EU in 10 days with or without a deal.
The prime minister had hoped to have another try at getting MPs to back the withdrawal deal she has agreed with the EU this week – but Speaker Bercow effectively torpedoed that with his surprise intervention on Monday.
Stephen Barclay told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the Commons Speaker had made a “serious ruling” and ministers were giving it “serious consideration”.
He said it was important to “respect the referee” and abide by his decisions – but, he added, Mr Bercow himself had said, in the past, that if Parliament was guided only by precedent then “nothing ever would change”.
