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Theresa May is in parliament today seeking “legal changes” to the Brexit withdrawal deal she negotiated with the EU earlier this month, which was overwhelmingly rejected by MPs. Read the latest here. • An evening of debating and voting is taking place in Westminister on competing proposals about what to do next following the rejection of the British PM’s Brexit deal earlier this month. • Theresa May said she wants a “significant and legally binding” change to the so-called backstop arrangement to guarantee an open Irish border after Brexit. • Brussels, however, has insisted it will not reopen talks to amend the deal which has already been signed off by the other 27 EU member states. All updates in Central European Time (CET) 19:45 MPs will shortly begin voting on seven non-binding amendments. The one to watch is Amendment N, proposed by senior Conservative lawmaker Graham Brady and endorsed by Theresa May. It would commit the government to renegotiating the so-called backstop, a kind of insurance policy aimed at preventing a hard border in Ireland. Also worth keeping an eye on is Amendment B from Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper, which gives May until February 26 to get a deal approved, otherwise Brexit would be postponed until December 31. 19:20 French President Emmanuel says the existing Brexit deal is the “best possible” and “not renegotiable,” reports Agence France-Presse news agency. 18:30 Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), says his party will support the amendment authored by senior Conservative lawmaker Graham Brady and endorsed by Theresa May. It calls for the backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border in Ireland. 17:40 Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, says he will speak with May after tonight’s voting in Westminster to see “what the next steps are,” reported Irish public broadcaster RTE. 17:30 The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties has unanimously backed draft rules to waive visa requirements for UK nationals entering the EU for stays of up to 90 days following Brexit. The exemption does not provide for the right to work in the bloc. The draft specifically states that the waiver will be granted on the basis of reciprocity. 17:20 Britain’s national health service says it has cancelled blood donation sessions at the port towns of Dover and Folkestown for two weeks before and six weeks after Brexit over possible disruption caused by potential issues in other freight ports, including Calais, France. 17.05 Ireland’s Department of Finance has outlined what tariffs the World Trade Organization (WTO) would apply to UK exports to the EU. Meat prices would be subject to tariffs of an average of 50 percent, noted Gavan Reilly. 17.00 Theresa May spoke to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker before addressing parliament earlier this afternoon, according to Reuters news agency. The call was confirmed by her spokesman, who did not discuss what was said. 16:42 Manfred Weber, the parliamentary leader of the conservative European People’s Party, says the existing Brexit deal is a “compromise between many interests.” Weber says that “if there is now a unilateral attempt to reopen the agreement, the consequence will be that not just the backstop has to be renegotiated — then the Gibraltar question, the question of how much money Britain has to pay for exiting, the question of citizens’ rights will have to be renegotiated.” 16:25 Ireland’s finance minister warns of a shrinking Irish economy, increased unemployment and deteriorated public finances in the event of a no-deal Brexit. 16:20 The European Union will not reopen the Brexit agreement with Britain, according to a diplomat from the bloc cited by Reuters news agency. The comments were reportedly made after May said there would have to be “significant” change to her deal to win parliament’s support. 16:15 Labour MP Pat McFadden tweets that Theresa May is appealing to parliament to “drive a coach and horses through the deal she spent two years concluding.” 16:10 A no-deal Brexit would weaken British and European economies, warns the US Director of National Intelligence. “This would cause economic disruptions that could substantially weaken the UK and Europe,” Dan Coats tells a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on “worldwide threats.” 15:45 Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn tells lawmakers there is no chance the government will pass all legislation needed in time for a March 29 exit from the European Union. He says it is “inevitable” that it will have to delay Brexit. He said the first duty is to block a no-deal Brexit. 15:40 Conservative MP Steve Double confirms he will be supporting the prime minister and voting for the Brady proposal (See: Amendment N below). 15:00 Seven amendments have been chosen for debate this afternoon: Amendment A: Proposed by opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, it requires parliament to consider alternative options to prevent a no deal exit, including seeking a permanent customs union with the EU and holding a second referendum. Amendment O: Put forward by the Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party, Ian Blackford, it calls on the government to seek an extension to Article 50 and rule out a no-deal Brexit. It also demands that Scotland — which voted in favour of remaining in the EU — should not be taken out of the bloc against its will. Amendment G: Proposed by Conservative MP Dominic Grieve. It demands that lawmakers are given six days to propose their own debates on Brexit. Any proposals approved by parliament on those days would not be binding on the government but would be politically difficult to ignore. Amendment B: Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper’s proposal requires the government to make time for legislation giving May until February 26 to get a deal approved, otherwise Brexit would be postponed until December 31. Amendment J: Proposed by lawmakers from Labour, May’s Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats, this calls on the government to request an extension to the Article 50 deadline if a deal has not been approved by February 26. Amendment I: Put forward by Conservative MP Caroline Spelman and supported by lawmakers from most political parties, it seeks to rule out a no-deal Brexit. Amendment N: Theresa May has asked her MPs to support this proposal — authored by senior Conservative lawmaker Graham Brady — which calls for the backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border in Ireland and says parliament would support May’s Brexit deal if this change were made. 14:50 Theresa May tells the UK parliament there’s a “willingness” on the EU side to “agree a deal,” but that MPs must state clearly what they want. “That is an opportunity we have today,” she adds. kw/aw (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)