IN an explosive week for Brexit Theresa May narrowly avoided a damning defeat in the Commons by promising concessions to Tory rebel Remainers.
It was thought at first that she'd backed down to their demands for more say in the Brexit process - but rebels are fuming tonight as they rejected her compromise deal.
But the Battle for Brexit has been raging for months - and is set to carry on for years to come.
Even though the result was firmly secured in our historic 2016 referendum, MPs, politicians, and just about everyone else in Britain have continued to argue about what exactly Brexit should look like.
Remainers want to secure as soft an exit as possible from the bloc, keeping us close to the EU as they possibly can.
But Brexiteers insist we must go it along as much as we can, and forge a bold new path for Britain.
So who is winning this fight - and what kind of Brexit will Britain eventually get?
Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns goes to anti-Brexit protest and stands up for the vote to leave the EU
We’re out! May confirms UK will leave the Single Market – January 2017Ready to leave . . . Theresa May announces that the EU will leave the single market
In January of last year, the PM first announced how she wanted our future relationship with the EU to look.
In a major win for Leavers, her speech at Lancaster House confirmed that we would regain control over immigration and our laws by leaving the Single Market and Customs Union.
The speech was met with support from leading Brexiteers, who rallied around the PM.
The powerful European Research Group issued a statement: “We’ll be delighted when it’s clear we will be taking advantage of the practically unlimited opportunities which will come from leaving the EEA and Customs Union”.
Winner? Leavers
Disaster in General Election as Tories lose majority – June 2017Mrs May on the night of the General Election where her plans were given a thumbs down from voters and she lost seats
Then came the General Election, which was a
disaster for Mrs May who hoped to win dozens more seats and boost her standing before entering talks with Brussels.
The Tories lost 22 seats, while Labour gained 21.
While the PM was
able to make a deal with Northern Ireland’s DUP for their support, the Government’s wafer-thin majority put them in a delicate position with their Brexit proposals.
able to make a deal with Northern Ireland’s DUP for their support, the Government’s wafer-thin majority put them in a delicate position with their Brexit proposals.
Conservative Remainers now had more influence, as the Government would need their support in important Brexit votes.
And she looked weaker in ongoing talks with the European Union over what our exit would look like.
Winner? Remainers
UK and EU unveil their first agreement… but it’ll cost – December 2017Theresa May and David Davis met with EU chiefs to agree a deal to progress with Brexit
In December, the first agreement was made between the UK and the EU, propelling forward our EU exit.
Despite months of fears that a deal wouldn't be secured, it covered citizens’ rights, and confirmed that there would be no hard border between Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.
While a deal was agreed, it came at a cost of around £39billion.
Known as the “divorce bill”, this is the cost demanded by the EU to cover the huge hole left in its finances after we leave.
Many Leavers were unhappy, and argued that legally we don’t owe the EU a penny. Others, however, said that it was less than expected and Britain had driven the total down.
The Leavers got their deal and important areas were agreed upon, but it didn’t come cheap.
Winner? Leavers
Grieve’s rebels win as the Government suffers first defeat – December 2017Theresa May suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Commons where rebel MPs led changes to the EU Withdrawal Bill
Soon after the first agreement between the UK and the EU, the Government suffered its first defeat on the EU Withdrawal Bill, which will guide our exit.
The PMs weak majority came back to bite her, as Conservative remainer Dominic Grieve led a rebel group of Tory MPs to vote against the Government.
This defeat meant that Parliament would be given a vote on the final terms of our exit from the EU.
Nadine Dorries, a Leave-supporting MP, argued that Tories who helped defeat the Government should “be deselected and never allowed to stand as a Tory MP, ever again”.
Winner? Remainers
Leaked report suggests UK economy to suffer from Brexit – January 2018Pro-EU demonstrators hold placards and wave flags during an anti-Brexit protest
At the beginning of this year, a Treasury report was leaked which said that whatever Brexit agreement was made with the EU, the UK economy would suffer.
If we were to leave without a deal, it said the economy would shrink by around 8 per cent.
Fuming Brexiteers questioned the numbers, and Jacob Rees-Mogg accused the Remain-backed Treasury of “fiddling the figures”.
The report was bad for Leavers, and strengthened the position of Remain MPs.
Winner? Remainers
Fisheries are sacrificed as transition deal is agreed – March 2018Nigel Farage hijacked the protest and chucked haddock into the Thames
In another landmark moment for our path to Brexit, another deal was agreed between the UK and the EU in March this year.
It will give a smooth transition from our membership of the bloc, to our exit from it, and will last until December 2020.
Now we can finally move on to talking trade in the coming weeks.
In a big win for Leavers, the EU agreed that we can sign trade deals during the transition, and they will come into force as soon as it ends.
However, fisheries were sacrificed, as the UK will lose its vote on fishing quotas during the transition period, and will instead only be consulted.
Some figures of the Leave campaign were furious at the agreement. Nigel Farage took to the Thames, and threw a box of fish into the river in protest.
Winner? Draw
Tory Remainers force May into last-minute concessions on a 'meaningful vote' – June 2018Leading Tory rebels including Dominic Grieve, Anna Sounry and Ken Clarke are pushing for MPs to get a vote on the final Brexit deal
This week, the Government overturned most of the changes to the EU Withdrawal Bill that were put forward by meddling Lords who tried to soften Brexit down.
However, it looked like Mrs May might lose a vote on Tuesday, as the same Conservative rebel group from last year dug their heels in over a meaningful final vote.
If the Government had lost, MPs would have been able to direct negotiations with the EU if no deal was agreed before mid-February 2019 – making a softer Brexit far more likely.
To avoid defeat, the PM agreed to discuss the issue with the rebels.
Now she's published a compromise amendment which they say wasn't agreed with them.
It says they can have a vote on the deal, but they won't be able to amend it and keep us in the EU.
The rebels are furious and say that "crunch time" is coming - hinting they will take more action.
Winner? Leavers
Theresa May vows she WON'T let rebels overturn the EU Brexit referendum result
Who will win Brexit?
So far, the Leavers have got a lot of what they wanted.
Even though the process will take longer, the UK will leave the Single Market, and will finally regain control of immigration and our laws.
There's no way Jacob Rees Mogg and his Brexiteers will let Theresa May backslide without a fierce fight.
But as the Tory Remain rebels are left reeling tonight, Mrs May better watch her back for a possible rebellion in the coming days and weeks.
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