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Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs and reaction to May’s Brexit speech

 Updated 
Wed 18 Jan 2017 12.38 ESTFirst published on Wed 18 Jan 2017 03.53 EST
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Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams asks how leaving the EU can cause anything other than calamitous self harm.

May says she want a good deal with the EU, including an arrangement with as frictionless borders as possible.

Simon Hoare, a Conservative, says community hospitals play a vital role.

May says it is up to local clinicians and managers to decide what services are needed at a local level. But she agrees that the NHS is made up of many parts.

Meg Hillier, the Labour MP, asks what assurance May can give to EU nationals working in the UK, especially if they change employer or are freelance.

May says she wants to be able to guarantee their rights. She wants EU leaders to reach deal on this quickly.

Matt Warman, a Conservative, asks May to praise the emergency services for their response to the flood warnings last week.

May says she is happy to do that. She says it is crucial that people take these warnings seriously.

Juncker says he wishes Martin Schulz would have stayed on as the EU parliament president, but welcomes the appointment of Antonio Tajani to the position.

(You can read our report on the appointment of Tajani, a key ally of Silvio Berlusconi, here.)

Labour’s Gordon Marsden says the number of people waiting at his local A&E has doubled. Will the government stop putting money into corporation tax cuts and invest in adult social care instead.

May says there are more doctors and nurses in Marsden’s local Blackpool NHS trust. But this is not just about more money. It is about ensuring best practice is spread throughout the country. And it is about finding a long-term solution, something Labour never did.

Jeremy Lefroy, a Conservative, says acute hospitals in his area are under great pressure. Does May agree that closing A&E is no way to deal with increased need.

May says what matters is the quality of service.

Ken Clarke, the Conservative former chancellor and justice secretary, asks if MPs will get a chance to vote on May’s Brexit principles before the negotiation is concluded.

May says David Davis spent two hours answering questions yesterday in the Commons. There have been a number of Brexit debates, and there is another today. The government will respond to the article 50 judgement. But MPs cannot vote on the deal until we know what it is.

Labour’s Louise Haigh asks May to accept that payments by results should have no place in the welfare system.

May says many people received a poor service from Concentrix. She says HMRC are seeing what lessons can be learnt from their contract.

Alistair Burt, a Conservative, praises May for the “constructive” tone of her speech yesterday. Will her approach remain “constructive”? And will she ensure that no deal does not become the government’s default option.

May agrees. She says she made this point when she spoke to EU leaders yesterday.

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