Latest Brexit news live: Theresa May hails 'important step' as EU leaders agree to move on to second phase of Brexit talks

Ella Wills|Martin Coulter15 December 2017

European leaders have given the go-ahead for the second round of Brexit negotiations to begin.

EU chief Donald Tusk announced on Friday that the next round of negotiations will start after "sufficient progress" had been made - in a tweet where he personally congratulated PM Theresa May.

It comes after Theresa May was applauded by fellow leaders in Brussels on Thursday, where she stressed her desire to get on with shaping a “deep and special” future partnership.

Mrs May reassured EU leaders that she is still “on course to deliver Brexit” despite suffering her first Commons loss on Wednesday.

But the leaders of the 27 remaining member states are set to approve guidelines which would set a slow timetable for talks on trade.

Follow our live coverage of Friday's events here:

13 December 2017

The government is spending more than £1bn on tackling homelessness and rough sleeping across the UK, Theresa May says.

13 December 2017
13 December 2017

Theresa May says Parliament "gave the decision on whether to stay in the EU to to the people".

"It is the people that made that decision," she said following calls for a move to be passed allowing MPs to vote on leaving the single market at a later date.

13 December 2017

Theresa May faces a revolt over the final Brexit bill led by Dominic Grieve.

He said previously: "I hope the Government will move, irrespective of whether or not they think they are heading for a defeat.

"I have no desire to defeat my Government at all. I'm not a rebel. I think I have only rebelled once - over a local issue - in the 21 years I've been in Parliament.

"I don't want to do that, but the Government needs to listen to what's being said to them. And at the moment, unfortunately, my impression of the last few days, when I've been talking to the Government, is that it seems to be a bit of a dialogue of the deaf.

"They've turned this into a battle of wills. And this is a completely pointless exercise.

"They need to listen to the point that's being made and they need to respond to it."

13 December 2017
13 December 2017

Jeremy Corbyn battled with Theresa May over housing 

13 December 2017

Theresa May says the number of people on the social housing waiting list went up under the Labour government and said the Conservative government are "delivering the homes that people need".

She added that the current government built more houses than any government over the past 30 years.

13 December 2017

Jeremy Corbyn says that when it comes to housing "this government has been a disgrace" and calls on Theresa May to "get on the side of tenants".

13 December 2017

Jeremy Corbyn branded the fire that took 71 lives "avoidable" and said he will also attend the ceremony.

The Labour leader added that homelessness has risen 50 per cent under this government. 

Mrs May says the government is looking at how to encourage longer term tenancies. 

13 December 2017

​Theresa May says this week marks the six months anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire. She will be attending the memorial service tomorrow, she says.

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