Brexit amendments: The MPs trying to change Theresa May’s course”:

MPs are trying to influence the Brexit process in a number of ways, as Theresa May continues her bid to get the EU to change the deal.

The prime minister has asked MPs to approve a motion on Thursday simply acknowledging that process is ongoing and restating their support for the approach.

Several MPs tabled amendments setting out alternative plans and Commons Speaker John Bercow has selected three to be put to a Commons vote.

Even if they won the backing of a majority of MPs, the proposals would not be binding on the government. However, they could put pressure on Mrs May to change course.

She has adopted proposals from two successful backbench amendments tabled in January.

One asked her to seek alternatives to the “backstop”, which aims to prevent the return of customs checkpoints on the Irish border in the event that no trade deal has come into force. The other rejected leaving the EU without a formal exit deal.

The selected proposals are below. Use our guide to Brexit jargon or follow the links for further explanation.

Labour front bench amendment

Ap Requires the government to either give MPs a vote on the withdrawal agreement and political declaration on future UK-EU relations by 27 February, or make a statement saying there is no longer an agreement in principle with Brussels and so allow MPs to vote on – and amend – its planned next steps.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn’s amendments are considered unlikely to receive the necessary backing from Conservative backbenchers to succeed.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has tabled a bid to change the wording of this amendment to delay the Brexit date to allow for a referendum on the deal, with the option to remain in the EU.

SNP amendment

The SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford, centre, tabled the amendment on behalf of his party

Seeks to postpone the Brexit date by at least three months.

This has the backing of Liberal Democrats, as well as the SNP contingent.

Conservative backbencher Anna Soubry’s amendment

Anna Soubry’s amendment has the backing of Labour MPs including Chris Leslie, left, and Chuka Umunna, right

Instructs the government to publish within seven days “the most recent official briefing document relating to business and trade on the implications of a no-deal Brexit presented to cabinet”.

This has the backing of some mostly Remain-supporting Labour and Conservative backbenchers.

Does the government motion face defeat?

The government may well fight off these attempts to amend its motion.

But even if it does, it is not guaranteed to win the subsequent vote. Some Conservative Brexiteers in the European Research Group (ERG) have indicated they will refuse to back the government.

Erg source says they will abstain and govt will lose – let’s see

— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) February 14, 2019

They are angry because the motion not only supports the view backed by a majority of MPs last month that the government should seek an alternative to the “backstop”, but also a separate move to stop Brexit happening without a formal deal, which the Commons supported at the same time.

Most MPs want to avoid a no-deal scenario, fearing chaos at ports and disruption to business. However, some Brexiteers have played down that prospect, arguing it is an example of “Project Fear”, and say the no-deal option offers leverage in negotiations with Brussels.

Jussie Smollett Addresses Those Who Doubted His Attack: ‘You Don’t Even Want To See The Truth’

Jussie Smollett is speaking out against the people who accused him of lying about being attacked.

The “Empire” star appeared on “Good Morning America” Thursday where he gave his first on-camera interview about the homophobic and racist assault he suffered in Chicago last month.

“I’m p***ed off,” Smollett said as he talked about the hurt he was feeling, not just from the attack itself but from the people doubting his claims.

“At first it was the thing of like, listen, if I tell the truth then that’s it because it’s the truth. Then it became a thing of, like, how can you doubt that? How can you not believe that? It’s the truth.

“I have to acknowledge the lies, and the hate,” he continued. “And it feels like if I had said it was a Muslim, or a Mexican, or someone black, I feel like the doubters would have supported me much more. A lot more. And that says a lot about the place that we are in our country right now.”

Smollett, who is openly gay and plays a gay character on “Empire”, told police that he was attacked by two men who yelled homophobic and racist slurs at him. He said the men put a noose around his neck, poured an unknown substance on him, and physically beat him.

During the incident, Smollett said the attackers shouted: “‘This is MAGA country.’”

“It’s not necessarily that you don’t believe that this is the truth, you don’t even want to see the truth,” he told ABC News.

“For me, the main thing was the idea that I somehow switched up my story, you know? And that somehow maybe I added a little extra trinket, you know, of the MAGA thing.

“I didn’t need to add anything like that. They called me a f—–, they called me a n—-. There’s no which way you cut it. I don’t need some MAGA hat as the cherry on top of some racist sundae.”

We’ve no problem with Atiku’s presidential ambition – IPOB

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday said he had no problem with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition in Nigeria.

Kanu also said his reference of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate in the forthcoming Nigeria’s election, Alhaji Atiku in his radio broadcast, had nothing to do with his suitability to contest the office of the presidency of Nigeria.

IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, quoted Kanu as saying, “Let me make it very clear that my reference to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar being born a Camerounian has nothing to do with his suitability to contest the office of the presidency of Nigeria because that is the business of Nigerians, I am a Biafran.

“I was merely referencing the 1961 referendum that brought his part of Adamawa into Nigeria as a valid example that referendum is not an alien concept in Nigeria.

“Allow me also to state for the umpteenth time that our boycott of election has nothing to do with All Progressives Congress, APC, or Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. It is all about the destiny of a nation called Biafra.

“Whoever advised PDP hierarchy to launch the orchestrated campaign of calumny against me and my family has done them a disservice because we are IPOB, we do not lose media wars no matter how long it takes.”

We support Atiku for his promise of restructuring – Niger Delta

Leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, on Saturday said the regional leaders adopted the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, because he agreed to restructure the country.

He said Nigeria could not survive without restructuring and fiscal federalism.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the former National Commissioner said the South-South would only vote for the candidate that would restructure the country to ensure equity and justice.

He said restructuring had nothing to do with the disintegration of the country, “but the creation of a new Nigeria where every citizen is equal; a Nigeria where all the federating states or regions are able to develop at their own pace under the practice of fiscal federalism.”

He added , “We have now seen that our salvation is in restructuring. If we do not restructure this country, this country will not survive.

“Our message-if you want to restructure Nigeria, you are our man and if you do not want to restructure Nigeria, you are not our man.

“So people are wondering why we adopted Atiku. Some of our boys who think they are Jews have said dying old men have taken money from Atiku.

“The PDP presidential candidate in our discussion with him which lasted for two hours told us that he supported restructuring and he had been working for it since 1985.”

Clark admonished the South-South region to put aside sentiments, saying “I repeat, without restructuring, the South-South will die a natural death.”

The Ijaw leader assured stakeholders that restructuring of the country would not lead to the disintegration of the nation, noting that it was also not against any region.

Are 2face and wife Annie Having Marital Crisis?-

It looks like Nigerian singer 2face and wife Annie are having marital crisis. The insinuation is coming after the music legend took to social media to apologize to his wife on an issue he did not state.

2face and wife are having marital crisis

In his statement, he wrote that he was sorry for f**king up so much and that he has not lived his life up to expectation as a father and a husband and he acknowledges the fact that Annie, his wife has tried her best for him

See his tweet

I’M SORRY TO SAY THAT I HAVE FUCKED UP SO MUCH. I HAVE FUCKED UP AS A ROLE MODEL AS A FATHER AND AS A HUSBAND. ANNIE IM SORRY. I KNOW U TRIED YOUR BEST.