Today MPs will vote on delaying Brexit after yesterday they rejected the idea of a no-deal Brexit under any circumstances by 312 to 308 votes.

The vote is not binding – under current law the UK could still leave without a deal on 29 March.

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UK firms have reacted angrily to plans for major changes to tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Business groups accused policymakers of rushing out plans for major changes in trade terms without consulting companies, leaving them with no time to prepare.

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In the somewhat overshadowed Spring Statement, Philip Hammond promised a Brexit dividend to boost spending on public infrastructure projects and vital services, after forecasts of lower government borrowing over the next five years swelled the chancellor’s war chest to £26.6bn.

The Chancellor also has called on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to launch an investigation into the £13bn UK digital advertising market dominated by the US tech firms Google and Facebook.