Theresa May's most senior EU adviser was caught in an embarrassing gaffe today as he was pictured on Whitehall showing secret papers on the Irish border backstop.

Olly Robbins' document folder was part open and exposed his documents to waiting press photographers outside the Cabinet Office.

The papers discuss the Irish border backstop element of the Brexit divorce deal - the subject of fraught 11th hour negotiations last week to ease Tory rebel concerns.

The gaffe comes as the EU Commission warned there would be no further negotiations because last week's summit produced all the concessions available.

Theresa May's most senior EU adviser was caught in an embarrassing gaffe today as he was pictured on Whitehall showing secret papers (pictured) on the Irish border backstop

The gaffe comes as Mrs may is wrestling to stop the Cabinet descending into chaos today as ministers openly float alternatives to her Brexit plan

In the document is narrative about how both sides want the backstop to be temporary and how it could be averted with a trade deal or 'alternative arrangements' to keep open the Irish border.

The content does not appear to break from what is publicly known about the state of the negotiations or the content of the divorce deal.

But a senior civil servant brandishing papers to the cameras is an embarrassment for the Government as Mrs May fights to save her deal.

Olly Robbins' document folder was part open and exposed his documents to waiting press photographers outside the Cabinet Office

She left on Brussels on Friday with little to show for her efforts and amid a furious row with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

A Commission spokesman said today: 'The deal that is on the table is the best and the only deal possible.

'We will not reopen it. It will not be renegotiated. The EU Council has given the clarifications that were possible at this stage so no further meetings with the UK are foreseen.'

Mr Robbins document - of which only the bottom right corner can be seen - suggests a 'separate agreement' would render the use of the backstop unnecessary.

This is likely to be a reference to the hopes of a permanent UK-EU trade deal.

The paper also suggests both sides want any use of the backstop to be "for the shortest possible period".

This is in line with political promises offered by both sides - but offers no hint of the legal assurances Mrs May has promised she will secure for Tory rebels.

The gaffe comes as Mrs may is wrestling to stop the Cabinet descending into chaos today as ministers openly float alternatives to her Brexit plan.

The PM is launching a searing rebuff to those mooting another national ballot, warning it would cause 'irreparable damage' to Britain.

What does the exposed document say? Only the bottom right corner of Olly Robbins' document could be seen as the cover flaps in the wind. It discusses the Irish border backstop part of the divorce deal. This is what can be seen: …anent …is not …line the …y review …tocol will be …ratification of …United Kingdom …of 2020, so that the …come into effect by the end of …theless to permanently guarantee …separate agreement to supersede the …intend that any such agreement would …the Protocol would not enter into force. …came into force, the Union and the United Kingdom …in force for the shortest possible period, and in any …after the end of the transition period. Both parties intend …permanently guaranteeing no hard border on the island of …that point, established on a legal basis under the EU Treaties …to those permanent arrangements. …tocol, and the Political Declaration, note that discussions on alternative …consider a full range of facilitative arrangements and technologies. The …underline that any arrangements which supersede the Protocol are not …replicate its provisions in any respect, provided that the underlying objectives Advertisement

Mrs May's arch-rival Boris Johnson has echoed the message, insisting anyone backing a fresh referendum is 'out of their minds' and it would create 'feelings of betrayal' among millions of voters.

But with seemingly no hope of Mrs May's deal making it through Parliament, Cabinet ministers breaking ranks as they squabble over what happens next.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd today risked directly contradicting the PM by insisting 'nothing should be off the table' if the government's plan is rejected by the Commons.

Business Secretary Greg Clark also backed demands for MPs to vote on a range of 'options'.

However, the PM's spokesman again flatly dismissed the idea of a referendum, saying: 'We're not having one.'

Mrs May is understood to be resisting calls for the Commons to vote on a series of Brexit options, amid fears it would merely plunge the process deeper into turmoil.

One group, including Philip Hammond, Greg Clark and Ms Rudd, are pushing for the Commons to be allowed to vote on a range of options, including holding a second referendum to a Norway-style relationship.

In the clearest public statement yet, Mr Clark told the BBC today that if Mrs May's deal falls 'Parliament should be invited to say what it would agree with'.

He cautioned against a second referendum, saying it would 'continue the uncertainty for many more months'.

Ms Rudd said this morning that Parliament should be allowed to express its will and 'nothing should be off the table'.

But harder line Brexiteers believe an 'options' vote would just be cover for delaying or cancelling Brexit.

They are urging a 'managed' no deal exit - which could involve paying the EU for a transition period and limited agreements to limits the worst effects of crashing out.

As the wrangling continues, Home Secretary Sajid Javid is understood to be among ministers who are pressing Mrs May to activate large scale no-deal planning - on the basis that the outcome must now by the central assumption for the government.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (pictured left today) risked directly contradicting the PM by insisting 'nothing should be off the table' if the government's plan is rejected by the Commons. Business Secretary Greg Clark also backed demands for MPs to vote on a range of 'options'.

Mrs May is due to gather senior ministers in Downing Street for an informal discussion on the situation - before what could be a crucial full meeting tomorrow morning.

Despite hitting a brick wall of EU resistance to improving her Brexit deal at a summit last week, Mrs May is still hoping to get tweaks and wants to delay a crunch vote on the package until after Christmas.

No more talks planned on Brexit deal, EU commission says There are no more negotiations planned on the Brexit divorce deal, the EU insisted today. In a fresh blow to Theresa May, the European Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas seemed to undermine her claims that talks are still ongoing. He told a press conference in Brussels: 'The deal that is on the table is the best and the only deal possible - we will not reopen it, it will not be renegotiated. 'As President Tusk said, the European Council has given the clarifications that were possible at this stage, so no further meetings with the United Kingdom are foreseen. 'On the EU side we have started the process of ratification and we will follow closely the ratification process in the United Kingdom.' He added that talk of a second referendum was an 'internal' matter for the UK and that the commission has 'absolutely no comment on it'. Advertisement

Labour is holding off on staging a no-confidence vote in the government until after the deal is defeated, although many of its MPs are furious that Jeremy Corbyn has not already tried to strike.

In the Commons this afternoon, Mrs May will all but rule out holding a second vote while she remains in charge.

Another referendum would 'likely leave us no further forward than the last... and further divide our country at the very moment we should be working to unite it', she will warn.

She will add: 'Let us not break faith with the British people by trying to stage another referendum, another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics, because it would say to millions who trusted in democracy that our democracy does not deliver.'

Her intervention comes amid mounting anger over the revelation that chief-of-staff Gavin Barwell and deputy David Lidington had backed the idea of a second referendum.

MPs and ministers reacted furiously to reports yesterday that Mr Barwell had told colleagues a second poll was 'the only way forward' in the light of opposition to her Brexit deal.

On social media messages yesterday, Mr Barwell said he was not planning for a second referendum.

Mr Lidington also raised eyebrows after it emerged he held secret talks last week with Labour MPs in favour of another poll.

Despite the denials, Cabinet sources complained that the rumours had the 'ring of truth'.

Boris Johnson (pictured last week) has insisted anyone backing a fresh referendum is 'out of their minds' and it would create 'feelings of betrayal' among millions of voters

Remainers condemned the government for trying to 'run down the clock'. Former minister Sam Gyimah said: 'Downing St has stopped selling the PMs flawed deal.

'Instead we have displacement activity designed to distract from last weeks failed renegotiation.

'And a concerted attempt to discredit every plausible alternative as they run down the clock. This is not in the national interest.'

'I think, obviously, it's important once the Prime Minister has finished her negotiations with other European leaders and the Commission that Parliament votes on that.

'If that were not to be successful, we do need to have agreement - we can't just have continuing uncertainty and I think Parliament should be invited to say what it would agree with, and that's something that I think businesses up and down the country would expect elected members to take responsibility, rather than just be critics.'

Mr Clark also cautioned against a second referendum, saying it would 'continue the uncertainty for many more months'.

In a fresh blow to Mrs May, the European Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas has said no further meetings between the EU and the UK to discuss the Brexit deal are expected.

He told a press conference in Brussels: 'The deal that is on the table is the best and the only deal possible - we will not reopen it, it will not be renegotiated.

'As President Tusk said, the European Council has given the clarifications that were possible at this stage, so no further meetings with the United Kingdom are foreseen.

'On the EU side we have started the process of ratification and we will follow closely the ratification process in the United Kingdom.'

He added that talk of a second referendum was an 'internal' matter for the UK and that the commission has 'absolutely no comment on it'.