(CNN) British Prime Minister Theresa May executed a momentous climbdown in her Brexit strategy on Wednesday, requesting a three-month delay to Britain's departure from the EU and blaming lawmakers for the mess.

After promising on scores of occasions that Brexit would take place on March 29, May finally bowed to the inevitable consequence of her failure to secure the support of Parliament for her deal and asked the EU to extend the divorce process.

It was a striking admission of personal failure for a Prime Minister who had come to office on the promise of delivering the result of the divisive 2016 referendum.

But in a stern statement in Downing Street on Wednesday evening, May did not accept responsibility for the chaos, instead blaming Members of Parliament for failing to back her deal. She said the British public wanted them to "get on with it" and said it was "high time" for them to take a decision.

Theresa May addresses the UK from 10 Downing Street.

Calling the delay to Brexit a "matter of great personal regret," May said the British public "have had enough" and are tired of political infighting. "So far Parliament has done everything possible to avoid making a choice. All MPs have been willing to say is what they do not want," she said.

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