The European Union and MPs in the House of Commons have backed Theresa May's plan to secure an extension to the UK's Brexit date.

Having notched up a few defeats in the Commons, Mrs May won support for a motion to seek an extension to the date of Article 50 to allow more time for negotiations, which MPs agreed to by a majority of more than 300.

Donald Tusk, the European Commission president, told the leaders of EU nations to support the UK's request - acknowledging that there would not be enough time for the UK to leave by 30 June.

He confirmed the rumoured "flextension" which would mean the UK could have several months - even a year - to finalise a deal, pulling out of the EU as soon as an agreement is reached in the Commons.

Image: Theresa May leaves her meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Paris

Leaked draft conclusions from Wednesday's summit suggest the EU27 will agree to a delay, but could threaten to kick the UK out of the trading bloc if it fails to hold European Parliament elections.


Mrs May went on a whistle-stop tour of Paris and Berlin on Tuesday, meeting Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel in an attempt to get backing for her extension request.

Prime Minister Theresa May arrived outside the chancellery earlier than scheduled with the German chancellor nowhere to be seen to welcome her.

Mr Macron was said to believe that one year would be "too long" and wanted to implement conditions on the UK to prevent MEPs misusing their position in the European Parliament.

He may be settled by the letter written by Mr Tusk, in which he suggests conditions including "sincere co-operation" from the UK.

The letter says there will be "no reopening of the withdrawal agreement; no start of the negotiations on the future, except for the political declaration; the UK would have to maintain its sincere co-operation also during this crucial period, in a manner that reflects its situation as a departing member state".

Statements released by Downing St after the meetings explained Mrs May had discussed her request for an extension until 30 June with Mrs Merkel and Mr Macron, and had also outlined the steps she was taking in discussions with the opposition to come to an agreement.

While Mrs May enjoyed sunshine in Paris and Berlin, her cabinet ministers met with opposition members including Sir Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey to continue cross-party talks in the hopes of finding a compromise which would pass through parliament.

After a lunch of sausage rolls, onion bhajis, and biscuits, the MPs spent nearly four hours debating a customs union, the single market and environmental concerns.

Ms Long-Bailey suggested little progress had been made - and speaking outside the cabinet office, she said: "We have had constructive discussions on a numbers of issues in great detail.

"There's not really been any fundamental shift in the change of position itself. We're hopeful that progress will be made."

Before the prime minister arrived in Berlin, she also faced two significant Brexit interventions from some of her top ministers.

Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom urged the prime minister to ask for a renegotiation of the UK's withdrawal agreement during her talks with Mrs Merkel.

Meanwhile, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox urged the prime minister not to agree to a UK-EU customs union as the price of a deal with Labour.

Image: Shadow ministers prepare to meet with the government for Brexit talks

Speaking as she left home on Tuesday morning, Ms Leadsom - who fought Mrs May for the Conservative leadership in 2016 - said: "What I think would be fantastic is if Angela Merkel would try to support a proper UK Brexit by agreeing to reopen the withdrawal agreement.

"If we could get the prime minister's deal over the line because the EU have decided to support measures on the backstop, then that would be the best possible outcome."

Image: The two leaders met ahead of the European Council emergency summit tomorrow

Both Downing Street and the EU dismissed Ms Leadsom's call within hours.

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "Any plan going forward would be based on the current withdrawal agreement."

EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier reiterated the bloc's stance that "the withdrawal agreement is not going to be reopened [and] is not up for negotiation again".

International Trade Secretary Dr Fox criticised the talks over the customs union, saying the plan would give the UK the "worst of both worlds".

Meanwhile the Democratic Unionist Party, which is propping up the government in a confidence and supply deal over Brexit, dismissed Mrs May's trips to the continent as "humiliating and embarassing".

Nigel Dodds, the party's Westminster leader, complained that "nearly three years after the referendum the UK is today effectively holding out a begging bowl to European leaders".