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Brexit looks increasingly likely to be delayed beyond the scheduled leaving date of March 29, Cabinet ministers revealed today to the Evening Standard.

A backlog of at least six essential Bills that must be passed before Britain quits the European Union has left ministers convinced the timetable will be extended.

Even asking MPs to sit at weekends and cancel their half-term holiday in February may not provide enough time to avoid asking for a delay, several sources have disclosed.

A senior minister said: “The legislative timetable is now very, very tight indeed. Certainly if there was defeat on Tuesday and it took some time before it got resolved, it’s hard to see how we can get all the legislation through by March 29.”

The development came as:

Senior ministers told the Standard that a majority of the Cabinet now support the idea of staging indicative votes in the Commons to see if a different Brexit plan is supported, despite Theresa May publicly opposing the idea.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd refused three times on live radio to deny she would resign if the Prime Minister attempted a disorderly departure from the EU without securing a withdrawal deal.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned that “Brexit paralysis” was a risk if MPs vote down Mrs May’s deal on Tuesday while lacking a majority for a different deal. He said it was clear that a no-deal Brexit would be blocked by Parliament following the landmark votes earlier this week.

An influential group of Cabinet ministers is understood to be pushing a Plan B designed to attract Labour support. Chancellor Philip Hammond, Mrs May’s de facto deputy David Lidington, Business Secretary Greg Clark, Justice Secretary David tGauke, and Ms Rudd, are said to support permanent membership of a customs union, which Labour has proposed.

Follow the latest developments on Brexit LIVE here

The pound jumped against the dollar as the Standard’s story about the likelihood of a delay was published online, rising to 0.6 per cent to $1.2851.

A No 10 spokeswoman denied the report, saying Mrs May had ruled out extending Article 50, adding: “Yes and she has done on a large number of occasions, including, I think, this week.”

But Mr Hunt appeared to concede that a delay could be forced by a Commons deadlock, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was “very unrealistic to think Parliament wouldn’t find a way” to stop a no-deal Brexit.

No 10 revealed that the assurances and clarifications on the backstop sought by Mrs May from Brussels were expected to be unveiled on Monday.

Speaking in Romania, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed talks were taking place with Downing Street.

But Brussels sources said the assurances may amount only to a joint letter from him and European Council president Donald Tusk, which would not buy off MPs.

Mr Hunt sounded more optimistic, saying he wanted the assurances to be “legally-binding”.

Diplomats believe Brussels may be holding back stronger wording for a re-run of the vote.

BBC analysis estimates the Government is heading for crushing defeat on Mrs May’s withdrawal blueprint next week by a margin of 228 votes.

The Prime Minister is committed to coming back to the Commons by Monday January 21 with proposals for a new way forward, opening the door to MPs forcing votes on Plan Bs.

The prospect of a delay to the Article 50 process has arisen because in addition to the deal itself, MPs need to pass a Trade Bill, Agriculture Bill, Fisheries Bill, Healthcare Bill, a Financial Services Bill and an Immigration Bill.

It follows reports from Brussels this week that British officials have already “put out feelers” about whether the other 27 EU countries would be willing to approve a limited extension of the Article 50 process that set a two-year deadline for Britain to leave the bloc.

A minister said there was “strong resistance” around the Cabinet table to any delay. “Nobody desires it,” they said. “We may have to sit down and really prioritise. But we would then be in an emergency crisis situation.”

Ministers think Mrs May will have to allow indicative votes on alternative plans — such as a second referendum and a Norway deal — if she loses heavily.

But a senior Tory warned: “Junior ministers and parliamentary private secretaries would feel very, very aggrieved if they did not have a free vote. You would get some resignations. Ministers have got to think how the process would work.”

The Tory added: “I’m absolutely certain it’s being examined.” No 10 sources said Mrs May “is not a fan” of the idea, however.

On the Today programme, Ms Rudd said she is “committed” to ensuring that the UK does not leave the EU without a withdrawal deal. She added that it was “right” for the Government to make preparations for a no-deal Brexit, comparing the measures to wearing seatbelt when driving a fast car.

Two of the biggest donors to the Brexit campaign, Peter Hargreaves and Crispin Odey, have told Reuters that they now believe the project will eventually be abandoned by Government.