Theresa May ignored the will of her Cabinet by ruling out a no deal Brexit and choosing to extend Article 50 as she asked Jeremy Corbyn to help her find a compromise.

The Prime Minister faced a full-scale Tory rebellion as she was accused of handing Mr Corbyn “the keys to Brexit” and surrendering control of Britain’s future.

Mrs May now faces the possibility of Cabinet resignations after 14 ministers - a clear majority - implored her to keep no deal on the table rather than seeking a long extension during an eight-hour meeting in Downing Street.

Mrs May snubbed them, even though just 10 ministers supported her proposal, including Michael Gove and Geoffrey Cox, who had previously indicated they supported no deal.

Eurosceptics accused Mrs May - a former Remain campaigner - of announcing “an attempt to overturn the referendum” as she admitted defeat over her existing Brexit deal.

Mrs May said: “I am taking action to break the logjam. I am offering to sit down with the Leader of the Opposition and to try to agree a plan - that we would both stick to - to ensure that we leave the European Union and that we do so with a deal.”