FREE now SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Make the most of your money by signing up to our newsletter fornow We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

The Prime Minister gave a speech outside Downing Street this evening where she made it clear MPs have a stark choice between her withdrawal agreement or the UK walking away from the Brussels bloc without a deal. Earlier today, Mrs May wrote to Donald Tusk asking to postpone Brexit until June 30 to allow enough time to ratify the unpopular withdrawal agreement. The request will be considered by the remaining 27 EU leaders tomorrow. A European Commission document said the EU should offer Britain just one extension as multiple delays would leave the bloc in limbo.

Theresa May has spoken outside Downing Street

The commission is also likely to insist Britain takes part in European elections in May. Mrs May said it was not in Britain's interests to take part in European elections. In her letter to Mr Tusk, Mrs May said she will try to get her Brexit deal passed through Parliament in a third vote “as soon as possible”. She said: “I intend to put forward a motion as soon as possible under section 13 of the Withdrawal Act 2018 and make the argument for the orderly withdrawal and strong future partnership the UK economy, its citizens’ security and the continent’s future, demands.”

Mrs May admitted Commons Speaker John Bercow’s decision to block a third meaningful vote on her Brexit deal, unless “fundamentally” changed, had made her Brexit plan “impossible”. She said: “The Speaker of the House of Commons said on Monday that in order for a further meaningful vote to be brought back to the House of Commons, the agreement would have to be ‘fundamentally different - not different in terms of wording, but different in terms of substance’. “Some Members of Parliament has interpreted that this means a further change to the deal. “This position has made it impossible in practice to call a further vote in advance of the European Council. However, it remains my intention to bring the deal back to the House.” SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE UPDATES

Theresa May's future at Number 10 has been thrown into doubt

10:05pm update: EU leaders are due to meet tomorrow to discuss Theresa May's request of an Article 50 extension All of the leaders must agree before a deal can be guarnteed. 8:45pm update: Theresa May admits her ‘personal regret’ for the delay to Brexit Speaking at 10 Downing Street, Mrs May said: “Nearly three years have passed since the public voted to leave the European Union. "It was the biggest democratic exercise in our countries history. I came to office on a promise to deliver on that verdict. “In March 2017 I triggered the Article 50 process for the UK to exit the EU. And Parliament supported it overwhelmingly. “Two years on, MPs have been unable to agree on how to implement the UK’s withdrawal. “As a result, we will now not leave on time with a deal on the 29 March. “This delay is a matter of great personal regret for me and for this I am absolutely sure, you the public, have had enough. “You are tired of the infighting. You’re tired of the political games and the arcane procedural rows. Tired of MPs talking about nothing else but Brexit when you have real concerns about our children’s schools, our National Health Service, knife crime.” 7:20pm Piers Morgan has blasted May in latest Tweet where he demands the UK leaves the bloc with no deal The TV host said: "Enough of this Brexit c**p. “The Prime Minister hasn't got a clue what she's doing. “Our MPs haven't got a clue what they're doing either. “Let's just b***y leave on March 29, with no deal, and get on with it. “We'll survive & may even thrive. Anything's better than this.”

Mrs May was speaking at Downing Street this evening

6:52pm update: Nigel Farage warns he will ‘tear Tories apart if May delays Brexit’ The Brexiter has fired some strong words at Theresa May amid the threat of a delay in Brexit. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage said: “Any extension of Article 50 will be seen as a betrayal of our nation by millions of angry Conservative voters. The choice facing Theresa May is simple. “If she holds firm and abides by the law of the land, Britain will leave the European Union at 11pm on 29 March. “If she buckles, and a long extension ensues, I promise I will do my best to tear her party limb from limb. It deserves no better.” 6:28pm update: Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve warns Government’s credibility is ‘running out’ Speaking of Mrs May and the Brexit deadlock, Mr Grieve said: “Unless she stands up and starts doing something different, we are going to spiral down into oblivion. When the Prime Minister came to the despatch box today at PMQs, I confess I think it was the worst moment I have experienced since I came into the House of Commons. "I have never felt more ashamed to be a member of the Conservative Party or to be asked to lend her support. “She spent most of her time castigating the House for its misconduct, at no stage did she pause to consider whether is it in fact the way she is leading this Government which might be contributing to this situation." 6:08pm update: France warns Theresa May they will NOT accept a delay to Brexit unless she offers way out Emmanuel Macron’s spokesman has said Mrs May must provide clear reasons for an extension. The Prime Minister’s request must be approved by all 27 EU member states. 5:41pm update: Theresa May rejects an invitation to attend meeting of backbench Tory MPs This comes amid speculation Mrs May is due to make a landmark Brexit statement outside Number 10 tonight. The 1922 Committee asked the Prime Minister to address a meeting this evening. 5:26pm update: MPs advised to share taxis home due to fears they could be attacked by angry voters Deputy Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said the Serjeant at Arms had arranged for black cabs to be available to collect them from the Commons. He also said that police across the country had been put on alert over the threat MPs now face. 5:15pm update: UK pensioners living in EU say NHS plans under a no-deal Brexit are ‘sick’ An expat group has criticised a Government offer to only cover NHS costs for one year. Coorindator at Expat Citizens Rights, Dave Spokes, said: “How can pensioners with cancer, cardiac problems or other major issues be expected to make or even afford repeated visits to the UK for regular vital treatment? “My wife was rushed to hospital in France the first week in February. She is still there six weeks later. How could we get her to the UK at a moment’s notice if she has a repeat problem? “This is a sick, uncaring government. To cut citizens adrift through no fault of their own when they spent their entire working lives paying into the system, and when most had no say in the referendum, is despicable.”

Theresa May faced the chamber at PMQs today

4:14pm update: Donald Tusk says a delay in Brexit IS possible Mr Tusk said he has had a phone call with Mrs May about the proposals of delaying Article 50, but he made it clear MPs must back the deal. He said: “A short extension would be possible, Prime Minister May’s proposals of June 30th creates a series of questions of legal and political nature. “I believe it will be possible for EU leaders to sign off on Strasbourg agreements to supplement divorce deal. “I am confident we will not lack this patience and good will at this most critical pint of the process.” 3:58pm update: The US Senate may block a Brexit trade deal claiming it will promote other countries leaving the EU US Congress could block a trade deal with the UK after an EU agreement which could be as late as 2024, a senator has warned. A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has warned the UK could wait for five years for a trade deal with the US after Brexit as Donald Trump will struggle to get it passed in the Congress. Democrat Senator Chris Murphy has voiced deep concern from both the Republicans and the Democrats that doing a deal with the UK before the EU would be a “gift to Russia” as it would encourage other member states to also leave the bloc. 2.42pm update: Theresa May sparks quit speculation Theresa May has hinted she may quit as Prime Minister if Britain does not leave the EU by June 30 after she requested a three month Brexit extension. The Prime Minister has sparked speculation she will resign after she stressed several times “I cannot support extension beyond June 30” during this afternoon’s heated Prime Ministers Questions. Twitter users took to social media to speculate Mrs May’s comments could mean she will resign if forced to have a longer extension. One said: “The way Theresa May is phrasing her arguments, she would have to resign if forced to ask for a long extension in the weeks to come. “So in effect, EU leaders could topple her if they refuse give her a short one now - and she chooses against a no-deal Brexit.” EU journalist Dave Keating posted: “Theresa May has finally sent a letter to the EU requesting an extension until 30 June. Letter implies she'd resign rather than consent to a longer extension. “But sources say EU27 are very unlikely to agree a 30 June extension. Commission talking about either end May or end 2019.”

Theresa May faced a rowdy Prime Minister's Questions

1.33pm update: MPs take to social media to vent their frustration Some MPs have reacted with frustration on Twitter after the Prime Minister announced she would attempt to extend Article 50 until June 30 and proposed a third meaningful vote on her Brexit deal. Labour former minister Yvette Cooper said Mrs May was "in the worst state of denial". She tweeted: “Truly shocking. This is a Prime Minister in the worst state of denial, refusing to listen to anyone, just still doing the same thing again and again, no plan B, heading stubbornly towards the cliff edge." Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron claimed Parliament is "dancing to the tune of extremists" rather than listening to ordinary people. He tweeted: ”And there's the problem in a nutshell - the PM listens to Brexiteer Tory MP Peter Bone not Britain. “We are dancing to the tune of extremists, not listening to the people." 12.59 update: EU set to reject May's three-month Brexit delay The European Commission opposes extending British membership of the European Union to June 30. In a note on the Brexit process reviewed by the Commission, officials said leaders meeting Theresa May in Brussels tomorrow face a "binary" choice of a short delay of Brexit from March 29 to before May 23 or a long delay to at least the end of this year, with Britain obliged to take part in Euro elections on May 23. The document said: “Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections. "This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions."

Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs

12.30pm update: Theresa May says she will bring ‘domestic proposals’ to tweak deal Theresa May is ready to tweak her Brexit deal in a bid to secure a third meaningful vote and get it passed through Parliament. The Prime Minister asked the European Council to “approve the supplementary documents that President Juncker and I agreed in Strasbourg, putting gate Government in a position to bring these agreements to the House and confirming the changes to the Government’s position to Parliament”. She said: “I also intend to bring forward further domestic proposals that confirm by previous commitments to protect our internal market, given the concerns expressed about the backstop.” Mrs May will address EU member states to rally them to vote for a three-month extension during the EU summit tomorrow.

12.25pm update: Backbench Brexiteer warns May of “betrayal” Tory backbencher Peter Bone has warned Theresa May applying for an extension to Article 50 would be a betrayal of the British people. He told the Commons: “Last week two-thirds of MPs voted against any extension to Article 50. Prime Minister, if you consider applying for an extension to Article 50 you will be betraying the British people. If you don’t you will be honouring their instruction. “History will judge you on this moment.” Mrs May replied: “I’ve always wanted us to leave on 29 March but I believe it’s better to leave with a deal from the EU. We should look again at leaving with a deal. “As Prime Minister I could not consider a delay further than 30th June. We need to make a decision what we want this future to be.” 12.22pm update: Theresa May says Speaker John Bercow’s decision on third vote makes plan ‘impossible’ Theresa May said John Bercow’s decision to block a third meaningful vote on her Brexit deal, unless “fundamentally” changed, had made her Brexit plan “impossible”. In her letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister said: “The Speaker of the House of Commons said on Monday that in order for a further meaningful vote to be brought back to the House of Commons, the agreement would have to be ‘fundamentally different - not different in terms of wording, but different in terms of substance’. “Some Members of Parliament has interpreted that this means a further change to the deal. “This position has made it impossible in practice to call a further vote in advance of the European Council. “However, it remains my intention to bring the deal back to the House.” 12.20pm update: Corbyn condemns "crisis, chaos and division: of Brexit In his concluding remarks, Jeremy Corbyn said he had still not seen legally-binding changes to the Brexit deal as he accused Mrs May of "running down the clock" after a second heavy defeat. He said: "Today marks 1,000 days since the referendum and this Government has led the country and themselves into crisis, chaos and division. "We are still legally due to leave the European Union in nine days time. Months of running down the clock and a concerted campaign of blackmail, bullying and bribery has failed to convince the House or the country that her deal is anything but a damaging national failure and should be rejected. "They've run out of time, they've run out of ideas. "If the Prime Minister cannot get changes to her deal, will she give the people a chance to reject the deal and change the government?" Mrs May replied: "I think he's actually just made the point that I was making in my previous answer to him - that he doesn't actually want to respect the vote that took place in the referendum in 2016." 12.18pm update: May and Corbyn clash over Brexit Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have clashed over Brexit at a raucous Prime Minister’s Questions Mrs May said: “The has no idea what he wants on the future of this issue. “He asks about long extensions - I’m opposed to that. Setting aside this would mean we would have to hold EU elections, the outcome of a long extension would mean endless days of this house carrying contemplating its naval on Europe and failing to address issues that matter to constituents “This House has indulged itself on Europe for too long. It’s time to determine that we will deliver on Brexit for British people. They deserve better.” Mr Corbyn replied: “The House has twice rejected her deal. She now has to come up with something different from what she has so far. What will she get to allow this to be done?” 12.12pm update: Theresa May’s letter to Donald Tusk revealed Theresa May has said she will try to get her Brexit deal passed through Parliament in a third vote “as soon as possible”. The Prime Minister wrote to Donald Tusk asking for a three month delay to Brexit until June 30, in order to provide enough time to ratify the deal. The short delay will be decided by the remaining 27 EU leaders when they meet at the summit in Brussels tomorrow. In the letter, Theresa May said: “I intend to put forward a motion as soon as possible under section 13 of the Withdrawal Act 2018 and make the argument for the orderly withdrawal and strong future partnership the UK economy, its citizens’ security and the continent’s future, demands.”

Theresa May's letter to Donald Tusk asking for a Brexit delay

12.12pm update: Corbyn calls for Brexit talks wth May Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called on Theresa May to meet him for emergency Brexit talks. He told the Commons: “We are now in midst of full scale national crisis. Parliament has rejected her deal and no deal. She now has no plan. “In effort to break deadlock I have help meetings across the house. Tomorrow I am meeting EU officials in Brussels. Will the PM meet me today to see how we can get out of this crisis? Mrs May replied: “It’s a bit rich inviting me to meet him when he refused to meet me. I’m always happy to meet members from across the House.”

12.04pm update: Prime Minister's Questions under way Theresa May is at the despatch box for Prime Minister's Questions. She said taking part in May’s EU elections would not be in anyone’s interests. She told MPs: “Three years after leaving EU, electing new MEPs is unacceptable and would be a failure of honouring referendum. “The Government intends to bring forward proposals for a meaningful vote, if passed it will give the House time to consider withdraw bill if not house will consider how to proceed. “As Prime Minister I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than 30th June.”

11. 47am update: Tajani pledges to protect citizens’ rights European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said protecting citizens' rights after Brexit was his number one priority. In a statement on the state of play of Brexit at the European Commission, he said: "For the European Parliament to defend the rights of EU citizens in the UK is the priority and it is also the priority to protect the rights of British citizens living in the EU. "Of course we want a deal but also without a deal the engagement with the European Parliament will be very strong. "Tomorrow in front of the European Council I will underline this point because for us this is the priority number one."

European Parliament president Antonio Tajani

11.32am update: Donald Trump Jr in Brexit deadlock attack Donald Trump Jr has launched a scathing attack against the Brussels “elites” over the Brexit deadlock saying “democracy is all but dead”. The son of the US President warned the will of the people will be ignored on Brexit day because “the elites control London from Brussels”. He called on Prime Minister Theresa May to honour her promise and make sure Britain leaves the EU on March 29 - “the British people’s Independence Day” - without delays. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the US businessman said: “Now, the clock has virtually run out and almost all is lost – exactly as the European elites were hoping. “Some pro-Brexit politicians even suggest that Mrs May herself is trying to sabotage Brexit, by insisting that Parliament agree to a deal that essentially keeps Britain bound to the EU indefinitely. “With the deadline fast approaching, it appears that democracy in the UK is all but dead.” 10.50am: Alison McGovern calls for SO24 debate Labour MP Alison McGovern has tabled an emergency debate tokday which would start an attempt to take control of the Brexit extension - removing Theresa May's powers over the length of the delay. The Wirral South MP has filed an application for the emergency Brexit debate with the Speaker's Office and Speaker John Bercow will decide whether to grant the debate later today. A Labour spokesman said: "The Prime Minister should make a statement. If she doesn't we will support all measures to force a debate in Parliament on this matter." 10.26am update: Survey shows low approval rating for EU handling of Brexit A survey has found fewer than half of Europeans approve of the way the EU is handling Brexit (38 percent), economic issues (40 percent) and the refugee issue (23 percents). The poll, carried out by the Pew Research Centre across 10 EU member states including the UK, found the Hungarian, Greeks and Italians were least satisfied with the handling Britain’s departure from the bloc.

Only 38 percent of Europeans think the EU has handled Brexit well

9.33am update: Czech Republic ready to support Brexit delay Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said his country might support a delay to the date of Brexit at the upcoming European Council meeting in Brussels. He said: “We are ready to support postponing Brexit beyond the March 29 but Britain has to indicate specific purpose of such extension and a plan of further actions.” 9.57am update: Starmer condemns “desperate” Theresa May Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: "The Prime Minister appears to be pursing a course of action that her own deputy last week described as reckless. "Theresa May is desperate once again to impose a binary choice between her deal and no deal despite Parliament clearly ruling out both of those options last week. "What the Government should be doing is showing real leadership, making good on their commitment to break the deadlock and secure an extension with a genuine purpose."

Brexit timeline

8.59am update: Leadsom says May “frustrated but determined” Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said Theresa May was "extremely frustrated" but "remains determined to take us out of the EU" and hopes to do so without participating in May’s EU elections. Appearing on LBC Radio, Mrs Leadson said: "It's absolutely essential we're out of the EU before the European elections. "It would be extraordinary for the people who voted to leave the EU to find us fielding candidates for these next elections. "She's absolutely working her socks off to get to that point, so, in seeking a short extension, she and her Cabinet will be determined to get further progress on the Meaningful Vote so we can get her deal voted through in Parliament."

Andrea Leadsom said Theresa May was very frustrated by the Brexit deadlock

8.31am update: IDS warns of “bow wave of problems” Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has warned a Brexit delay will create problems for the Government and the Conservative Party and can only be justified if Theresa May changes her withdrawal deal. He said: “Any delay creates a bow wave of problems, not just for the Government here but for the governing party around the country. "There is only one reason that would pass muster, and that would be because the agreement has to be changed. “Any delay must be hinged around the idea of getting change to the deal, but any other reason simply doesn't work." 8.19am update: "We're in the hands of God" says Juncker European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU had done much to accommodate Britain Brexit but could go no further and warned this week's summit in Brussels may not resolve the issue. Mr Juncker told Germany's Deutschlandfunk radio: “There will be no renegotiations, no new negotiations, no additional guarantees in addition to those already given. "We have intensively moved towards Britain, there can be no more." Mr Juncker said the EU and the UK would be “in the hands of God” if there were no deal by the end of March. He said: "Months set aside for a short article 50 extension would have to produce, as an end result, an agreement from the British Parliament to the agreement text which is before them. “If that doesn’t happen, and if Great Britain does not leave at the end of March, then we are, I am sorry to say, in the hands of God. “And I think even God sometimes reaches a limit to his patience.”

Jean-Claude Juncker

8.10am update: Minister insists short delay is “right option” for May Education Secretary Damian Hinds said a shorter rather than longer extension to Article 50 is the right option for the Prime Minister to request. Speaking on the BBC Today programme, he said: "I don't see how a long delay gives certainty, actually, we've had a long time already. "Unless and until a deal is finalised there remains the prospect, the risk, of no deal. "In terms of timing there has already been two-plus years to do this and I think people are a bit tired of waiting for Parliament to get our act together and get the deal passed."

Education Secretary Damian Hinds has backed Theresa May's delay request

7.59am update: Tories vow to quit part of Johnson replaces May as leader A number of Tory MPs would quit the party if Boris Johnson became leader, insiders have claimed. Theresa May’s future has been thrown into doubt after she was forced to ask the EU for a Brexit extension and Mr Johnson is favourite of Brexit-backing Tory activists, who will pick the leader out of a final two candidates. But at least one minister said she would leave the party if the former foreign secretary and supporters such as Jacob Rees-Mogg took control of the Conservatives. Another minister said he knew of five or six Conservatives who were openly saying they were strongly opposed to a Johnson premiership and could not stay in the party run by him and a group of “Brexit ultras”. Tory defector Anna Soubry, who quit the party to join the new Independent Group, said she believed “people will leave” if Mr Johnson become Prime Minister.

Conservate sources said several MPs would quit of Boris Johnson became leader