Brexit will be delayed for up to two months under plans being considered by Theresa May to extend Article 50, The Telegraph has learned.

Downing Street officials have drawn up a series of options in a bid to avoid resignations by ministers determined to support a backbench bid to take no deal off the table this week.

The Prime Minister said she will delay a meaningful vote on her deal by up to two weeks until March 12, just 17 days before the UK is due to leave the European Union.

The Telegraph understands that the plans drawn up by Downing Street officials, which were circulated at the weekend, include making a formal request to Brussels to delay Brexit if she cannot secure a deal by then.

It came as the Prime Minister failed to secure a breakthrough "deal in the desert" during talks with European leaders at an EU-Arab summit in Egypt.