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Rebel Labour MPs helped to reject a bid to delay Brexit to prevent a no-deal during a series of votes on amendments to the Withdrawal Bill.

An amendment proposed by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and Tory Nick Boles was voted down by the Tories and a handful of Labour rebels.

The amendment would have given Parliament control over the Brexit process if Theresa May fails to secure a deal by February 26.

MPs would have been able to vote on delaying Brexit to the end of the year and preventing a no-deal exit under the terms of a bill, although the Labour leadership said it would seek a shorter extension to Article 50.

But it was defeated by 321 votes to 298 in the Commons last night. The Labour leadership endorsed the amendment at the last minute on Tuesday after days of speculation.

But Labour MPs who voted against it included Eurosceptics Kate Hoey, Graham Stringer and Dennis Skinner, and former minister Caroline Flint.

Tories who rebelled to support the amendment included veteran politician Ken Clarke, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve and ardent Remainer Anna Soubry.

Ms Cooper and Mr Boles said they remain "deeply concerned that there is no safeguard in place to prevent a cliff edge in March 2019.”

Amendments proposed by former Conservative chair Caroline Spelman and 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady were both passed, blocking a no-deal Brexit and seeking to replace the controversial backstop.

Theresa May will now return to the EU hoping to renegotiate her deal, despite Brussels insisting this was not an option.

President of the European Council Donald Tusk immediately responded to the votes, stating “the backstop is part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for re-negotiation.”

The Labour MPs who rebelled to vote against the Cooper-Boles Amendment were: