Emily Thornberry has said she thinks the UK is “heading for no deal” on Brexit, warning it would be a “serious threat” to the country.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary said Theresa May lacked the “strength or authority” to lead her party and accused the Prime Minister of showing “intransigence” over the divorce bill.

Theresa May admits for the first time that Brexit negotiations have been in 'difficulty'

“What we may be seeing is the Europeans trying to make it clear that it is not their fault that there are these difficulties,” Ms Thornberry told The Andrew Marr Show. “The intransigence does not come from their side, it comes from Theresa May’s side.”

She added: “I think the reality is the intransigence is on Theresa May’s side, because she doesn’t have the strength or the authority to be able to control her backbenchers, let alone her cabinet.

“And I think we are heading for no deal. And I think that is a serious threat to Britain and it is not in Britain’s interest for that to happen. We will stop that.”

Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA

Ms May repeatedly dodged questions at a Brussels summit about how much the UK is ready to pay, insisting the size of a “full and final settlement” will not emerge until an agreement is reached on all aspects of Brexit.