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MPs have rejected all options on the UK’s future relationship with the European Union in a series of indicative votes for the second time.

Four alternative plans, designed to establish what kind of Brexit has a chance of winning a majority in the House of Commons, were voted down by MPs on Monday evening.

They included a "Norway-plus" plan for close UK engagement with the EU after Brexit, or Common Market 2.0, proposed by Conservative Nick Boles.

After his plan was defeated by 282 votes to 261, Mr Boles dramatically declared that he would no longer sit as a Tory MP, blaming the party for refusing to compromise on a means of leaving the EU.

The other defeated motions included Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke's plan for a customs union, Labour backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson's demand for a referendum on any Brexit deal passed by Parliament, and SNP MP Joanna Cherry's call for Brexit to be cancelled if the UK appears to be on course to crash out of the EU without a deal.

The closest to passing was Mr Clarke's motion, which was defeated by just three votes, 276 to 273.

The customs union went down by 292 votes to 280 while the proposal to block no-deal Brexit lost by 292 votes to 191.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay told MPs that the default outcome was now a no-deal Brexit on April 12, but said it was still possible to leave with a deal and avoid holding European Parliament elections in May if the Commons approves an agreement this week.

Mr Barclay told MPs: "This House has continuously rejected leaving without a deal, just as it has rejected not leaving at all.

"Therefore the only option is to find a way through which allows the UK to leave with a deal. The Government continues to believe that the best course to take is to do so as soon as possible."

Tory MPs were given a free vote on the options, but cabinet ministers were told to abstain.

It was earlier confirmed that senior ministers will meet in cabinet for a total of five hours on Tuesday to discuss the way ahead, amid speculation about possible resignations, a general election or change of Tory leader.

Mr Boles quit the Conservative party as he slammed his former colleagues for refusing to compromise on Brexit options.

He had previously quit his local party and resigned the whip following Monday's indicative votes.

Addressing the Commons after his Commons Market 2.0 motion failed, he said: "I've failed chiefly because my party refuses to compromise.

"I regret therefore to announce that I can no longer sit for this party."

European Parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said the result means a hard Brexit is “nearly inevitable”.

He added: “On Wednesday, the UK has a last chance to break the deadlock or face the abyss."

Tory MP and former attorney general Dominic Grieve has said Theresa May’s deal has “no special magic” over the other options on the table.

He said it was a “difficult truth” that her plan commanded less support than the alternatives that were put to the Commons.

"It may appear tedious but I always thought when we started this process it was going to take several goes to get there,” Mr Grieve said.

"Now we need to start talks about whether some of these concepts can be merged.

"It's obvious there's a preferred route by Parliament for a customs union and some form of regulatory alignment... and a large number for holding a referendum.

"That's the way forward, but if we're going to get there that's going to require those promoting a customs union to vote for a referendum and vice versa.

"The Prime Minister's deal has no special magic over and above the rest - the awful, difficult truth is her deal has commanded less support than the deals we have been looking at this evening."