JEREMY CORBYN told MPs today that there can be “no more running away” from the meaningful vote on Brexit with less than three months to go until we exit the EU on March 29.

The Labour leader accused absent Prime Minister Theresa May of “hiding” from the reality of the Commons consensus that her current Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union was a bad plan, and demanded that she gives a “cast-iron promise” that she will not delay the MPs’ vote on it again.

Speaking during an urgent question, he said: “This issue will define Britain’s future and should not be decided by the internal machinations of the Conservative Party.

“This House and this country deserve much better.”

He added: “She achieved nothing at the December summit and now surely she has plenty to update us on?

“And, whilst I’m delighted to see the Brexit Secretary here, it’s the Prime Minister who should be here to answer these questions.”

The opposition leader also criticised “shambolic” no-deal Brexit preparations and mocked Transport Secretary Chris Grayling’s decision to award a post-Brexit shipping contract to a company with no ships.

He went on: “Even today we see the farce of lorries being lined up to stage a fake traffic jam in Kent to pretend to the EU that the government is ready for no deal.”

The government’s no-deal Brexit lorry test – called Operation Brock – was branded pointless after fewer than 100 lorries turned up to descend on Manston Airport near Ramsgate and travel to Dover.