Backbench Eurosceptic Tory MPs have made a behind-the-scenes bid to persuade European Union leaders to veto any delay to Brexit at this week's Brussels summit.

The undercover diplomatic initiative has been led by Tory MPs Daniel Kawczynski, Craig Mackinlay and former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson.

The talks have been discussed at meetings of the European Research Group of around 60 hardline Conservative MPs.

The MPs were hoping that one of the EU's 27 remaining member states could veto Britain's expected request to an extension to Article 50 to make it more likely that the UK leaves the EU at the end of next week.

Mr Mackinlay - whose wife is Hungarian and who chairs the all-party Parliamentary group on Hungary - is understood to have held several meeting with senior figures in the Hungarian government.