ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Keir Starmer has admitted he “genuinely” doesn't think the UK can leave the EU by March 29 after Theresa May suffered another humiliating setback in the House of Commons.

The shadow Brexit secretary said the current date for Britain’s departure from the bloc was now “simply not viable, for so many practical reasons”.

Mr Starmer was speaking in the Commons during the first of five days of debate ahead of next Tuesday's “meaningful vote” on Mrs May’s deal.

He said: “We are going to have to have a discussion I think next week, starting after Tuesday about where we go next.

“I genuinely think that leaving with no-deal would be catastrophic, I actually genuinely think we can’t do it on 29 March this year. It’s simply not viable, for so many practical reasons.

“So we’re going to have to look at what are the available options that realistically are still on the table, and what now are the merits of each of them.”

His remarks put Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn under pressure once more over whether or not he will lead his party in backing a second referendum. And if he gets the General Election he wants, should Mrs May lose the vote next Tuesday, he would have to consider extending Article 50 if he won.

Mr Starmer went on to mention the possibility of a People’s Vote among other options which are on the table.

He said: “There are other options that I know members of my own party feel very strongly about such as a public vote but we are going to have to sit down and look at what credibly are the options and how does Parliament take control of what happens next.

“But we are all going to I’m afraid have to acknowledge that some of the options that may have been there a year or two ago are not there in the same shape and the same form.”

It comes after MPs voted in favour of an amendment that will force Mrs May to present a Brexit "plan B" within three days if her controversial deal does not pass.

MPs backed the amendment by 308 votes to 297 on Wednesday afternoon.

It gives MPs the chance to formally put forward alternatives to her deal for the first time, including a People’s Vote, and the Norway and Efta “soft Brexit” options.

Mrs May also suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Commons on Tuesday night when MPs voted for an amendment to the Finance Bill intended to limit ministers' tax raising powers in the event of no-deal.