14:11

Theresa May will insist to EU leaders that her defeat in parliament on Thursday does not change her belief that her Brexit deal can still achieve a majority - as long as there are changes to the backstop.

May is likely to head to Brussels next week after another crushing defeat in parliament inflicted by Eurosceptic backbenchers, as well as speaking to more EU leaders over the weekend.

The prime minister hopes that other EU leaders will be more understanding of the kind of parliamentary game-playing seen on Thursday than officials in Brussels. “They are all politicians,” said a government source.

Privately, Downing Street is exasperated by what it regards as self-interested posturing by some MPs. Sources described the prime minister as furious in the voting lobbies on Wednesday night.

On Friday, May’s spokeswoman said the previous vote in January, where MPs passed an amendment demanding the backstop be replaced with alternative arrangements and rejected the possibility of no deal, was the only one which had spelt out what parliament would accept.

“The motion on the 29th of January remains the only one the Commons has passed expressing what it does want, and that is what we are pursuing,” the spokeswoman said. “That remains the case after last night’s vote, and that what is what the prime minister is focused on.

“If we do not pass a deal, the legal position is that we leave without one. We do not want that to happen. And the PM is working tirelessly to make the changes so that MPs can pass the deal when we bring it back.”