Greater Manchester’s mayor has joined with local Labour chiefs across the country to warn a no-deal Brexit would ‘play poker with people’s lives’.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister on the day MPs vote on her troubled withdrawal deal, Andy Burnham calls on the government to ‘stop the clock ticking’, suggesting Article 50 should be extended if no solution can be agreed by Parliament.

‘Crashing out is not an option’ for local economies, warns the joint letter, also signed by London mayor Sadiq Khan, Liverpool mayor Steve Rotherham and Newcastle council leader Nick Forbes.

“For our great cities and their surrounding towns and communities, a no-deal Brexit would be an economic disaster,” it says.

“It would mean losing growth, losing jobs, and losing money.

“It is unacceptable to play poker like this with people’s livelihoods and with their public services.”

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The letter was issued as MPs prepare to vote tonight on Theresa May’s negotiated exit deal, a vote she is widely expected to lose.

It remains entirely uncertain what will happen in that event, with MPs on both sides of the chamber expected to table a range of amendments, but the level of support for those - or the Prime Minister’s own deal - currently unclear.

With 73 days left until Britain is meant to leave Europe, Mr Burnham and fellow Labour leaders warn businesses have been unable to prepare.

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“The fundamental reason is continued uncertainty about our future relationship with the EU,” says the letter, arguing that is worse for small and medium-sized companies too busy with staying afloat to ‘endlessly scenario-plan’.

Pointing to research from YouGov carried out in November, they say nearly a third of SMEs ‘wouldn’t even know where to start’.

“We cannot stand by while political posturing risks crashing us out of the EU without a deal,” adds the letter, suggesting that in that event, March 29's deadline should be extended.

(Image: PA)

“Our economy simply isn’t prepared. It is time to step back from the brink, and take no-deal off the table for good.

“If necessary, the government must stop the clock ticking rather than head towards a disastrous and self-inflicted no-deal Brexit by default.”

No up-to-date government assessments of the economic impact of a ‘no deal’ exit have been shared, but Greater Manchester’s own analysis - based on previous leaked Treasury forecasts - suggest it would cost the local economy £8bn over the next 15 years.

The letter points out that collectively the north and London represent 42pc of the UK economy, housing over 23m people.

Those communities would be dealt a ‘hammer blow’ in the event of a no deal, it says, ‘all of whom would gladly find use for the £2bn recently earmarked for no-deal Brexit preparations’.

Government must now provide a deal capable of preparing for trade after Britain leaves, it adds: “Crashing out is not an option.”