A KEY European leader appeared last night to issue a challenge to UK politicians to stop the process of leaving the EU.

Minutes after Theresa May suffered a catastrophic defeat in the Commons – the biggest ever inflicted on a government at Westminster – Donald Tusk called for someone with “courage” to come forward with the “only” positive solution.

In what was interpreted as a plea to reverse the decision to leave, the European Council president pointed to the Brexit impasse that has beset the UK Prime Minister. Tusk tweeted: “If a deal is impossible, and no-one wants no deal, then who will finally have the courage to say what the only positive solution is?”

With the Brexit date looming on March 29, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, warned “time is almost up” and that the UK has increased its chances of leaving without a deal.

In a short statement, he said he noted the outcome of the meaningful vote in the Commons and went on to underline that in his view the withdrawal agreement was a “fair compromise”.

“On the EU side, the process of ratification of the withdrawal agreement continues,” he said. “The agreement is a fair compromise and the best possible deal.

“It reduces the damage caused by Brexit for citizens and businesses across Europe. It is the only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The European Commission, and notably our chief negotiator Michel Barnier, has invested enormous time and effort to negotiate the withdrawal agreement.

“We have shown creativity and flexibility throughout. I, together with President Tusk, have demonstrated goodwill again by offering additional clarifications and reassurances in an exchange of letters with Prime Minister May earlier this week.”

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Juncker, above, added: “The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote. While we do not want this to happen, the European Commission will continue its contingency work to help ensure the EU is fully prepared. I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible. Time is almost up.”

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit chief, also heaped on the pressure on MPs to come up with a solution that could get through the Commons.

He tweeted: “The UK Parliament has said what it doesn’t want. Now is the time to find out what UK parliamentarians want. In the meantime, the rights of citizens must be safeguarded. #Brexit”

After the vote European leaders announced they would be further stepping up preparations for a no-deal scenario. Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel said on Twitter that his country was also stepping up its planning for a Brexit no-deal.

In the Republic of Ireland, business organisations warned members to “urgently” implement no-deal contingency measures. After the Commons vote, the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) said that with less than three months remaining, businesses trading with or transiting goods through the UK must now act to mitigate the substantial, potentially detrimental impacts of a disorderly Brexit.

“The Irish business community simply cannot afford to continue its ‘wait-and-see’ approach and trust in the UK political establishment to prevent a no-deal Brexit,” IEA chief executive Simon McKeever said in a statement. “It is crucial businesses understand and prepare for the application of full customs and VAT tariffs, phytosanitary and other regulatory and non-tariff barriers to trade with the UK.”