Fresh defeat for May as MPs vote against Brexit deal for third time

MPs rejected the Withdrawal Agreement by 344 votes to 286, a margin of 58.

In a point of order immediately after the result, May suggested she could come back to the Commons with the deal again, for a fourth time, but, she added, the Brexit debate was “reaching the limits of the process of this House”.

There was pressure on the Tory leader to resign immediately.

Both Jeremy Corbyn and Ian Blackford told May that she should consider her position and call a snap election.

The SNP leader also suggested May revoke Article 50.

Addressing MPs, the Prime Minister said it "should be a matter of profound regret to every member of this House that once again we have been unable to support leaving the European Union in an orderly fashion."

The implications, she said, were grave.

"The legal default now is that the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on 12 April, in just 14 days’ time.

"This is not enough time to agree, legislate for and ratify a deal, and yet the House has been clear it will not permit leaving without a deal.

"And so we will have to agree an alternative way forward."

She added: "I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this House.

"This House has rejected no deal. It has rejected no Brexit. On Wednesday it rejected all the variations of the deal on the table.

"And today it has rejected approving the Withdrawal Agreement alone and continuing a process on the future.

"This Government will continue to press the case for the orderly Brexit that the result of the referendum demands.”

Brexiteer Tory Steve Baker said: “I regret to say it is time for Theresa May to follow through on her words and make way so that a new leader can deliver a Withdrawal Agreement which will be passed by Parliament”.

European Council president Donald Tusk announced that there would be a meeting of the EU leaders early next month, “In view of the rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement by the House of Commons, I have decided to call a European Council on 10 April.”

MPs are set to return to the Commons on Monday, when they have control of the agenda. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she hoped they would be able to find a compromise.

She tweeted: “Third defeat for PM’s bad deal – she must now accept that it’s dead. The Commons will now return on Monday to find a way forward. I hope that will be to put the issue back to the people and/or revoke Article 50 – but the SNP will work with others to find the best option possible”

MPs were debating the Withdrawal Agreement, effectively, the legally binding treaty setting out the divorce terms of Brexit. But unlike in previous votes, there was no discussion on Political Declaration that sketches out plans for the future EU/UK relationship.

There was an early boost for Downing Street when a number of hardcore Brexiteers announced they would hold their nose and vote for the deal.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, told MPs: "I cannot countenance an even longer extension and I cannot countenance holding European elections in May."

He added: "The choice now is between the risk of being held in the backstop by the EU for a period, without being able to control our exit, and on the other hand a significant risk of losing Brexit altogether.

"Neither are palatable. Both could have been avoided if the Government had shown the requisite resolve and will."

All 13 Scottish Tory MPs backed the government, including Ross Thomson.

In a massive u-turn, the one time hardline Brexiteer, wrote on Twitter: " After a lot of thought, wrestling with my conscience and talking to good friends and colleagues I have reluctantly decided to vote for the deal today."

But it wasn’t enough.

DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the Northern Irish party's 10 MPs, who prop up the minority Tory government, were voting against the agreement because it "betrays the wishes of the vast majority of people who voted to leave".