THERESA May has said she aims to ask for a further extension to the Brexit process to allow the UK to leave the European Union "in a timely and orderly way".
The Prime Minister offered to hold talks with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree a plan acceptable to both, which can be put to the House of Commons ahead of the April 10 summit of the European Council.
Speaking in 10 Downing Street after a marathon session of Cabinet lasting over seven hours, May said that any further delay to Brexit should be "as short as possible".
She said a bill to pave the way for departure would have to be in place by May 22 to ensure the UK did not have to take part in European Parliament elections.
Setting out her plan for talks with Corbyn, May said: "The ideal outcome of this process would be to agree an approach on a future relationship that delivers on the result of the referendum, that both the leader of the opposition and I could put to the House for approval and which I could then take to next week's European Council.
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"However, if we cannot agree on the single unified approach, then we would instead agree a number of options for the future relationship that we could put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue.
"Crucially, the Government stands ready to abide by the decision of the House. But to make this process work, the opposition would need to agree to this too."
Standing at a lectern with the Government crest, before two Union flags, the Prime Minister added: "This is a decisive moment in the story of these islands and it will require national unity to deliver the national interest.
"I have always been clear that we could make a success of no deal in the long term but leaving with a deal is the best solution.
"So we will need a further extension of Article 50 – one that is as short as possible and which ends when we pass a deal.
"And we need to be clear what such an extension is for: to ensure we leave in a timely and orderly way.
"This debate, this division, cannot drag on much longer."
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May said she would try to strike a compromise deal with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn but said it would have to include her current deal.
She said: "Today I'm taking action to break the logjam.
"I'm offering to sit down with the leader of the opposition and try to agree a plan that we would both stick to to ensure we leave the EU and we do so with a deal.
"Any plan would have to agree the current withdrawal agreement – it has already been negotiated with the 27 other members and the EU has repeatedly said it cannot and will not be re-opened."
Conservative MP Nick Boles, who quit the party after his efforts to find a solution to the Brexit deadlock were rejected by MPs, has praised May her statement.
"I have been very critical of the PM and the Cabinet in an interview with @bbclaurak this afternoon," tweeted Boles. "I stand by my words. But the PM's statement is very welcome. This is the right approach. Better late than never."
May said, if a "single, unified approach" could not be agreed with Corbyn, then they would move to "a number of options for the future relationship we could put to the House in a series of votes to determine which course to pursue".
She said: "Crucially the Government stands ready to abide by the decision of the House but to make this process work the Opposition would need to agree to this too."
She said a Withdrawal Agreement Bill should be agreed by MPs before May 22 "so the UK need not take part in European Parliamentary elections".
She added: "We can and must find the compromises that will deliver what the British people voted for.
"This is a decisive moment in the story of these islands and it requires national unity to deliver the national interest."
Cabinet ministers have left Downing Street after the Prime Minister's statement.
Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Liz Truss, James Brokenshire, Amber Rudd, Chris Grayling and Damian Hinds left via the front door of Number 10. Party chairman Brandon Lewis followed soon after.
None offered any comment on May's statement.
Liam Fox, Matt Hancock, Gavin Williamson and Alun Cairns have also left Number 10.
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