Theresa May ‘could ditch Brexit deal to avoid third humiliating Commons defeat’

Theresa May could delay Brexit for up to two years in an attempt to avoid losing a third meaningful vote, it has been claimed.

The Prime Minister is said to be considering ditching her deal after it was left in tatters following a double Commons defeat.

She will try and get it through for a third time after MPs voted to take no-deal off the table and ask the EU for an extension to Article 50.

According to The Sun, she warned Tory MPs that there would be no fourth attempt to push her deal over the finish line, and told them: ‘It hardly bears thinking about’.

Ministers are now reportedly pinning their hopes on gaining the support of the 10 DUP MPs in Parliament who have concerns over the Northern Ireland backstop.

In January May’s deal was given a resounding ‘no’ by MPs who rejected it by a majority of 230 votes – the biggest defeat in British parliamentary history.

She then tried to bring it back from the dead on Tuesday but once again was defeated – this time by 149 votes.

Those voting against it included 75 Tory rebels and all 10 DUP MPs.

But around 20 Brexiteers, including Jacob Rees-Mogg,  who have so far voted the deal down are said to be considering supporting the Prime Minister if she can get the DUP’s support.

But MPs have slammed her last-ditch attempts to change her deal, saying ‘nothing has changed’.

European Council president Donald Tusk said: ‘On the EU side we have done all that is possible to reach an agreement. Given the additional assurances provided by the EU in December, January and yesterday, it is difficult to see what more we can do.