Brexit news: Theresa May gives press conference amid anger over delays - despite EU backing Article 50 extension
Theresa May has faced questions over a potential delay to Brexit amid reports Downing Street is considering the option of a short extension to Article 50.
During a brief press conference at the close of the EU-Arab summit in Egypt, the prime minister, however, continued to insist that leaving the bloc on the 29 March was "within our grasp".
Her remarks came as a series of EU leaders raised the prospect of extending the negotiations, as the European Council president, Donald Tusk, added it would be a "ration solution" - given the lack of a parliamentary majority for Ms May's Brexit deal.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had talks with Mrs May in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, said the UK needed to "wake up".
Mr Rutte told the BBC: "The Netherlands is one of your best friends. What you guys are doing - leaving EU in this time of insecurity in the world, instability in EU - is the wrong decision.
"It's four weeks until the end date and still the UK has not agreed a position. So, now we are sleepwalking into a no-deal scenario. It's unacceptable and your best friends have to warn you.
Challenged over whether MPs would be able to vote on any additional assurances she secures from Brussels before they have been formally signed off by the EU27, Mrs May told reporters: "It is possible to do it either way."
Rejecting calls for a delay, the Prime Minister added: "An extension to Article 50, a delay in this process, doesn't deliver a decision in Parliament, it doesn't deliver a deal. All it does is precisely what the word 'delay' says.
"Any extension of Article 50 isn't addressing the issues.
The European parliament’s Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt also branded her decision to postpone the Commons ballot “one of the most reckless” he had ever seen, accusing Ms May of “kicking the can down the road”.
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After Jon Lansman's comments on the Today programme this morning, he also tweeting more on the issue of antisemitism in the Labour Party, claiming some people are understanding the problem.
Conservative MP Antoinette Sandbach has said the PM was "irresponsible" to put off the next meaningful vote on Brexit as late as March 12.
"I have businesses in my constituency who are desperate to know what the position is going to be, and to postpone it for such a long time, is to my mind, irresponsible," she told BBC Radio 4's World at One
The Independent Group of MPs in Westminster have just started their first official meeting since the 11 MPs resigned from the Conservatives & Labour last week. Interestingly, there are 12 briefing papers...
Interesting story here on the Press Association, on the ex-Brexit secretary's leadership hopes.
Former Cabinet minister David Davis has claimed he would probably be the leader of the Conservative Party if the role was like an application for a job as chief executive.
Mr Davis, who lost out to David Cameron in the 2005 leadership race, told Tatler magazine he believed he had the credentials for the top job.
He said Theresa May "probably" has another year as Tory leader and revealed he did not submit a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister last year.
The former Brexit Secretary said: "If this were an application for a job as a chief executive, I would probably win it.
"But it isn't. And that isn't the way the decision is done."
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